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North Saanich - OCP and rural character debate


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#1 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 19 December 2021 - 03:01 PM

I think that North Saanich should go ahead and remain rural.

That have Sidney nearby for their commercial needs, they do not need “village centres” at Deep Cove and McTavish.



“I don’t think that they necessarily represent the majority opinion,” he said, noting that making the OCP review a ballot question would give other residents a chance to be heard. “We are elected to make decisions in the best interest of the district and the people, and I take that responsibility seriously. As a long-time Green, I hear the hypocrisy of people who say ‘oh, we love agriculture.’ They don’t want agriculture. They want a pastoral setting to drive through.”

Residents of North Saanich, one of the richest Canadian communities by net worth, are split around their own interests, Weisenberger said.

“Those who want to keep us in 1983, look at what is happening at the Amazon site,” he said. North Saanich has a responsibility to provide good governance and that includes housing for those working on the Peninsula, he added. “When you are in a care home and you need your diaper changed or whatever, are you expecting people to drive from Langford or take public transit for an hour-and-a-half to service you? Where are those people going to live? Who is responsible for these decisions? We are!”



https://www.vicnews....ew-controversy/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 December 2021 - 03:04 PM.


#2 Mike K.

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Posted 19 December 2021 - 05:43 PM

Like I said in another thread, we are vilifying municipalities that build housing, vilifying municipalities that don’t build housing, and vilifying attempts to build more housing outside of municipalities in unincorporated areas.

It’s all pretty bonkers, isn’t it?

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#3 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 19 December 2021 - 05:48 PM

I just don’t think North Saanich is the “solution” to our housing “crisis”.

And those that want to age in place there can extract a million or two from their home equity to pay for a cab to Sidney once a week or a local person to change their diaper.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 December 2021 - 05:49 PM.


#4 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 12:08 AM

> > As a long-time Green, I hear the hypocrisy of people who say ‘oh, we love agriculture.’ They don’t want agriculture. They want a pastoral setting to drive through.”


Far be it for me to defend farming. But can’t they like two things at once? Yes they quite like driving past the cows in the field, but they also like the concept of farming in the neighbourhood?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 December 2021 - 12:09 AM.


#5 Moderation

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 08:37 AM

Perhaps land that is good for farming be encouraged to be used for farming and land not so be used to accommodate other uses 

Including housing.



#6 Mike K.

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 09:55 AM

It’s tough to split that out, as ALR lane encompasses such a large amount of land and the board doesn’t like releasing it. There are parcels in the ALR you couldn’t feed a goat on but the commission that oversees removal requests refuses to release them into the market housing pool where land restrictions are not as challenging (like one main domicile per ten acres the ALR wants).

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#7 JohnsonStBridge

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 11:39 AM

Isn't it a bit ironic when a municipality housing two major transportation hubs for the region states their primary planning objective is to retain rural character? Hard to have your cake and eat it too. 


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#8 Moderation

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 12:12 PM

Was the daffodil farm ALR farm family split and development not a possible example even if a challenge?

 

Rural character has that been described or defined. On the N (National)  type roads in France because of the long history there  at times there are small communities, villages, 10 to 50 houses often less than 1 or 2km apart in what are considered rural areas.



#9 Mike K.

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 12:24 PM

Was the daffodil farm ALR farm family split and development not a possible example even if a challenge?

Rural character has that been described or defined. On the N (National) type roads in France because of the long history there at times there are small communities, villages, 10 to 50 houses often less than 1 or 2km apart in what are considered rural areas.

Oh there are plenty of examples, but it’s a real struggle, and typically results in ultra-low density in any case.

I can’t say I’ve heard of land from the ALR being taken out for apartments.

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#10 phx

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 01:25 PM

Isn't it a bit ironic when a municipality housing two major transportation hubs for the region states their primary planning objective is to retain rural character? Hard to have your cake and eat it too. 

 

lol, airports are not often located in urban areas.



#11 Moderation

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Posted 20 December 2021 - 02:52 PM

Depends on how you describe urban There are a number of Canadian International airports closer to the city than YVR is to downtown. Some even in the city or metro area.



#12 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 29 January 2022 - 09:49 AM

A special council meeting scheduled for next Monday (Jan. 31) will consider the future of North Saanich’s Official Community Plan (OCP) review.

The meeting comes almost two months after council deferred key decisions around the OCP, including whether to approve additional funding for the review, the estimated cost for which is approaching $500,000.

___________________________________

Prominent community voices, including former mayor Alice Finall, have said the municipality has had an “excessive focus on housing,” and expressed fears the OCP review will open up North Saanich to development out of touch with its perceived character as rural, agricultural community. A smaller, less vocal chorus say the community needs more density in select locations to improve housing affordability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

https://www.saanichn...-north-saanich/



#13 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 10 November 2022 - 05:12 AM

North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones promises the first 100 days of the new council “will be exciting” as he will ask council to support a new vision for the municipality’s Official Community Plan review, among other issues.

“Residents have spoken loudly,” he said earlier during his inaugural address. “They want to maintain North Saanich as a rural oasis. To accomplish this, I look to contain the urban containment boundary at the current boundary with Central Saanich and Sidney, support the vision of the Regional Growth Strategy and grow North Saanich in a sustainable way that enhances our rural roots.”

https://www.vicnews....nich-peninsula/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 10 November 2022 - 05:12 AM.


#14 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 04 December 2022 - 04:27 AM

North Saanich council accused of 'political posturing' after shelving OCP work
 
At the district’s first council meeting last week, new Mayor Peter Jones introduced a motion stopping all work on a draft OCP until the new council has had a chance to explore community concerns
 


#15 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 18 December 2022 - 08:19 PM

North Saanich Mayor Peter Jones is rejecting suggestions that he lacks a mandate to push forward his agenda around the Official Community Plan.

“The fact is 60 per cent voted for rural, however they read that and 40 per cent basically voted pro-development,” he said. “We are 100-per-cent legitimate. If residents of North Saanich in four years decide that we are going in the wrong direction, they can make a decision then.”


https://www.vicnews....snt-legitimate/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 18 December 2022 - 08:19 PM.


#16 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 21 January 2023 - 06:20 AM

Capital Daily:

 

 

 

 

North Saanich: OCP advisory committees established; infighting ensues


Mayor Peter Jones has formed five committees to advise him on developing the Official Community Plan. Each is a mix of councillors and members of the public. Coun. Sanjiv Shrivastava sits on every committee and therefore will get to provide input on various topics, including housing and agriculture. The other councillors each have at least one appointment—except for Coun. Phil DiBattista, who has none.

At the Jan. 16 meeting, Jones made it clear the slight was intentional. “I've left one councillor off there,” he said, “because I feel what he did was disrespectful to the council.”

What DiBattista had done was send an internal email last month that Jones characterized as “severely criticizing members of council for the way that they were acting with regard to the OCP, but more particularly with regard to how they were acting.”

According to DiBattista, the email, which has not been made public, distinguishes between governance and management and was meant to be helpful. He sent it after reviewing his council orientation notes, wanting to point out that managing day-to-day decisions in the district was up to the staff, not the councillors.

“Just to confirm, the councillor that's been excluded,” DiBattista asked Jones, referring to himself, “is being punitively withheld from sitting on committees solely because of an unrelated issue related to the OCP?”

“No,” Jones replied, “because that particular councillor appears to me to be diametrically opposed to where the vast majority of the residents of North Saanich said in the election that we need to go.”

DiBattista later told Capital Daily that he and the other councillors actually had “very similar visions” for the district, but the mayor wouldn’t know that. After the election, DiBattista said, “the mayor should have met with all of council individually, one on one, to see what we think, see what our priorities are, see what our interests are. Because that opens up communication and that breeds a healthy council chamber, and then you get down to the governance of the district much quicker. That hasn't happened yet. I'm hoping it will.”

By Tori Marlan


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 January 2023 - 06:20 AM.


#17 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 25 March 2023 - 06:22 AM

A consulting company working with the District of North Saanich to review the municipality’s long-term vision has cut ties over concerns about the mayor and council’s approach.

Vancouver-based Modus Planning, Design and Engagement Inc. wrote to the district in February requesting termination of its contract from its role as a planning consultant for a review of the official community plan, a collection of objectives and policies that guide decisions on planning and land use.

https://www.timescol...ty-plan-6757340


I think anybody can see the problem. A significant percentage of North Saanich residents want the community to remain somewhat rural. But it’s not as high a percentage as say Highlands or Metchosin.

The solution - to me - is not that hard. Bring the groups and politicians together with a quality mediator, and hash out where some development will be allowed. And that obviously should be along West Saanich Road, Airport area/Mills, and McTavish where added traffic can be easily dipersed. Then all the rest shall remain status quo.

 

screenshot-www.google.com-2023.03.25-10_31_58.png

 

Why not say no to any significant development north of a line 100m north of Mills Road, and none in Dean Park or the estate properties on the western shore.

 

It is no doubt going to create some winners and losers.  But there needs to be a path forward here.

 

 

 

 

Coun. Phil DiBattista said he’s not surprised by Modus’ decision after some candidates, who have since been elected, criticized the company during last fall’s election campaign.

 

The OCP review process has been polarizing, sparking “fear and angst” in many, and puts the consultant in a tough spot, because they can’t please everyone, DiBattista said.

 

“For every person who doesn’t want the district to change in any way, shape or form, there’s also someone who says: ‘Well, what about our young families? What about our seniors? How are we going to grow and evolve?’ ” he said.

 

 

You've got to get that fantasy out of your head, that any OCP is magically going to make housing abundant, or cheap.  It will not happen.  

 

 

 

 

 

OK, now that I have fixed airport transit and the OCP situation in North Saanich today, what's next?


Edited by Victoria Watcher, 25 March 2023 - 06:43 AM.

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#18 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 03 June 2023 - 05:59 AM

Top staffer offered $300,000 to leave amid North Saanich turmoil

The departure comes amid ongoing turmoil over an official community plan that will lay out guidelines for if and how the largely rural district will develop


https://www.timescol...turmoil-7093229




Too bad leadership sucks in North Saanich.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 June 2023 - 06:00 AM.


#19 Nparker

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Posted 03 June 2023 - 06:36 AM

What are North Saanich's provincially mandated housing targets?

#20 Victoria Watcher

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Posted 03 June 2023 - 06:52 AM

I just wonder, can’t some people do their jobs even if they personally disagree with some of the policy decided on by leadership?

Like there is a government parking guy on here, he seems to just do the job competently despite many policy changes.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 June 2023 - 06:53 AM.

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