Email date May 16, 2020 from M. Finnis, 1262 Stancil Lane, Re: Proposed Eagles Nest Development

-----Original Message----- From: Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2020 5:42 PM To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca Subject: Invictus Development Helmcken and Burnside...

Dear Mayor and Council,

I am a resident of View Royal, living at 1262 Stancil Lane. I would like to voice my concerns regarding the Invictus development at Helmcken and Burnside.

I recognize that some of my concerns may be irrelevant given where we are in this development proposal. I'll try and be brief, knowing there will be others writing about this development.

I still struggle to find the LEED status of the development. Perhaps this information is located somewhere else in the various proposals or reports, and I just haven't found it? If not, isn't this the time to ensure that only Platinum level LEED construction be considered in View Royal, especially for a development of this magnitude? I would contend that this needs to be front and centre for any development of this magnitude. Our children and their children deserve no less.
I believe that 6 storeys is too high for this particular site. 8 storeys was clearly excessive in this location, and 6 is still too high. The Canoe and Kayak buildings in the nearby Eagle Creek development are only 4 storeys, and they are not immediately adjacent to single family dwellings. The Invictus development is immediately adjacent to single family housing and in what I would call a more agricultural like setting (I'm sure the zoning is likely the same, I'm offering my personal view of its' location).
I am still disappointed that rental suites were so quickly removed from the development plans when the 8 storey tower was rejected. It seems to me that the initial proposal indicating that rental units were part of the development plan, may have been at worst a false offer, or at best, a hollow offer. I recognize that the Director of Development Services applauds the inclusion of 3 bedroom units; however, I would argue that this will likely be unattainable for many families of more modest income.
I have attended other Council meetings and Open Houses and heard repeatedly that the Invictus Development will not significantly affect traffic volumes or flow at the corner of Helmcken and Burnside. I would disagree, having lived in the same location in View Royal for over 7 years. I have seen the traffic increase significantly. Admittedly, I believe that a portion of this is due to the ill advised traffic realignment that the Township undertook with the Eagle Creek development and the changes in traffic patterns due to the ongoing construction of the McKenzie Interchange. I'm all for traffic calming, but not in that location. I applauded the Township for their work on the Old Island Highway through the heart of View Royal, but the Eagle Creek realignment has, in my opinion, been an unmitigated disaster. Despite the fact that Invictus Development has rightly claimed that traffic flow is a regional issue, and that we don't know the full effect (presumably a positive one) of the McKenzie Interchange, I would recommend that the money they have offered to donate to Pickleball Courts at Centennial Park be used to provide a left turn lane from Burnside onto Helmcken, and fund the needed realignment adjacent to Eagle Creek development. I recognize that the Director of Development Services presented his report on March 10th and stated that development which meets the OCP should not be "fettered" by issues that relate to regional traffic planning. That statement seems blind to the fact that the Northern Gateway is only going to become more densely populated, with the resultant increase in traffic. I don't think that development can be considered in a vacuum, isolated from regional concerns, which is what the March 10th report to the Committee of the Whole seems to imply.

Thank you for considering my views on this matter.

Sincerely,

Mark Finnis 1262 Stancil Lane