LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
Role of the MVCCA in the development process
The MVCCA will meet with developers at various stages of the process with two main purposes:
To encourage development in line with the form and character of our neighbourhoods.
To encourage developers to thoroughly consult with the community through meetings with directly affected neighbours.
Saanich Planning formally asks the MVCCA to respond in writing to all development applications within our boundaries. The MVCCA is asked whether it: • Has no objection to the project; • Generally has no objection with suggested changes or concerns; • Does not support the project (please provide reason). It is the policy of the MVCCA to reflect what we have heard from the community.
See also our Information for Developers which outlines community engagement. The Saanich current projects information is under Saanich Core and Carey Area at Active Developments "How to Address a Public Hearing"
Active planning applications current as of: 20 Oct. 2021
Canterbury Rd, 665 subdivide lot info from developer Planning report approved 2 Feb 2021
Carey Road, 3950 (site of 6 Mile Bakery) - Abstract Developments in pre-application stage
Crease Ave, 50/54 (Budget property) 15 & 5 storey condos total 159 units plus commercial
Douglas St, 3319 (site of Island Outfitters) purpose-built rental, Aryze
planning referral project website MVCCA is asked to send in our comments by Nov. 9th
Douglas St, 3366 (Red Lion Inn) development permit amendment, renovations which include 7 new rooms site map elevations
Douglas St, 3415 (old gas station site in front of Uptown) - rezoning to build two storey commercial building with above ground
parking. New owner is local business person. site picture site map elevations landscape
application to be set for Public Hearing Planning dep't report
Dupplin Rd., 472 &476 two storey office/warehouse/sales building within zoning site map elevations landscape
NEW site map revised elevations revised landscape Planning report 23 March 2021 development permit approved 12 April 2021
Nigel valley multiple projects - 811 units see separate page
Nora Place, 591 subdivision to create two lots location site map
Raymond St. South, 3656 - see separate page
Tillicum Rd, 3661 subdivision to create one additional lot site map elevations landscaping approved 9 Feb. 2021
Tolmie, 760, Superstore property - development permit 2010. ON HOLD
Uptown Phase Four 3440 Saanich Road 2021 Design plans
July 2021 site elevations landscaping see also separate page
Whittier Townhouses (3446-50 Whittier and 3421-31 Harriet) 23 - three-storey townhouses revised elevations
revised site revised landscape 7 Dec. 2020 - project sent to Public Hearing Planning Report April 2021 revisions
Approved (but not yet built)
Canterbury Rd, 665
Tillicum Rd, 3661
Under construction (or recently completed)
Blanshard St., 3561, Units E107 and E109 (upper level of the Uptown mall) to allow a Non-Medical Cannabis Retail
Crease Ave, 86 rezoning application to create one additional residence final Planning Report
Dupplin Rd. 472 & 476 two storey office/warehouse/sales building development permit approved 12 April 2021
Kamloops Ave.,195 duplex approved 14 July 2020 final reading
The MVCCA will meet with developers at various stages of the process with two main purposes:
To encourage development in line with the form and character of our neighbourhoods.
To encourage developers to thoroughly consult with the community through meetings with directly affected neighbours.
Saanich Planning formally asks the MVCCA to respond in writing to all development applications within our boundaries. The MVCCA is asked whether it: • Has no objection to the project; • Generally has no objection with suggested changes or concerns; • Does not support the project (please provide reason). It is the policy of the MVCCA to reflect what we have heard from the community.
See also our Information for Developers which outlines community engagement. The Saanich current projects information is under Saanich Core and Carey Area at Active Developments "How to Address a Public Hearing"
Active planning applications current as of: 20 Oct. 2021
Canterbury Rd, 665 subdivide lot info from developer Planning report approved 2 Feb 2021
Carey Road, 3950 (site of 6 Mile Bakery) - Abstract Developments in pre-application stage
Crease Ave, 50/54 (Budget property) 15 & 5 storey condos total 159 units plus commercial
Douglas St, 3319 (site of Island Outfitters) purpose-built rental, Aryze
planning referral project website MVCCA is asked to send in our comments by Nov. 9th
Douglas St, 3366 (Red Lion Inn) development permit amendment, renovations which include 7 new rooms site map elevations
Douglas St, 3415 (old gas station site in front of Uptown) - rezoning to build two storey commercial building with above ground
parking. New owner is local business person. site picture site map elevations landscape
application to be set for Public Hearing Planning dep't report
Dupplin Rd., 472 &476 two storey office/warehouse/sales building within zoning site map elevations landscape
NEW site map revised elevations revised landscape Planning report 23 March 2021 development permit approved 12 April 2021
Nigel valley multiple projects - 811 units see separate page
Nora Place, 591 subdivision to create two lots location site map
Raymond St. South, 3656 - see separate page
Tillicum Rd, 3661 subdivision to create one additional lot site map elevations landscaping approved 9 Feb. 2021
Tolmie, 760, Superstore property - development permit 2010. ON HOLD
Uptown Phase Four 3440 Saanich Road 2021 Design plans
July 2021 site elevations landscaping see also separate page
Whittier Townhouses (3446-50 Whittier and 3421-31 Harriet) 23 - three-storey townhouses revised elevations
revised site revised landscape 7 Dec. 2020 - project sent to Public Hearing Planning Report April 2021 revisions
Approved (but not yet built)
Canterbury Rd, 665
Tillicum Rd, 3661
Under construction (or recently completed)
Blanshard St., 3561, Units E107 and E109 (upper level of the Uptown mall) to allow a Non-Medical Cannabis Retail
Crease Ave, 86 rezoning application to create one additional residence final Planning Report
Dupplin Rd. 472 & 476 two storey office/warehouse/sales building development permit approved 12 April 2021
Kamloops Ave.,195 duplex approved 14 July 2020 final reading
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Pet Hospital 760 Roderick St. Dec. 2020
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3415 Douglas St. (old gas station site in front of Uptown)
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Overview
Development in Saanich neighbourhoods takes place in the context of municipal and regional policies. The adoption of the Regional Growth Strategy in 2003 designed to protect agricultural and rural areas, led to the need to increase density in existing neighbourhoods. MVCCA both understands and supports urban densification. We understand also that densification can happen in a beneficial way or it can destroy a community.
While the District of Saanich supports the development of “complete communities”, it sometimes forgets that the communities in which the projects are being built are already complete. MVCCA has a role to help Saanich to remember this and to ensure the needs of resident tax payers are given the full consideration they deserve.
The Colquitz part of the MVCCA is a suburban landscape, rolling down to the Colquitz River. It has not seen development itself, but has been impacted by development at the nearby Tillicum centre. The "Mount View" part of the community, however, has seen constant major development.
ln 2007, when the Mt. View Colquitz Community Association was first incorporated as a society, the neighbourhood that stretched from Douglas at Saanich Road north up Carey to McKenzie Avenue and west to the Island Highway was very different than it is now. Large pieces of undeveloped land existed, including a transitional school district property that graced the neighbourhood with stands of trees, large fields for ball games and dog walking, rocky outcrops affording views of the Olympics, and, on a clear day, Mt. Baker. Most of these properties, while designated for some form of high density development in the Local Area Plans, had yet to be rezoned.
The rezoning and repurposing of these lands were ushered through the Saanich Municipal planning process piecemeal, with the result that residents were not able to adequately consider the cumulative impact of the developments. At meeting after meeting, we asked for an Action Plan for our neighbourhood. While one was planned, it never materialized, despite our entreaties. Now viewscapes are gone, grassy hillsides have been converted to hardsurface cliffs, and habitat for the admittedly plentiful Killdeer dug up, built up and paved.
Some very positive results of these developments has been the installation of crosswalks all the way down Carey Road, road redesigns at Ralph and Carey, and a "complete street" modification to Tillicum Road that includes sidewalks, bike lanes and street trees between Carey and the Trans Canada Highway.
Saanich is recognizing its need to rethink the current out of date local area plans for all Saanich neighbourhoods, including those of the Saanich Core local area plan and Carey local area plan, in which the MVCCA neighbourhoods are featured. Hopefully, there will be an end to piecemeal planning in our area. An initial meeting was held on November 27, 2013 between the Saanich Planning Department and representatives of all community associations to consider the design of the local area plan process. One result is the Uptown - Douglas Corridor study.