Only problem is, it's not compliant with current zoning regulations. So, we have to rezone it. To do so we'll need the blessing and support of our near neighbours, among others. To whit, the following letter:

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October 5, 2006

To Whom It May Concern:

Re: 596 Toronto St. Re-zoning Application – The Carriage House Bed & Breakfast

Dear Neighbour,

We would like to ask for your support of our pending rezoning application to permit us to continue operating The Carriage House Bed & Breakfast, as we have been doing since 1992.

The Carriage House B&B was established at 596 Toronto Street following ten years of operating Black Beauty Line Carriage Tours Ltd. from the same address. The zoning we currently have in place still allows for a horse drawn carriage business but we would like to update that to reflect what we are doing now and hopefully bring our home and business into compliance with current regulations regarding home based bed-and-breakfast operations. Specifically, we would like to expand the capacity of our bed-and-breakfast to a three-bedroom B&B which would include our former carriage house that we built in 1984.

We are not proposing any major construction on the property and are committed to maintaining the traditional character of our house, fences, and outbuildings. Our ample onsite parking space means that we will not add to any street parking congestion.

We cannot and would not expect to do this without your approval. If you can see your way clear to support our application please let us know. This is what we need: a letter from you to the Mayor and Council stating that you know us (or know of us), that you recognize the value of our contribution to the tourism industry in providing affordable family accommodation for visitors to our community (especially to the elderly and handicapped, as we offer ground floor and wheelchair-accessible quarters), and urging the City to allow us to continue doing what we do without the threat of crippling restrictions or closure.

Please deliver your letters to us and we will submit them at the appropriate time. Or, we would be pleased to drop around—hopefully to pick up your letter of support, but also to talk with you in a neighbourly way and to answer any questions or concerns you may have. We will present our proposal for public discussion at the James Bay Neighbourhood Environment Association at 7 p.m. on November 8.

Please feel free to call us at 384-7437.

Thanks so much for your time.


Yours sincerely,

--Dan Pedrick & Naoko Yamamoto

The Carriage House Bed & Breakfast
596 Toronto Street
Victoria, B.C. V8V-1P4

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Meanwhile, we can't rent The Carriage House Cottage to you, much as we would like to. But, if you would like to help us get it back up and running feel free to send us a letter of support as per above (emails are fine; please include your address and telephone number). Thanks!