3407 replies to this topic

[Holden West]

Harbour rezoning plan aims to curb heavy industry near water

By Brennan Clarke
Victoria News
Sep 13 2006

Harbour authority wants rezoning delayed until Ogden Point development plans are completed

The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority isn't planning any major commercial development for its property at Ogden Point.

But it's still opposed to a city rezoning initiative that would limit the size of all new buildings and the scope of activity allowed on the site.

The City of Victoria is pushing for zoning amendments at Ogden Point and the Canadian Coast Guard site off Huron Street that will ban heavy industry in favour of light, marine-related activities incluiding moorage, yacht clubs, retail shops, office space and restaurants.

The changes, approved at a recent committee-of-the whole meeting, also limit the height of any new buildings to 10 metres from 15 metres, reduce the allowable density, and require a minimum setback of six metres from the edge of a road or waterway.

"We oppose any downzoning and we feel that this would downzone the property," said GVHA general manager Paul Servos. "Were more concerned about the height restrictions. For an industrial port, that's extremely limiting."

The GVHA has asked for a two-year delay in the rezoning until it has finished its development plans for the site. The organization's board of directors has also passed a resolution promising to limit development at Ogden Point, Servos said.

"The only development we'll do will be development that support the port and marine business," Servos said, adding that the GVHA doesn't want amenities that encourage cruise ship passengers to hang around the terminal.

"We want to see the passengers get off the ship, get into town and spend their money."

City planner Alison Meyer said the changes are meant to "ensure that the old industrial zoning is made more compatible with the adjacent neigbourhood.

"The uses are more limited than the current heavy industry zone," she said. "There's also some sensitive eco-systems."

The Coast Guard site is currently owned by the federal goverment and therefore not subject to city zoning bylaws. However, that could change if the property were sold to a new owner. Transport Canada has asked the city to withdraw its rezoning application.

Last month's agenda item also proposed rezoning Lime Bay Park in Victoria West, which despite its use as a park is zoned for heavy industry.

Council also gave the green light to replace a heavy industrial zone on the water lot adjacent to the park with a light marine serive designation.

The move, would eliminate some but not all uses for a marina development being contemplated by the owner of the Royal Quay property adjacent to the park.

In 2004, the city was ordered to pay $1.6 million after the owners of Royal Quay won a lawsuit alleging that council improperly rezoned the site to thwart development.

mailto:bclarke@vicnews.com

[VicHockeyFan]

Will that height restriction apply to windmills?

[VicHockeyFan]

"We want to see the passengers get off the ship, get into town and spend their money."

This guy doesn't **** around. That's a better slogan for Tourism Victoria than "Victoria - Full of life"

I propose we plant a huge, slightly inclined flower bed at Ogden Point that reads just that:
Get off the Ship, get into town, and spend your money

Or as soon as the ship enters Canadian waters headed for our port, we send up the same message on plane:



All taxis licensed to pick up at Ogden Point ought to be required to be equipped with ABMs to dispense money on the drive into town.

[Holden West]

If it were a single-bladed windmill it would only exceed the height limit 50% of the time.

[G-Man]

When were these city discussions about Ogden point? I have seen no public meetings on this issue!

10 metres????

This was done for the sole benefit of JBNEA and no thought was given to the rest of the city. These are City wide assets not just the property of James Bay!

[aastra]

A height restriction of 10 metres is essentially a ban on all new construction. Folks, we're talking about Victoria, BC. It's the year 2006. For gosh sake, please get half a clue.

Um, so if a store (or a hotel or a condo building) is built at Ogden Point and tourists (or residents) spend money there, isn't that exactly the same as if the tourists went downtown and spent it there? What am I missing?

"There's also some sensitive eco-systems."

Quote of the year. Do we need to drag out the historical photos of Ogden Point? As if a 10-story building would somehow kill all the starfish whereas a 3-story building will enable them to flourish.

[aastra]

Anybody know why the city screwed Royal Quay on their marina? I remember the marina renderings from way back. Did it have something to do with navigation right-of-ways or anything like that? If not, then it's yet another disgrace. A marina there would be great.

[Holden West]

Strata newsletter of Royal Quays condo:

September 2005
Re-Zoning of the Water-Lot in Front of Royal Quays
Last month, we told you about a proposed marina devel-
opment on the large water-lot in front of Royal Quays
and that we had sought legal advice regarding our ability
to take action against both the development proposal
and the enabling by-law change initiated by the city.
Included in that issue of Quay Notes was a survey form
which sought your direction as to whether or not coun-
cil should actively oppose the rezoning and development
on your behalf. To date, nearly fifty owners and resi-
dents have returned that form. Only two have said they
do not wish strata council to oppose the proposed re-
zoning of the large water lot in front of Royal Quays and
the development of a marina on the site.
On August 29, we sent a total of five letters to various
government organizations, our MLA and our MP ex-
pressing our opposition. As soon as the agenda for a
meeting of the City's Committee of the Whole indicates
that the proposed rezoning is to be reconsidered, a fur-
ther set of letters will be sent to the Mayor, each city
councillor and the senior administrators of the City.
Also on August 29, your president met with representa-
tives of the strata councils of The Legacy, Ocean/Park
Towers and Mariners Landing. It appears our actions so
far have their full support and they plan to make that fact
well-known - both to their residents and otherwise. We
believe we can also count on support from Pebble Beach
and 55 Songhees. Further details on a joint strategy
should be forthcoming during September.
We also intend to solicit the support of the various ca-
noe and kayak clubs that make extensive use of the wa-
ter in front of Royal Quays. We believe that the pro-
posed development will severely impact their enjoyment
of their sport and we assume they won’t look favourably
on such a situation.
Prior to the next public hearing on the rezoning matter,
which we suspect will not occur until after the municipal
elections in November, we also plan to circulate a peti-
tion (hopefully in cooperation with neighbouring condos)
not only to Songhees residents but also to others who
we believe will oppose the development, including Vic
West residents, Westsong Walkway passers-by and ca-
noe and kayak clubs.

http://royalquays.ca/

[Holden West]

Marina Strongly Opposed at the Vic West Community Meeting

The Vic West Community Association Land Use Committee held a meeting on Tuesday, October 18 at the Princess Mary Restaurant to discuss, among other things, the proposed marina development in front of Royal Quays. Royal Quays was well represented by five council members and a number of residents. Ocean/Park Towers, the Legacy and Mariners Landing were also well represented. As well, a number of other Vic West residents were in attendance.

Bob Evans, the developer of the proposed marina, made a brief presention and the floor was then opened for questions and concerns.

Mr. Evans had previously stated that his marina proposal was opposed only by the president of the Royal Quays Strata Council and a few other Songhees residents. He appeared shocked when he realized the full extent of the opposition. The bias of the attendees was evident from the outset. The presidents of all four strata committees spoke at length, making it clear that they and an overwelming majority of their residents strongly opposed the development. A number of other residents also spoke in opposition. The questions and comments from the Vic West Land Use Committee members were also of a nature that made it clear they also have concerns.

The purpose of the meeting was to permit the Land Use Committee to assess the views of Vic West residents so as to be able to make an informed recommendation to City Hall on the matter. After the meeting, there should be no doubt in the Committee's mind where the Songhees residents stand.

Your strata council thanks all those residents who turned out on a cool and wet evening to lend their support. It's clear we won that "battle", but the "war" will go on for some time. However, if we continue to receive the kind of support we saw at the meeting, the eventual outcome shouldn't be in much doubt. The October issue of Quay Notes contains a number of suggestion about how you can help.

http://royalquays.ca...elopments.shtml

You can guess how they feel about seaplanes.

[aastra]

...the proposed development...includes:

* a marina intended primarily as long-term moorage for large pleasure boats, comprising two long fingers running east-west, the outer finger also being a floating breakwater, but no repair/refuelling facilities,
* a private club with restaurant, and bar facilities and a patio, and
* several boutiques, possibly including a gift shop and convenience store on the line of a Red Barn market.

The club, marina office and retail facilities likely would be housed on two large floats, each fully occupying one of the small water-lots directly in front of the Royal Quays buildings. (Current zoning restricts those facilities to a single storey.)

Sounds just awful, doesn't it?

I really sympathize with the Songhees folks on this one. The last thing you expect when you buy a unit in a waterfront development framed around a causeway with a semi-circular indentation designed to accomodate a future marina is...a future marina.

A marina simply wouldn't be appropriate for that harbourfront setting. Boats and the inner harbour simply don't mix. And a sprinkling of commercial space would ruin the otherwise picture-perfect Songhees campus.

Good grief.

I agree with them on one thing, the fuel fumes from the float planes can be quite strong some days. I don't know what can be done about that, however. I've never noticed the smell in Vancouver so I presume it has something to do with wind/air circulation patterns on Victoria's harbour.

[aastra]

That attitude re: get the tourists into town and get their money is quintessential Victoria. For a city Victoria's size to obey the small town tourist trap line so slavishly...it's absolutely embarrassing.

Folks, by making the city better you'll ultimately attract MORE tourists. By doing interesting things with sites like Ogden Point you'll ultimately benefit everybody: residents, tourists, future generations, etc.

Stop trying to turn Victoria into a one-trick pony. Victoria is not some elaborate tourist scam, it's a real living city! For crying out loud, the vision coming out of such unlikely places as Nanaimo or Langford puts the city of Victoria to shame.

[aastra]

I mean, isn't that the height of Victorian absurdity? Buy a unit on the inner harbour...and then challenge the harbour in its most fundamental concept.

Yes, I want to live right on the harbour, but no, I don't want there to be docks and boats and things like that. Those things will ruin the harbour.

I like the harbour, I just don't like the boats.

I like the city, I just don't like the people.

[aastra]

For crying out loud, the place is called Royal QUAY.

QUAY!!

[Mike K.]

WRT the piers/marina in the Songhees: the Vic West Community Assoc is sending out flyers warning residents of the pending marina development. It's as though the marina, which was approved way back when, will somehow destroy Vic West. The evil "rich" will take over yet another piece of paradise :roll:

Similar sentiments were expressed at the Roundhouse open house (http://www.roundhousevictoria.com) when false rumours spread about Ken Mariash (developer) wanting to build a marina in Lime Bay (beside Spinnakers). "NO MARINA IN LIME BAY," folks were scribing on the sketch pads.

Marinas destroy underused shorelines and the neighbourhoods in which they are located, doncha know.

[Scaper]

All I can say about this whole situation is "WHAT A FRIGIN JOKE"

This is prime land and should be developed for the future use, for the citizens of this greater City. It should be a Converence Center, Hotel, Cruise ship terminal, Out Door concerts? the list goes on.

Very Very disappointing.

[aastra]

Oh sure, you probably LIKE to see a marina full of boats and houseboats. You probably LIKE going down to Fisherman's Wharf and having a halibut burger while you take in the harbour view.

I wish people like you would move to Alberta.

[aastra]

Sorry, that was meant for Mr. Black. I hope I didn't hurt Scaper's feelings by mistake.

See, in my world a hardcore anti-development type would try to put the kibosh on Ogden Point by saying something like, "We'd like to see a Selkirk-style development there. It should be attractive and inviting for travellers coming off the cruise ships, but it should also be sensitive to the scale and the pace of the local neighbourhood. A height limit of 5 or 6 stories would be appropriate."

To me, that would be a hardcore anti-development attitude toward Ogden Point.

[Scaper]

That's funny....I was like ....huh??? move to Alberta? hahhaha...

We should become very vocal over this issue. It's disgusting.

[G-Man]

I am just wondering why this was only at COTW and not at a public hearing. A decision to down zone the last large parcel of prime land for all of the things that Victorians are always talking about wanting should be something that everyone gets to have a say in not just slipping it past us during a meeting that the public cannot even speak at.

[Scaper]

I think we need to write council on this issue. SERIOUSLY