Dear Editor:
I have lived most of my life in the City of North Vancouver and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. After enjoying vacations in many exotic locations around the world, it is always great to come home - in spite of the North Shore rain!
That being said, my city is sadly being desecrated by an ever increasing number of highrise buildings. Densification is the buzz word that enables developers carte blanche permission to line their pockets at the expense of the local population, who over the last 100 years or so have collectively built this place that we all call home. As one district homeowner wrote recently to the North Shore News, in response to a highrise proposals in the Lynn Valley area: "If I had wanted to live in Manhattan I would have moved there!"
Why bother formulating an official community plan when it is constantly being violated?
I understand that our tax rate can be kept low, due to more revenue being generated by allowing more housing to be built, but at what cost to the present city dwellers? For example, if there is a genuinely popular need for a new swimming pool that would be mainly utilized by the residents of the city and district, why not wait until the funds are obtained through judicious use of taxation from both jurisdictions?
How much thought has council given to the existing infrastructure, which will of course be stretched to the limit in order to accommodate the needs of the thousands of extra people, who will be taking up residence in our city? Obviously there will have to be a substantial tax increase in the not too distant future.
In conclusion, I beg council to refuse the proverbial carrots cunningly being offered by the developers to sway your decisions, and instead respect the wishes of your taxpayers by upholding the official community plan - if for no other reason than for the benefit of all our grandchildren.
Raymond Yates North Vancouver
