Dear editor,

I have reviewed inconsistencies in emails I have received from Comox Valley Regional District Area C director Edwin Grieve, regarding the Saratoga Speedway expansion proposal process.

September 2021: 鈥淒irectors must remain unbiased and demonstrate an open mind.鈥� You have done the opposite.

November, 2021: 鈥淚 am hopeful that, through discussion and compromise, we can find a path that benefits both the speedway and the community鈥�. Meaningful compromise has never been displayed.

March 2022: 鈥淚 do believe, with some give and take and through respectful solution based discussion, we can vastly improve impacts for the residents.鈥�

There has never been any community 鈥渞espectful solution based discussion鈥�.

March 2022: 鈥淚 look forward to the opportunity of hearing from all the voices at the April 27th Public Hearing鈥�. Director Arbour determined that those citizens identifying as being from Black Creek constituted a majority of the community opposed to the bylaw. Yet at third reading, you gave no consideration to that majority.

April 2022: 鈥淲e have been waiting for our sea level rise and flood plain mapping report to be completed, which is now complete, before continuing with a Local Area Plan.鈥� 1.5 years ago, and nothing further done.

May 2022: 鈥淭he Property was bought in good faith with much investment in improvements鈥�. This 鈥渋nvestment鈥� was likely undertaken in violation of the racetrack鈥檚 鈥渓egally non-conforming鈥� designation and in the absence of required development permits. The area Directors and staff have minimized these issues and have discredited the Comox Valley Regional District in the minds of many residents.

August 2023: you reiterated your mantra, 鈥渢his bylaw is just about a campground鈥� knowing that there are problematic issues contained within, or contingent upon, passage of the bylaw. You have been disingenuous and misleading.

In responses to Black Creek residents you implied that the issues of noise, water and overcrowding of the site can be dealt with through the development permit process, water licences/authorizations and through 鈥榯weaks鈥� to the bylaw. This provides a false sense that you can still respond to those in the majority who are opposed to bylaw 683, however, that is simply not true.

Director Grieve, your credibility and integrity are at stake.

Niels Holbek,

Black Creek