Email dated April 20, 2020 from D. Gawley, 15 Helmcken Road, Re: Proposed Eagles Nest Development
The writer provides feedback on public hearing options during COVID-19 and criticizes the developer's communications.
From: Dave Gawley Sent: Monday, April 20, 2020 8:02 PM To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca Subject: Staff report on Eagle's Nest Public Hearing Options
Dear Mayor and members of Council:
I am writing this note to you to give you some of my comments regarding the above referenced staff report you will be dealing with at your April 21, 2020 Council Meeting.
My first choice is retaining option #1 identified in the staff report as “do not hold any public hearings until such time as it is safe to do so”. This clearly is the best option from a public commentary point of view and from a normal statutory point of view.
However, I can understand that if Council wishes to examine alternative opportunities to keep the municipal government operating at some level of normalcy then option #3 may be workable. The developer’s and the public’s comments could be given and would be make known before consideration is given to waiving a public hearing. The devil will be in the details regarding how this process is structured and how the opportunity is given to present information and/or make counter arguments.
Having read the Invictus April 9 letter, included in your agenda package for the April 14, 2020 Council Meeting, it is apparent that this contentious development is a moving target and that the developer is viewing this project and related community feedback with different coloured glasses than the immediate neighbours in the northern gateway community. Further, that letter refers to Invictus’ issues concerning their financial position, continued costs and time delays; all which are irrelevant to Council’s decision. These issues are Invictus’ problems based on their style of operating and the financial arrangements they put in place; and have no bearing on a municipal decision to change its style of operating.
Notwithstanding, I wanted to give my comments to you and I am hopeful they will assist Council in deciding on the public hearing issue.
Yours truly: David Gawley, 15 Helmcken Road, Victoria, BC.