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Metchosin Boys & Girls land


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#21 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 30 January 2021 - 06:16 AM

Metchosin council is asking the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Victoria to withdraw its application to subdivide a portion of its 98-acre property, and to explore opportunities for preserving the land in its natural state.

 

The organization’s decision to carve off 40 acres of wooded and meadow­ ­property to sell on the open market in order to raise money for programs has ignited a firestorm of criticism in the rural community. An online petition against the sale had gathered more than 2,700 signatures by Wednesday afternoon.

 

https://www.timescol...sale-1.24274908



#22 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 04 February 2021 - 06:15 AM

“Recently, we have heard indirect interest in a land ­conservation agency, community group or municipal/regional ­government potentially ­purchasing the property for preservation, but we have no direct knowledge of this.”

 

Lang said the group’s “transparent” process means any effort to preserve the property has “a fair and equal purchasing opportunity.”

 

She stressed the property has not yet been subdivided or listed for sale, and the club is not looking at any offers from prospective buyers. The 40-acre portion is zoned for eight five-acre lots.

 

The Sierra Club of British Columbia indicated Monday it is interested in talking with the club about purchasing the land for conservation and recreation, but did not elaborate.

 

The entire 98-acre property at 3900 Metchosin Rd. had an assessed value of $5,177,100 as of July 1, 2020, according to B.C. Assessment — up from $4,879,000 the previous year.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...sted-1.24277208


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 February 2021 - 06:19 AM.


#23 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 02 March 2021 - 06:22 AM

Metchosin is throwing everything it has against the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria in an effort to stop the organization’s plans to subdivide a portion of its pastoral property into residential lots.

 

The district’s council in a special meeting last week gave first and second readings to an amendment of its land-use bylaw that is specific to the 98-hectare property. If passed after a public hearing on March 15, it would restrict the Boys and Girls Club to subdividing a 40-acre portion of the property to just one lot, and not the eight five-acre residential pieces allowed under the current bylaw.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...plan-1.24288864

 

 

 

The property is currently split zoned — institutional over 58 acres and rural over 40 acres. The rural designation allows for lot sizes of five acres.

 

Alexander said the revised bylaw will force the club’s hand.

 

“An eight-lot subdivision plan [is] ready to go … that will be on the approving officer’s desk if not before the end of the week, absolutely certainly before you adopt this bylaw, and the club will have no option but to proceed that way because this zoning bylaw precludes all the other discussion and creates an obligation on the directors of the club in the interest of their members to try to preserve the value that is in the land.”

 

Alexander said as long as the subdivision application is filed and the fees are paid prior to the adoption of the bylaw, the club has one year to complete the subdivision.

 

“If you adopt this bylaw on April 1, all of that work has got to be done before next winter … and that’s not the direction the club wants to go. The club is not a developer. They don’t want to be in the subdivision building business. But their hand will be forced.”


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 March 2021 - 06:26 AM.


#24 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 02 March 2021 - 12:36 PM

A community leader says the question of whether a local service club gets to sell a piece of green space in Metchosin affects all of Greater Victoria.

 

“It is a significant issue for Greater Victoria, because this is a property where children can get experience with the outdoors,” said Jay Shukin, president of the Association for the Protection of Rural Metchosin. “They can do so in a safe environment with mentors around them and we are losing our natural spaces day by day because of the pace of development, especially on the West Shore.”

 

Shukin made those comments Sunday afternoon after hundreds rallied in their vehicles outside the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Victoria property in Metchosin to protest club plans to sell 40 acres of its 98-acre property. The lot slated for sale is a legal subdivision and does not require rezoning with the decision in the hands of an approving officer not council.

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....les-in-protest/


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 02 March 2021 - 12:36 PM.


#25 Nparker

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Posted 02 March 2021 - 01:37 PM

https://youtu.be/3jFqhjaGh30



#26 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 17 March 2021 - 04:00 PM

is one year "fast-tracking" or "moving quickly"?

 

 

 

 

 

Metchosin adopts bylaw to limit subdivision of Boys & Girls Club property

 

Club representative says bylaw will fast-track development of the land

 

https://www.vicnews....-club-property/

 

Wayne Jensen, a director and treasurer for the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Victoria Foundation, warned the decision to pass the bylaw will devalue the land, and force the organization to seek a developer and begin tree clearing and road construction within the next year.

 

“I want the public and members of this council to be very clear on what this vote entails. If you say yes to this bylaw amendment tonight, you will be fast tracking the development of subdivision on the land,” Jensen said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subdivision of Metchosin land can proceed — if Boys and Girls Club moves quickly

 

https://www.timescol...ckly-1.24295365

 

Metchosin council has unanimously passed a bylaw blocking future subdivision applications on a 39.5-acre site owned by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater ­Victoria.

 

 

The new rule does not, however, affect a recent application to create seven 4.9-acre lots on the property — allowed under the previous rural zoning — ­provided the subdivision plan is finalized within 12 months.

 

 

 

 

 

'Bullied by our municipal leaders': Debate over Boys and Girls Club in Metchosin heats up

 

“Within just 19 days, Metchosin targeted our property, held a surprise meeting without notification, and proceeded to pass a new bylaw aimed at devaluing our land,” said Boys and Girls Club treasurer Wayne Jensen in a statement.

 

“We have been members of this community for more than 35 years so it is hard not to feel anything but bullied by our municipal leaders.”

 

The club says it has been "forced" to submit an application to subdivide the 40-acre parcel of land into up to seven lots, up from its original application of two, to maintain the land's value under the municipality's new land amendment.

 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 17 March 2021 - 04:04 PM.


#27 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 23 April 2021 - 01:01 PM

A piece of property causing friction between residents in rural Metchosin and a regional family charity that operates camps and programs there was officially listed for sale on Friday.

 

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria said it is selling a 40-acre portion, and possibly the entire 98-acre camp, saying it’s surplus to the club’s needs and the money is needed to fund more services and supports for children, youth and families in Greater Victoria.

 

The club said in a statement the property is being listed by Devencore Realty Victoria Ltd. Offers on the 40-acre piece will be considered on a $2.3-million asking price.

 

“Sales information will be made available to interested individuals and organizations, including those with land conservation or preservation mandates,” the club said in a statement. “Information packages will be sent to interested parties, including the District of Metchosin and the Capital Regional District, which may wish to consider purchasing the property as a regional community asset.”

 

https://www.timescol...lion-1.24310941


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 April 2021 - 01:03 PM.


#28 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 10 June 2021 - 05:20 PM

A group that provides nature-based programs and retreats for youth and adults has had its conditional offer accepted to acquire the entire 90-acre property of the Boys and Girls Club in Metchosin.

 

Alaina Hallett, a director and partner in Thriving Roots Wilderness School, confirmed the pending offer Thursday, but did not disclose the purchase price.

 

https://www.timescol...osin-1.24329090



#29 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 23 March 2024 - 05:18 AM

The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria has lost a petition in B.C. Supreme Court to sell its 98-acre Metchosin property.

 

In early 2021, the non-profit organization said there was not enough demand for its programs in Metchosin, while services elsewhere in the region were facing wait lists. It wanted to sell the property to fund other programs where it saw more need.

 

The idea to sell sparked concerns about a loss of green space in the rural community, and residents said the sale would undermine the long-held understanding that the land would remain in its natural state with a conifer forest, Garry oak meadows and a pond.

 

A conditional offer was accepted in 2021 to sell the property to a group that provides nature-based programs and retreats for youth and adults. The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria Foundation said in a statement the pending sale will not proceed as planned because it didn’t receive court approval.

 

 

https://www.timescol...roperty-8499126


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 March 2024 - 05:18 AM.


#30 Mike K.

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Posted 23 March 2024 - 06:42 AM

This is devastating news for the org. They’re trying to do what is best.

Eventually Metchosin will have to face the music.

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#31 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 23 March 2024 - 06:48 AM

The foundation bought the land from the province for about $1.63 million with donations. It sought court approval to convert the specific charitable purposes related to those donations, which were to fund the Metchosin property, to more general charitable donations that would allow it to fund services and infrastructure costs elsewhere.

 

More than 600 individual donations between 2004 and 2010 went toward the purchase of the property or construction of facilities.

 

______________________________

 

The land had an assessed value of $4,820,000 as of July 1, 2023, according to B.C. Assessment.



 



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