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North Quadra project raises concerns over loss of Garry oaks


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#1 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 02:06 PM

Neighbours of a proposed nine-home development off the north end of Quadra Street are calling on Saanich to rescind subdivision approval to save an established Garry oak ecosystem on the largely undeveloped property.

 

Municipal staff estimate at least 36 trees and likely more will be removed to make way for the development. “The community came together because Garry oak ecosystems are rare — there’s not a lot of them left that are intact,” area resident Kate Hamm said Friday.

 

https://www.timescol...oaks-1.24226817

 

Haji Charania, president of the North Quadra Community Association, suggested a proposal with fewer houses would be more suitable for the site.

 

People are more aware of the impact of the loss of Garry oak trees these days. “You can never get it back.”

 

Charania is also concerned about increased traffic in the neighbourhood, with two nearby schools, Lake Hill Elementary and St. Margaret’s School.

 

[attachment=28419:screenshot-www.google.com-2020.10.25-18_07_23.png]

 

 

 

 

 

i'm sure the traffic from those 9 houses will be hell in that area.

 


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 October 2020 - 02:09 PM.


#2 aastra

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 02:09 PM

Come on, why does it always have to be oak trees getting the chop? Drives me batty. I made a joke about this in another thread (that a potential redevelopment site in Oak Bay probably wouldn't get much interest because it didn't have any oak trees on it).



#3 aastra

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 02:16 PM

When something gets proposed it's always about the traffic, but the traffic problems tend not to materialize after the fact.

 

Anyway, methinks the ideal thing here would be a lowrise building that preserves a bunch of the trees.



#4 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 02:17 PM

or a homeless campsite.  lean on victoria's expertise to make up some signage.

 

tc-50275-web-vka-centralpark-8082-jpg.jp


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 October 2020 - 02:18 PM.


#5 aastra

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 02:23 PM

Just waiting for the day when the homelessness crisis suddenly obligates some garry oak chopping.



#6 Brantastic

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 04:47 PM

The traffic reasoning is ludicrous but I think the loss of many mature Garry oaks is a fair reason to oppose a small development. I don't know the specific site in question well, but we only have about 5% of historical Garry oak ecosystem coverage left and yet we still keep chipping away at that 5%. The Garry oak ecosystem is the most biodiverse ecosystem in all of Canada, most of which is restricted just to the southeast coast of the island. Garry oaks take a staggering amount of time to grow into a large tree. There are hundreds of other sites in Saanich that would be better suited to redevelopment.


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#7 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 October 2020 - 04:52 PM

The traffic reasoning is ludicrous but I think the loss of many mature Garry oaks is a fair reason to oppose a small development. I don't know the specific site in question well, but we only have about 5% of historical Garry oak ecosystem coverage left and yet we still keep chipping away at that 5%. The Garry oak ecosystem is the most biodiverse ecosystem in all of Canada, most of which is restricted just to the southeast coast of the island. Garry oaks take a staggering amount of time to grow into a large tree. There are hundreds of other sites in Saanich that would be better suited to redevelopment.

 

it's private property long been zoned for residential development.  if the municipality (or neighbours) is not willing to buy it then it can proceed to development.  we don't need government interference in private property that's following all the rules. 


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 October 2020 - 04:52 PM.

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#8 AllseeingEye

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Posted 26 October 2020 - 09:14 AM

Oak trees....a bit of a catch 22 for sure in this region. On the one hand a unique, and declining, natural ecosystem to the south island which provides an environment for all sorts of wildlife not to mention a respite from creeping urban sprawl.

 

OTOH I well remember the angst they caused for my parents and neighbors at their old place in the Mt Tolmie-UVic neighborhood - and me, since every fall for about 15 years I was tasked with raking and cleaning up the tons of leaves that came down on lawns, boulevards and - ugh - gutters. On top of which the trees literally weep sap which plays havoc with car finishes. 

 

At one point there were eight oak trees on the property which more critically caused cracks in the back yard ground level concrete patio due to the extensive root systems which also pushed up against the house foundations. At one point one of the trees died of its own accord - with no help from the humans...honest! - and it was a very happy day for my dad especially we were able to take a chain saw to the dead trunk. 



 



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