Email from Susan and David Brown re: Mayor's Motion for 6 Month Moratorium on Rezoning
Correspondence expressing opposition to a rezoning moratorium due to its potential impact on housing supply and provincial regulation.
Correspondence from Susan Brown
From: Susan Brown
Sent: Monday, June 5, 2023 1:10 PM
To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Mayor's Motion for 6 Month Moratorium on Rezoning - June 6 Council Meeting
Please include this with the Council package for the June 6 meeting.
We are writing to express our opposition to the Mayor’s Motion for the imposition of a six month moratorium on rezoning. Our opposition is not about a pro or anti development philosophy; rather, we are concerned that taking such an approach will put View Royal squarely in the sights of the Province with respect to the recently passed Housing Supply Act. View Royal is already on the Regulation list under the Act, and although it was not included in the first cohort for provincially mandated targets, such a moratorium would likely guarantee the Town’s inclusion in the next cohort. This would effectively mean that the Town will lose control of the development process and be given supply targets that may drastically exceed what the Town would want to see.
Further, we ask whether the proposed moratorium is off-side the Local Government Act which requires municipalities to have procedures in place for individuals to apply for rezoning and requires a local government to consider such applications, and whether this would put the Town at risk of legal action from property owners who wish to pursue, or have begun the process of, development.
Thank you for considering our concerns.
Susan and David Brown
309 Bessborough Avenue
View Royal