​​What to expect as a homeowner in a TODA ring

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• Constant solicitation - land assemblers use scare tactics to pressure homeowners to sell now or have property de-valued later  

• Development can take years before starting, and houses behind blue steel construction fences become abandoned and derelict​

• Existing residents will be pressured to exit as surrounding areas densify

• As high density development happens, single family homes adjacent to new apartment buildings become overshadowed (loss of privacy and natural light)

• Parking and traffic congestion will become major issues (no parking requirements within 400m and only 0.5 stalls per dwelling unit are required within 800m)

• Federal government regulations may reduce all parking requirements to zero for new development within the 800m radius ring

• Concerns about over-densification and potential for expropriation strips away the traditional sense of home security that typically comes from home ownership

• Homeowners will be less inclined to re-invest in homes in areas being densified

• Values will be concentrated in the land rather than the homes

• Densified areas will become less attractive to families looking to set down roots in a community

• In some cases, the marketability of a house/lot may be limited to developers

• With land assemblies, not all homeowners will receive equal compensation for their properties and not all properties will be targeted for densification - there will be winners and losers

• With land assemblies, some homeowners will look to get out early while others may wait and risk being stuck while densification occurs around them  

 

Detrimental impacts to the Brentwood Community due to a TODA designation

 

• The character of our 70-year old neighbourhood will be destroyed

• Well established communities become destabilized 

• Most but not all of Brentwood Park is located in the 800m TODA ring - our community will become divided and bifurcated 

• Green space and trees will be lost to boxy structures and concrete surfaces

• Property taxes will increase:

  • Property taxes are assessed based on highest and best use which is now for high-density development

  • Funding for infrastructure upgrades for high-density development will partially come from existing residents through higher property taxes

  • Single family homeowners near the Lougheed Mall TODA have already experienced 70% increases in property taxes

• Community services (education, childcare, healthcare, senior services, recreational programs) that are already over-capacity will experience greater pressure with overwhelming population growth

• City of Burnaby infrastructure (sewer, water, power, storm-water management and transportation system) upgrades - who pays for this?

• Municipal governments and local citizens no longer have an influence in local land use planning

• Over-reach by the Provincial Government and lack of transparency and due process leaves one concerned about the future of democracy

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