Former Lions Bay mayor politely tells parking complainer to calm down

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The former mayor of Lions Bay told a vocal community member to calm down in the most polite and professional way possible last month, and his letter is being widely shared as an example of how to deal with frequent complainers.

Karl Buhr, manager of public works with the Village of Lions Bay and former mayor, addressed the September 22 letter to resident Kambiz Azordegan following his many grievances about parking in the area.

“Our bylaw officers already patrol the lot for bylaw transgressions and don’t need to be called several times a day,” Buhr wrote. “Please do not confront members of the public — not only might you be in the wrong, you might be putting yourself and your property at risk.”

He also told Azordegan not to tamper with or change parking signage himself.

The letter was included in the agenda for the October 3 Lions Bay council meeting, where Azordegan had asked the council to set up a parking committee.

Lions Bay’s Public Works Manager responds to resident that has been tampering with parking signs, nuisance calling bylaw & police, and demanding that parking be for residents only.
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Buhr took the time to address Azordegan’s concerns, including signage for parking at Kelvin Grove Beach. The municipality is removing some signs installed at Azordegan’s request and changing the language to “engender goodwill” instead of taking an “admonitory and prohibitory” tone.

Is Lions Bay truly “for the taxpayers”?

Buhr also examined Azordegan’s position that Lions Bay is “for the taxpayers,” saying Azordegan needs to consider that half of the village’s operating budget is funded by provincial and federal grants paid for by those who don’t live in Lions Bay. He also pointed to programs and services, including Highway 99, wildfire protection, forests and backcountry, search and rescue teams, hospitals, and more, as examples of far-away taxpayers benefitting the village.

Azordegan was also known to take a position that Lions Bay is “for the residents,” but Buhr said he has “no means or right to discriminate between members of the public based on where they live.” He also told Azordegan that roads and parks in Lions Bay are public for all.

“I would ask you to consider whether your particular objections to public behaviour reflect Lions Bayers’ expectations as a whole,” Buhr wrote. “I suggest that most of the behaviour I observe is normal and acceptable for a beach parking lot in BC.”

He suggested Azordegan call the police in future if he sees anything illegal and finished the letter by stating he hoped it would explain to the resident what the municipality is and isn’t willing to do.

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Azorden has been speaking out for many years to keep non-residents from visiting the beaches and trails surrounding Lions Bay. In 2011, he told CBC News he believed Lions Bay Beach should only be for residents because visitors “never behave.”

His name also comes up frequently in Lions Bay council documents over complaints about parking, a lack of bylaw enforcement, and a filming committee that came to survey the area.

Lions Bay has made headlines in the past for trying to restrict access to beaches and trailheads in the village. Just this year, Lions Bay used the summer wildfire season as an excuse to close parking at popular trailheads in the community — a move that was widely criticized.