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LETTER: Keep Bowen ‘Bowenish’

Dear Editor, I think the proposed bylaw encouraging detached suites can solve some problems of availability & affordability of housing for people, and that’s a good thing. The downsides that I see could be fixed.

Dear Editor,

I think the proposed bylaw encouraging detached suites can solve some problems of availability & affordability of housing for people, and that’s a good thing. The downsides that I see could be fixed. 

If given as a blanket entitlement, land values will rise, and therefore rents - and it will anger owners if you ever try to change it. 

Instead, conditions should be added to the law so that we as a community retain control of growth. 

This would include an annual adjustment of how many suites can be built, in what areas, and to what size. 

This creates a little healthy competition to actually get the buildings built and doesn’t result in the effective subdivision of the entire island - which frankly scares me. 

Most important, we should give priority to offers that include greenways - public or private - to create wildlife corridors that last for generations. 

All this would allow Bowen to remain Bowenish. 

My thanks to everyone working on this.

John Dowler