In the past few months, the noise from the small but loud, partisan minority, accurately described as BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) has reached new heights.
We believe that allegations of conflict of interest levied against Pheasant Glen and Coun. Dave Willie are purely partisan politics designed solely to continue to obstruct the Pheasant Glen development project with uncertainty for years into the future.
Although we believe that the allegations of conflict are without merit, we refuse to be drawn into years of debate or legal process. Therefore, we are publicly asking Willie to recuse himself from the vote on our application or anything else that may directly benefit Pheasant Glen.
The allegation that Willie has a conflict of interest relates to his business, Black and White, having an ongoing business relationship with Pheasant Glen. Pheasant Glen has done business with Black and White since 2000. Pheasant Glen and our customers have continued to do business with Black and White such as renting linen and decorations for weddings. We are proud to support local businesses of all types and intend to continue to do so. We are also proud of the fact that our investment in Pheasant Glen means we directly employ more than 35 seasonal and 20 full time local people and the spin-off supports other local jobs and businesses.
We have always said we will only pursue the Pheasant Glen project if we have public support. This summer we hired the best polling firm we could find to learn what real people thought. The research firm asked Qualicum Beach residents and we have our answer. We do have community support.
Of course the partisan anti-development crowd has now taken to trashing one of the most well respected business and political research firms in the world. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner has worked for clients such as Microsoft and President Bill Clinton. Their research tells us that the NIMBY and BANANA anti-development crowd do not represent the views of the average resident.
We are committed to the community of Qualicum Beach because our extended families, children and grandchildren, live, work and go to school here. We have been working on this application for seven years. Despite the partisan opposition, Pheasant Glen intends to pursue the January 2013 re-zoning application to allow a mixed residential resort neighbourhood of 100 residential homes, 60 resort cottages, a new clubhouse, and an event pavilion.
We invite council members to vote on the application and then run on their position in the November elections. Let’s see how the council votes and then the voters will know who supports controlled growth and who promotes zero growth and obstruction.
The voters of Qualicum Beach will decide who best represents the views of the community. We will all live with the result for years.
Craig Dutton, Pheasant Glen
Qualicum Beach