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Letter: Monster homes obliterate views, tear neighbours apart

The Editor, Re. “A letter to Port Moody council”
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The Editor,

A letter to Port Moody council:

I write to seek your immediate attention and commitment to amend building height restrictions and approve a view-protection bylaw such as the city of Vancouver and Lower Mainland municipalities have adopted.

I invite you to view the new monster home development underway at 1127 Ioco Rd. and 21 Dowding Road. The home designs approved by the city will obliterate the vast majority of the views for three homes, not to mention countless others in the immediate vicinity. The owners of the properties affected are, no doubt, suffering psychologically, perhaps even physically and financially as a result of the devastating effect these new monster homes have on their wellbeing, quality of life and investment.

There are many other examples I could cite but you get the picture. I can’t understand how the city allows this gross misconduct to continue.

The effects on thoughtful, respectful, taxpaying residents in this city are tragic. This selfish building of monster houses without any regard or respect for neighbours and the impact on them must come to an immediate end. I urge you — in fact, beg you — to introduce and adopt new height restrictions, view protection (including trees) bylaws before further damage is done and more lives/investments compromised or ruined.

In spite of numerous vocal meetings at City Hall over the past many years where residents have articulately and passionately expressed their concerns and outrage, nothing has changed. You might as well throw the “Good Neighbour Guideline” document into the recycling bin.

While the owners/builders are culpable, the city is responsible for allowing this greedy, oversized development to continue. It must stop, and you are the folks who have the ability, not to mention responsibility, to address this problem. It’s too late for some, but not too late to stop this for others.

Beverley Davino, Port Moody