Dear Editor,
Re: “Ding dong LUCs are dead,” News, Nov. 27.
I am writing to thank the Richmond council and Mayor for voting yes to terminate LUC contracts early.
I know that there were many different perspectives to balance and weigh, and I am deeply grateful to the city staff for their hard work, patience and openness in gathering and sharing data before making a decision on this issue.
Richmond council has shown stewardship to navigate the city through a critical phase in the city’s growth.
I believe that, as residents, we will feel the positive effect of these changes in our neighborhoods as city bylaws start to get applied consistently to all residential building permits.
I also hope that all of us have learned something through the civic debate that was part of examining the city’s building bylaws and the LUC issue.
I learned that the mayor and council are engaged with the issues that their residents bring to it, and I also learned that there are many residents in many different parts of this city who care deeply about what kind of “Richmond” we are trying to build together.
With respect to the LUC issue, I learned there are some neighborhoods where uneven sized lots may make it difficult for some homeowners to abide by all the parameters of the stipulated residential bylaws. Going forward, I hope council and staff will look into lot/site specific zoning and use it as a tool to allow for a diversity of housing stock to be maintained.
I also hope that council will look into the issue of setbacks and side yards to create a rubric that allows for new homes to integrate better within their neighbourhoods.
I hope in the year to come before the LUCs expire, the city will continue to use “persuasion” as a tool to dialogue with builders and new homeowners so that new home construction is more mindful in its building practices.
In setting a tone of consistency and mindfulness in building practices, Richmond has not just voted yes to neighbourliness, but has also done the Earth and environment a great service.
Niti Sharma
Richmond
