Dear Editor:
I read with intrigue Jim Hutson’s opinion piece, “Heritage plan makes sense,” and so I feel there is a need to respond in kind. Many homeowners in Queen’s Park live in the 175 small homes on small lots and small homes on large lots, with the heritage plan making no sense to these homeowners. Not such a small group as indicated by Mr. Hutson who lives in his very large elite house.
Homeowners are only now learning that their land title deed will be amended by the city involuntarily to designated heritage. This makes no sense to a vast number of homeowners whose homeowner rights are being taken away. More importantly, owners are not being made aware of Phase 2 HCA and beyond where the city has not ruled out home heritage inventory, control of windows, sidings and other facets in the coming years. Most likely pre-1960 homes will be engulfed, too. The plan has absolutely no incentives, and strict guidelines will not allow homeowners to expand to their zoning limit of 0.5 FSR (floor space ratio) for single-family homes.
Mr. Hutson has made it clear to the neighbourhood that his goal is for no homes to be demolished, and he has offered no recommended incentives for homeowners to renovate or designate homes voluntarily. Of the 702 homes in Queen’s Park, only 26 have been voluntarily designated heritage, and there is absolutely no lineup of homeowners wishing to do so.
We all love historic Queen’s Park, and, like many, we bought here for the neighbourhood that has changed little in the last 30 years. So is there actually a need to replace “historic” with “Heritage Conservation Area”? It just does not have the same appeal, especially as the HCA process has divided the community.
James Jamieson, New Westminster
