Editor:
Re: Burnaby NIMBYs making ‘monster’ comeback to kill affordable housing, NOW Opinion
My own two cents about NIMBYs is normally I hate them.
My natural inclination is to agree with you but what seems missing about your article as well as the published arguments made by NIMBYs are the Official Community Plans (OCPs). I asked a family member who works in development about city OCPs and whether they were just general guidelines or strict rules.
He insisted they were extremely important. While owners don't have a God-given right to things like their view or the parking spot in front of their home, they are supposed to be able to depend on the city to allow only development which conforms to an OCP. A variance from OCP is far more serious than a zoning change or variance on height or floor space.
I'm actually a big fan of what Burnaby has done with its Town Centres and Urban Villages planning strategy. I live on the outskirts of one of the Town Centres and feel like I have lots of nearby amenities along with the confidence that my neighbourhood will retain its mostly residential vibe. Now if my neighbour gets a variance to let his roofline be a couple of feet high or his house is a hundred feet over the max, who am I to go off my nut? But if suddenly a 20-storey highrise appears where there was previously a row of townhomes it's out of context with the neighbourhood plan that's been in place for 20-plus years.
The Palm Ave situation is a little more complex. It's an area where previously light industrial/commercial is being converted to medium density residential because that's what city planners have decided. Is it fair to residents who bought in, looking at a plan that showed them how the area was to be developed? Or does it feel like the city is not keeping its word that they would allow development only in accordance with the OCP. Add to that the fact that the developer is a union that is traditionally quite cozy with the city and their argument in favour is about the social merits rather than the conformance with OCPs.
I think you should talk to developers and planners about what people should really expect out of OCPs and decide for yourself whether this is really a case of NIMBYism or are there other more legitimate reasons for residents to be upset. In fact a series of articles with some research and discussion of OCPs could be a great addition to the NIMBY articles.
Anson Smith, Burnaby
