Dear Editor,
The issue of mega houses and overbuilding in Richmond continues.
This issue that the city has dragged out for more than two years has reappeared, just in time for summer. The city now wants to engage you to talk about responsible building bylaws.
City staff released recommendations on a Saturday morning for a planning committee meeting on Monday afternoon. That meeting was hijacked by the builder’s lobby who submitted counter recommendations for city councillors to vote on and adopt without review or study or consultation with the community.
In the two years that city staff took to conduct surveys and hold open houses a combination of regulations attempting a balance between old and new homes was produced. Regulations that would protect backyards and address the loss of privacy, access to sunlight, loss of healthy mature trees, and impacts on neighbors from excessive building.
Councillors on the planning committee instead voted against the professional recommendations from the City of Richmond’s own director of development, building department manager and professional architect.
Why is it that the builder’s lobby is given greater standing at city hall than Richmond residents, voters, and taxpayers?
Why have the grassroots community groups that researched solutions, organized and advocated around these issues not been provided the same opportunity?
Attend the public hearing for this proposed bylaw on July 17 at city hall. Ask that councillors respect their own city staff and for the community recommendations (not the builder amendments) to be adopted. Speak and support others who want to question your elected representatives.
John ter Borg
Richmond
