Email from Christina Bauzon Re: Parking in the Chilco/Nursery Hill Area

From: Christina Bauzon
Date: June 5, 2019 at 6:01:23 AM PDT
To: "mayorscreech@viewroyal.ca" mayorscreech@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Nursery Hill resident

Hello Mayor Screech,

I am a new resident in View Royal and live in the Nursery Hill area. I’m wondering if I could set-up a meeting with you to discuss parking, rather the lack of parking, in this neighbourhood. I understand that more developments keep getting approved for this area, yet nothing is being done to alleviate the lack of parking for the many 2 car households on the Nursery Hill side of Six Mile.

I’ve spoken with bylaw officers who provide me with little to no solutions or sympathy as their job is to enforce only. I’ve also spoken with Councillor Kowalewich. He has been the most responsive to my communications and worries. I am very appreciative of his time!

I’d like to know what I, as a resident of View Royal, can do to make a change. I’ve been met with adversity and have been told “it is what it is here.” I think we can do better. The Town has the ability to alleviate this pressure many families face.

The fact that we live on the wrong side of Six Mile and are not considered resident enough to park in residential parking is telling us that we are second class citizens who could not afford the opportunity to purchase a detached home. This is classist. Those who do rent or own condos here are left with trying to figure out parking solutions daily for their families. And, while parking may seem insignificant for you, it’s, for many people, their livelihood on the line. So many people are trying to figure out how one goes to work and the other saves a spot in the coveted one block of Chilco where we can park. And yet, a new development for affordable housing has been approved. Do they get up to two parking spots each? Or is parking not taken into consideration when adding more and more people to this neighbourhood. When making plans for affordable housing or increase rental units, do developers/View Royal assume that many of these people don’t have two

You can say that being a condo owner traditionally means only receiving one parking spot, and yet the neighbouring municipalities (Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt) have neighbourhood parking for their residents if they need it. I understand that the Residential Only Parking was put in place to ensure Thetis Lake goers do not park in our neighbourhood - which I imagine is only an issue for a very limited time of the year. My solution is to change some Residential Only Parking signs (especially the one on Chilco) to Permit Parking Only to give Nursery Hill Residents the opportunity to park there. Additionally, to add a Permit Parking sign after 6pm at Thetis Overflow.

Bylaw officers have advised me to park at the end of Atkins Road near the park and ride so long as there are no signs prohibiting parking. A cool 12 minute walk for me, but come fall/winter this unlit, dark corner at the end of Atkins will feel unsafe, unsecured, and not appropriate.

They’ve also sent out notices to those who have parked overnight in Thetis Overflow, citing bylaw policy, that drivers will be fined and towed. Unable to provide a solution, instead they dangle an empty gravel lot. And still, no one can seem to tell me what I can do to make a difference. Which is why I’m writing to you. This is my appeal to have a discussion with you. I imagine many have tried and are defeated, but I’ve chosen View Royal as my home. I want to be comfortable here and I was my fellow neighbours to be also. More needs to be done to better service the many residents on this side of Six Mile. I look forward to having a meeting with you to discuss this further. I know more can be done.

Thank you for your time.

Christina Bauzon

Sent from my iPhone