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