Dear editor,

Courtenay City Council and Planning Services should reconsider current submission for rezoning of Crown Isle Block 72 allowing large-scale wholesale outlets to be developed immediately adjacent to residential property and a retirement living and school zone along an already congested Lerwick/Ryan traffic corridor.

Crown Isle CD-1A property and zoning is so massive that a one-time rezoning to CD-1F Commercial will result in numerous detrimental effects. A solution would be to maintain existing zoning of residential, golf course with transitional zoning to light commercial north of ICBC and Rice Toyota as it currently exists.

The Valley is certainly in need of employment opportunities and we welcome them.

The hospitality industry as well, also affected by the economic downturn, needs stimulus, but not at the expense of destroying the quality of life and safety of an already established residential, retirement and school neighbourhood.

Of note, the affected properties were developed according to existing OCP plans and clearly would not have taken place if zoned as large-scale commercial with 15-metre height restrictions.

As for other homeowners and families in nearby areas who enjoy their panoramic vistas and lifestyle, surely they would not want to look at a 30-foot cement wall coupled with 24/7 delivery truck traffic, waste/recycling bins, noise/lights, property devaluation and other unwelcome activity associated with the rear of many big-box stores.

I strongly recommend council be extremely vigilant in their consideration of this rezoning application and its long-term ramifications, and urge others to write to council to express their concerns.

Walt Levesque,

East Courtenay