Email dated July 21, 2020 from Marc Cittone, Subject: 9 Erskine Lane

Email Correspondence: 9 Erskine Lane

From: Marc Cittone
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2020 10:56 AM
To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Cc: Info Address info@viewroyal.ca; Jane Devonshire
Subject: 9 Erskine Lane

Dear Council,

I would like to submit two key concerns on the application for 9 Erskine Lane.

First, I appreciate the proposal for rental housing in a Neighbourhood Centre, and the proposed contributions to offset some impacts. However:

• My primary concern is the amount of parking being proposed in an area that is identified as a Neighbourhood Centre, near transit and services. While I understand that View Royal is a more suburban area, the purpose of locating housing near transit is to reduce dependence on the single-occupancy vehicle and its environmental impacts (even EVs). So, I don't like to see that an application in a Neighbourhood Centre has not done anything to reduce parking. Once again, a key reason given is that the development meets the Town's zoning bylaw. A second reason is that they actually expect residents to depend on the car more than is warranted if we truly have a climate emergency. At the very least, our zoning bylaw allows a reduction in parking in exchange for investment in active transportation. If this provision is not being used in a Neighbourhood Centre, where will it be used? I recall the recent Eagles' Nest development, which proposed more parking than the transportation engineer felt was warranted.
• This brings me to - I have heard many of my neighbours concerned about loss of mature trees, for ecological and carbon capture value (large trees capture more carbon each year than young ones as they grow). In looking at the site proposal, the key reason so many trees are lost is that 60% of the site is underlain by underground parking or covered in surface parking. So, a reduction in parking would help retain part of the mature forest here as the area develops. (I also note that excessive reliance on the automobile leads to further tree loss - as is demonstrated by projects like the Admirals-McKenzie-Highway interchange.)

I ask that before approving this proposal, you request staff and the developer to:

• Work on reducing parking to a level that anticipates a more sustainable future, and concurrently retaining part of the mature forest.

Thanks sincerely for your consideration.

Marc Cittone
26 Demos Place View Royal