Sample Letter

TO: Dr. Martha C. Piper, President and Vice-Chancellor, UBC
TO: Mr. Denis Pavlich, VP of External and Legal Affairs, UBC
TO: Ida Ho, Assistant to the Vice-President, UBC
TO: Mr. Johnny Carline, CAO, the Greater Vancouver Regional District;
TO: Mr. Hugh Kellas , Manager, GVRD Policy and Planning;
TO: Members, the GVRD-UBC Joint Committee;
TO: Members, the GVRD Board of Directors;
TO: Members, the UBC Board of Governors;
TO: Mr. Ed Andrusiak , Manager GVRD Parks ;
TO: Mr. Mitch Sokalski, Manager, West Area Parks , and
TO: GVRD Policy and Planning Department

FROM: David James Menees
Iowa City IA 52240-5644

Dear UBC faculty and GVRD officials,

I am writing as a concerned student of the University of Iowa to express opposition to the University's plans to construct two final residence towers -- each 18 stories tall -- on the cliff overlooking Wreck Beach and Pacific Spirit Regional Park . Construction of these towers would violate local and regional governmental mandates and would continue to demonstrate the UBC's inconsistency with its own published policies and values.

Construction of the proposed towers violates several government regulations. As illustrated by images shown by the UBC at the

Wed-5-Oct-2005 public meetings, the towers would be more visible from Wreck Beach than the first tower, thus violating a Fri-29-Jul-2005 GVRD board resolution limiting new towers to beach visibility equal to that of the first tower. Another resolution of the GBRD requires the UBC to consider all alternatives before constructing any more towers with any beach visibility whatsoever. The UBC has failed to show that it has considered any of manifold alternatives which have been presented. The construction would further violate developmental impact regulations outlined in the Regional Park Management Plan of Pacific Spirit Regional Park; the Official Community Plan of the GVRD, as well, requires UBC development to "protect and preserve Park values."

Any further tower construction, then, especially construction of towers of such height, would further violate these regulations.

In addition to violating governmental regulations, the proposed construction would continue to demonstrate the UBC's inconsistency with its own published policies and values. The UBC, in it's *Mission & Vision* statement promises to "promote the values of a civil and sustainable society[.]" Surely a sustainable society is not one which insists on imperiling remaining wilderness resources in order to establish housing. The statement further communicates the UBC's commitment to "cooperate with . . . the general community[ ]to . . .

apply new knowledge . . . and improve the quality of life through leading-edge research." Need this commitment limit itself to technological research and knowledge and construction-oriented development? Human psychological development must be considered as well. Humans' need for wilderness -- indeed, their dependence on the existence of unmarred landscapes -- has been established and illustrated more and more in recent times. The general community has written letters and signed petitions clearly showing its desire to preserve the wilderness ambience of Wreck Beach . The UBC had also promised to avoid any construction that would increase visibility of towers from Wreck Beach , but now shows little concern for honoring that promise. In these ways the UBC is ignoring its published commitments to itself and to the public.

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to read this letter. I have outlined the violations and inconsistencies involved with the proposed construction. I appreciate your concern and your willingness to work towards a workable solution that acknowledges and accomodates the uniqueness of Wreck Beach .

Sincerely,
David J Menees