The Sunshine Coast is certainly changing.
Development is on the rise. More and more people are moving to the community. Housing developments are popping up everywhere and many people are concerned by that development and growth.
At the latest public hearing (held last week) for one such development -the proposed Silverback development - residents came out in force to voice their concerns with the project.
We have no problem with the fact that many people don't like the development or have concerns they feel must be addressed if it were to proceed. What we do have a problem with is the way some choose to voice their concerns.
It's fine to take a developer to task if they aren't following the official community plan, aren't leaving enough green space, if the development has no affordable housing options, if services (roads, sewer, water) aren't being considered -those are all legitimate concerns and ones the community must speak out on in order to ensure that council addresses those issues before giving the developer the green light.
But the Silverback meeting turned ugly at one point. Some speakers chose to attack the developers' credibility, their morals and their values. Others in the audience chose to boo and heckle when a few chose to voice their approval for the project.
This type of behaviour shows no class and no respect.
And this isn't the first time that this kind of behaviour has been shown at public meetings.
It happens far too many times here on the Coast and it has to stop.
We love that residents are passionate about the issues, passionate about getting involved to try to make this community the best place it can be. But booing and hissing and taking low blow, unwarranted shots at developers or others is not the right way to go about it.
Whether you are for or against certain projects let your views be heard in a respectful manner. For a community that has people who profess to be so educated and have the best interests of the community in mind, some just have a funny way of showing it.
