Dear editor,
The reason for this letter is to find out if more people in the Comox Valley have similar problems to ours with the Comox Valley Regional District.
We bought about eight acres in Merville, and built two houses on it, one at each end of the long lot, all according to the laws and regulations of that time (1992-1993). The houses are totally independent of each other, each with its own well, septic field and electrical supply.
I understand that some new laws were created and implemented years later, as we have tried to subdivide, with each house on four acres. We submitted all the appropriate paperwork and fees to the Board of Variance in support of this application, but have met with some strange objections from the Comox Valley Regional District.
We sought legal advice, and have been informed that, “said laws might be illegal as they should not apply to pre-existing dwellings.” As most of the buildings constructed during the last century do not comply with the new laws, adhering to them would require that a lot of homes would have to be demolished!
Our two homes are modem structures built according to contemporary building codes, and the property is easily large enough to accommodate two families, as it always has done — we just want the two families currently owning the houses to be able to sell independently.
We would not be increasing the residential density at all. Members of the Board of Variance at the CVRD seem to have difficulty with this. We now plan to take it to court, but if others in the Comox Valley have similar problems, we can bring a class-action suit. I would like to hear from you.
I can be reached at 1-250-418-1045 or c/a PO Box 238, Merville, B.C. VOR 2MO.
Aino Nilsson,
Victoria