Regarding the story "District of Squamish addresses concerns over Dentville project at open house," [published Feb. 1].
We received our initial information meeting last year as there were over 10 requests to council/planners (the minimum amount needed) to hold an info meeting with District planners and the developers. About 50 people were there. Every Dentville resident there was heavily opposed to a gigantic condo building in the middle of this quite charismatic community.
Now on the flip side, every resident there strongly agreed that there needed to be a better use of space and more houses on the property.
From here it went to the council where they wanted more information from the developer on some of their ideas for their land, there was a requested design change for the setback from the neighbouring property from one metre to three meters, raising the garage to accommodate trucks and SUVs.
Another large concern was shade and shadows; we had asked to do a shadow study, which has not been conducted.
The muni said that there would be a community engagement piece as well as another information meeting for the residents of Dentville. This, I thought, was great news. Perhaps we can get them to use the R-1 zoning to build six to eight houses from the current two on this property, rather than rezoning for a disgusting cookie-cutter-looking condo.
On Jan. 23rd an email was sent to whom I am unaware ( and certainly not enough residents received this email). No letter was dropped on anyone’s doorstep by the District; no effort was made by planners to even show the slightest hint that they cared about tax-paying residents, instead, this shows a total lack of respect for the community and all of us that have been writing to council/planners for more info and to have this project not zoned.
Furthermore, there was an invite sent to residents with only days’ notice to attend a virtual one-hour session held by the District Planners to go over the development, in the middle of the work day and only six days notice?
Now, I have previously stated this to both The Squamish Chief and District planners: it seems as though they have no idea how to properly plan out a neighbourhood that is as rich in character and charm as Dentville.
So, they rely on big developers to ruin the community with buildings that will maximize their profits with two large townhouse buildings rather than six stand-alone houses with carriage homes on the property, much like the majority of Dentville.
Have Squamish planners become only open to the highest bidder of which the municipality would get $1.1 million “cash in lieu” towards upgrades around town? There has seemed to be another poorly planned priority to repair Brennan Park and now it has closed due to unsafe conditions. Is Squamish willing to ruin all of its character neighbourhoods to get this “cash in lieu” to fix issues that should have been dealt with years ago?
Who to trust?
Scott List
Squamish
Editor’s note: Asked about how the community was notified about the open house, the District said the following: “As a courtesy, staff emailed the open house details to all those who had previously emailed comments regarding the proposed development. Efforts were also made to reach the community through The Squamish Chief newspaper [ads] (Jan. 23 and 30), social media (including a Facebook event created on Jan. 23) and the District newsletter (Jan. 24).”
