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Your Legacy....passed on to us by Trevor Wicks

2/12/2020

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West Ridge and the Alternate Approval Process

2/9/2020

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FACT SHEET:  The ‘Park” Lot 23 – West Ridge Way – Qualicum Beach  02/08/20​

A Notice to Electors of Bylaw 741 was published January 7th describing a small park land exchange in the 49 home West Ridge subdivision of Qualicum Beach, at Laburnum and Claymore Roads. In fact, the infinitely small (10 M2) land exchange is incidental to the bylaw’s true purpose, which is to sub-divide a lot previously designated for park in West Ridge and to create two new residential building lots to sell. The 10 M2 triangle of land slated for exchange is an obstacle to the proposed street frontage for one of these lots.

  • The development concept plan for West Ridge presented to the Planning Advisory Committee in April 2012 included specific designated park areas.
  • Developer presentations made to Council in May 2012 included supporting documentation and drawings describing the development and identified 3 park parcels. 
  • QB Council approved and passed the re-zoning bylaw in July of 2012, enabling residential subdivision, but did not zone all the originally proposed park areas as park land as was planned.
  • In July 2012, Town Planning staff advised the developer that park designation was required as a condition of final approval of the plan. Only 2 of 3 parcels were subsequently designated, excluding the largest 3rd parcel, present Lot 23, with no explanation for the alteration to the development plan
  • The Developer was assessed development costs of $180,075.00 for the establishment of park areas. 
  • The exclusive sales marketing Realty agency provided purchasers maps of lot layouts indicating greenspace and purchasers believed the parks to be a feature.
  •  A planting and an irrigation system was completed on all park lands in accordance to the 2012 Landscape Plan including Lot 23 now the subject of Bylaw 741.
  • Parks & Recreation crews have annually maintained all the landscaped areas.
  • Only since the Notice of Bylaw 741 in January 2020, did the West Ridge owners learn that the lot (Lot 23) was not designated park, as required in it’s 2012 development approval and remained zoned a residential lot.
Regardless of whether the Town assigned a park designation to Lot 23 or not it was by all intentions deemed by all parties including the Town to be park until January 2020. It continues to be used by residents of West Ridge and Qualicum Beach Elementary School children as a park. The Town, through its Mayor and Council, should complete the process and designate the entire area through Bylaw as park and not proceed with this exchange.

The Process: AAP – Alternative Approval Process

Initially called a “Counter-Petition Process” and now “Alternate Approval Process”, eligible electors in the town are assumed to be in support of a bylaw unless a 10% threshold of electors submit formal ‘Electoral Response Forms’ objecting to its passing. This practice is being discontinued in many jurisdictions as it can be and is often mis-used to advance passage of bylaws under the radar of citizens most directly impacted by a bylaw. Bylaw 741 has the most impact on the 98 residents of the West Ridge subdivision, yet 801 of the entire 8000 Qualicum Residents are required to overturn the bylaw. This is fundamentally unfair and is a practice the Town can and intends to use for similar land exchanges and ultimately the sale of properties they wish to dispose of and benefit from.
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Call to Action

2/9/2020

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Call to Action 
Bylaw No. 741, 2019
Park Land Exchange (Lot 23 West Ridge Way)
West Ridge community’s loss of their community park
The town claims that it proposes to swap a small sliver of park for a much larger parcel on a road boulevard and increase access to an adjacent property. The increased access will allow the Town to subdivide and sell that land. The Town did not disclose its intent!
What was not disclosed:
The West Ridge subdivision was developed in 2012 and future homeowners were influenced by a property map which highlighted three park areas that was presented by the exclusive realtor for the development. This parcel was one of the three “Parks” and now the Town intends to sell it.
So, this is not just about increasing parkland, it is about selling a cherished green spacewithout first consulting the local community. 
This could happen to you in your neighborhood. Your cherished green spaces could be nothing more than town lots waiting to be sold.
Please sign the form to register your disapproval of this process. 
The Electoral Response Form must be completed and delivered to the Town by 4pm on February 14th.
If you need help with the form, call 250-607-1393 or 250-752-5598 and ask for either Doug MacKay-Dunn (QBRA President) or Doreen MacKay-Dunn (QBRA Membership Chair). We will come to you; help you complete it and take it to Town Hall.
Alternate Approval Process Form
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Coffee Meeting on Climate

2/7/2020

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    Members and friends of QBRA are invited to write blogs on our site. They will be posted as a source of information and discussion on local issues. The QBRA Board takes no position unless otherwise stated. Contact qbra@shaw.ca. 

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