LETTER: When bylaws mean whatever Saanich wants them to

In Animal Farm, George Orwell warned what happens when those in power rewrite the rules: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Here in Saanich, that line feels uncomfortably familiar. Rules that once seemed firm are suddenly open to interpretation — depending on who’s asking. At the centre of the controversy is the Planning Department, which applies bylaws for everything from small home renovations to major projects. Residents are seeing a pattern of inconsistency and weak accountability that’s eroding trust in local government. A striking example sits in Ten Mile Point. A new home – nicknamed the “Observation Tower” – rises almost a full storey higher than the bylaw allows. Like The Emperor’s New Clothes, the result is obvious to anyone who looks. Yet the city insists all is well. Saanich’s zoning bylaw once left little room for doubt, ensuring fairness and predictability for everyone – builders, planners, and neighbours alike. When the plans for this house first came across the counter, city staff denied a height variance. But days later, a permit was granted after officials quietly invented an off-books interpretation that stretched the meaning of “height” like an elastic band. When neighbours asked where this new logic was authorized, no one could point to any line in the bylaw. Yet the same explanation was repeated up the chain — by the directors, the chief administrative officer, and even the mayor. Each defended the decision, but none cited an actual rule. A mistake could have been corrected. Instead, it is becoming a policy. The department closed ranks, construction continued, and what began as an error is hardening into a precedent. The deeper problem is not just bureaucratic overreach – it’s the refusal to admit error and the willingness to mislead the public about what the bylaw actually says. Some will shrug and say, “It’s just a few feet.” But bylaws aren’t about inches – they’re about fairness. Every homeowner and builder should face the same rules. When staff can quietly bend those rules, the entire planning system loses credibility. Everyone agrees Saanich needs more housing. But growth must happen through transparent planning, not through rule-bending behind closed doors. Bylaws exist to create balance: encouraging density in some areas, preserving character in others, and ensuring everyone plays by the same standards. As Orwell might remind us, corruption rarely begins with bad intent. It starts when words are twisted to serve power. If Saanich wants to live up to its own principles of fairness and transparency, it must prove that all residents are equal under the bylaw – and none are more equal than others. Sign the petition: Stop the Rule-Bending: Demand Accountability in Saanich’s Planning Department https://change.org/Stop-Saanich-Rule-Bending [https://change.org/Stop-Saanich-Rule-Bending]. Franke James Saanich