Editor: I attended the 91原创 City council meeting on Monday, Feb. 21, hoping to make a difference.

I oppose the oversized signs that Open Road Group wishes to erect for the new car dealership on Glover Road, as my condo is right across the street from where one of the signs will be.

I watched the presentation with utter dismay. The three 鈥榚legant鈥� signs are supposed to 鈥榝eel to be understated鈥� and 鈥榮till meet the impact required to meet the standard of a luxury brand.鈥�

Open Road president Christian Chia started the whole presentation by outlining three goals. One was to minimize the proposal鈥檚 impact on its neighbours. It was a nice thing to say.

They opened it to questions, and I went up, but it didn鈥檛 matter what I said. When you are a non-suited 鈥榡oe-schmo鈥� living in a condo across the road from a 鈥済ateway/landmark/icon project,鈥� you end up being nothing but a whiner. I was a mere speed bump in the Open Road and 91原创 City council super highway.

When it came to passing the variance, two councillors spoke up, Councillors Dave Hall, and Rudy Storteboom. 

They were the only two who cared about the skyline and the impact of the signs on the neighbours, and who questioned the need for such large signs.

Mayor Peter Fassbender continued with 鈥淎ll in favour?鈥� 

The rest of council followed suit, with no hesitation or word spoken. It was then that my heart sank. 

It felt cheapened, it felt like it was all for show, it felt like it was Councillors Hall and Storteboom vs. the mayor and his willing followers.

I don鈥檛 think they care about the people they already have, it鈥檚 more about the corporations they don鈥檛 have. They want the tax revenue without much regard for anyone else.

Obviously, Mr. Chia鈥檚 businesses are wanted in 91原创 above and beyond any regard for setting precedents for changing bylaws that were put in place to protect the interests of ordinary people. 

While I understand that business development benefits 91原创 and its citizens, I  just wanted to keep my view of the Golden Ears and sleep without having light from E.T.鈥檚 landing pad through my windows every night. Is that too much to ask? 

It seemed to be, and my concerns were brushed under the carpet. 鈥�91原创, The Place to Be鈥� is becoming  鈥�91原创, The Place of Huge Signs.鈥�

Brett Friesen,

91原创