Scott Tanner says it’s a pig, but it looks like it’s a pig he will soon have to accept as law.
Qualicum Beach town council gave three readings Monday night to a bylaw that made subtle changes to the original bylaw that reduces development cost charges (DCCs) for those who want to build in the village neighbourhood.
The amendments and the bylaw itself are expected to pass fourth reading and become official town policy at council’s next meeting Oct. 22. The vote Monday night was 3-2 in favour, with Coun. Tanner and Mayor Teunis Westbroek opposed and councillors Dave Willie, Mary Brouilette and Bill Luchtmeijer in favour.
Tanner said he believed the changes council voted on Monday night did little to change the bylaw he has opposed from its inception.
“You can put lipstick and make-up on a pig but it’s still a pig,” said Tanner.
The bylaw will reduce development cost charges anywhere from 30-70 per cent, depending on the number and density of units proposed. The current structure charges developers $8,000-$9,000 for each unit in a complex. Those numbers reflect a unit of typical apartment size, roughly 100 square metres.
The vote Monday was on specific changes to the actual DCC-reductions bylaw. The changes basically introduced a tiering system for the DCCs, in relation to density.