Letter to Mayor and Council from a concerned citizen:
When the OCP was approved residents were assured that this was an umbrella document and the real work re zoning , building character etc and what could or could not be built would be part of the local area plans.
I have seen nothing yet on local area plans for Ambleside town centre or Ambleside and Dundarave area. No citizen engagement yet. The Neighbourhood Character Committee is still Meeting.
I cannot understand how our Planning Department would let a proposal for a three story massed condominium building with 25 residences on two single family lots even get to the stage of initial public consultation.
If this project gets the green light it will mean no single family residence owner in West Vancouver will be safe from having this type of development built next door to them. ( is this actually what our Mayor and Council want?).
This proposed development is not in character at all with the neighbourhood. If approved would be “spot zoning” in a single family neighbourhood where to my knowledge no local area plans have been approved.
I realize that Council may not be aware of this but my understanding is that our Mayor is fully aware and developer must have got the “nod” to go this far.
Everyone realizes that some forms of tasteful 2 story duplexes, triplexes , coach houses etc are likely outside of the Ambleside Apartment zone that fit the neighbourhood character and that monster single family homes are not the answer to our housing needs. This does not mean that we should watch quiet and peaceful single family neighbourhoods with tress and greenery be turned into barracks of three story or higher condominium and townhouse developments.
I suggest that you and your colleagues may want to consider directing our planning department to kill this ill conceived project before it gets any further by advising our Planning Department and the Developer that Council will not approve zoning change required for this type of development in a single family neighbourhood. The developer should wait until the neighbourhood character committee reports and recommendations approved and until local area plans approved. These plans will clarify the type of community sensitive developments that may be approved going forward.
When the OCP was approved residents were assured that this was an umbrella document and the real work re zoning , building character etc and what could or could not be built would be part of the local area plans.
I have seen nothing yet on local area plans for Ambleside town centre or Ambleside and Dundarave area. No citizen engagement yet. The Neighbourhood Character Committee is still Meeting.
I cannot understand how our Planning Department would let a proposal for a three story massed condominium building with 25 residences on two single family lots even get to the stage of initial public consultation.
If this project gets the green light it will mean no single family residence owner in West Vancouver will be safe from having this type of development built next door to them. ( is this actually what our Mayor and Council want?).
This proposed development is not in character at all with the neighbourhood. If approved would be “spot zoning” in a single family neighbourhood where to my knowledge no local area plans have been approved.
I realize that Council may not be aware of this but my understanding is that our Mayor is fully aware and developer must have got the “nod” to go this far.
Everyone realizes that some forms of tasteful 2 story duplexes, triplexes , coach houses etc are likely outside of the Ambleside Apartment zone that fit the neighbourhood character and that monster single family homes are not the answer to our housing needs. This does not mean that we should watch quiet and peaceful single family neighbourhoods with tress and greenery be turned into barracks of three story or higher condominium and townhouse developments.
I suggest that you and your colleagues may want to consider directing our planning department to kill this ill conceived project before it gets any further by advising our Planning Department and the Developer that Council will not approve zoning change required for this type of development in a single family neighbourhood. The developer should wait until the neighbourhood character committee reports and recommendations approved and until local area plans approved. These plans will clarify the type of community sensitive developments that may be approved going forward.