Email from Corrine Prescott re: Development Permit 240/242/244 Island Highway

From: Corrine Prescott
Sent: January-10-19 9:31 AM
To: Info Address
Subject: Development Permit 240/242/244 Island Highway

Good morning,

My name is Corrine Prescott, and I am a resident and board member at the Four Mile Heights Housing Co-Op located directly behind the proposed development. I was informed of the council meeting yesterday, and as I can't make the date work for my family, I'm writing this email to voice my concerns.

My main concern is for my families way of life. If this proposed 4 story building goes up, my family will have zero privacy in out backyard, and top floor bedrooms. These bedrooms belong to my children. It's a scary thought that strangers will be so close to their windows. When we moved in here 2 years ago, we saw the signs up on the fence outside the property. My 13 year old daughter has said to me she wont be going outside in the summer anymore. She wont go play in our pool, she wont go play with the dog, because as a 13 year old teenage girl, she doesn't feel comfortable in her bathing suit with so many possible eyes watching her. Everyone is entitled to privacy in their own home, and with this building going up we're essentially losing ours. The fence separating the property and my back patio door is less than 20 feet away. I can stand at my door and see my neighbors clear as day, so I can only assume they can see me. Right now we've got one family living up there, imagine how it will feel with 37 units.

But that is only the personal side. The structural side is also a worry for me. We've got a great back yard, it's the first time in my kids lives that we've had a back yard at all. The retaining wall that the proposed property is situated on, is badly damaged. It needs repairs, and I've been told it's on that property to fix. When they start digging and blasting for their underground parking lot, this wall will cave in, either to their side, or to mine essentially destroying my backyard. My planters, and small tree will come crumbling down. My rock garden will fall. And my dog will have no safe place to play outside off leash. I've had zero communication from the proposed developers as to how they're going to handle any of this. It's a scary thought that they might just do it, and pay for their mistakes after, not taking their neighbors into account.

My last concern is for my youngest son. He was diagnosed on the autism spectrum 2 years ago. Loud startling noises are one of his triggers. I fear that his way of life is going to be severely disrupted, not only by the construction, but the possible changes it might cause to our property. If I know about the changes ahead of time, I can prepare him, and I can talk to him daily and let him know what is changing and why, and it wont cause him undo stress, but the lack of communication from the developer is making that extremely hard to do.

I hope my words have come across with the emotion I've put behind them. I'm not apposed to development, but I'd like to be included in how it effects my family.

Thank you for your time,
Corrine Prescott
Four Mile Heights Board of Directors Vice Chair.