LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT
See also our Information for Developers which outlines various issues that may arise for any new development project in our area. The Saanich information site is at Active Developments
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 Dep’t 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.
Active planning applications (developers in contact with MVCCA) current as of March 2020
Please contact us if you are interested in more information about any of these projects.
Not yet approved
Canterbury Rd, 665 subdivide lot info from developer
site plan elevations landscape MVCCA comments submitted
Crease Ave, 50/54 (Budget property) 15 & 5 storey condos total 159 units plus commercial
Crease Ave, 86 rezoning application to create one additional residence location elevations site map
Douglas, 3351 - addition of parkade at back - development permit only
Douglas, 3366 (Red Lion Inn) development permit amendment to make renovations which include 7 new hotel rooms
Harriet, 3421-31 & Whittier 3446-50 24 three-storey townhouses
Kamloops Ave., 195 duplex - site map elevations landscape
Nora Place, 591 subdivision to create two lots location site map MVCCA comments submitted
Raymond South, 3656 - six storey condo units site map elevations landscaping
MVCCA comments submitted
Tillicum Rd, 3661 subdivision to create one additional lot. site map elevations landscaping
Approved (but not yet built)
Dupplin, 472/476 - 4 stories, commercial/ industrial flex space, the property is now for sale.
Nigel Valley - Broadmead Care (Nigel House) - residential care, assisted living and some units
for affordable housing, total of 88 units. update page
Nigel Valley - Greater Victoria Housing Society - development permit report site elevations landscape
Nigel valley multiple projects - 811 units see more information
Tolmie, 760, Superstore property development permit 2010 ON HOLD
Uptown rental apts. 134 units see more information
Under construction (or recently completed)
Alder St., 3216-18 four stories – 27 rental apts.
Cadillac, 309 - subdivide lot
Carey Rd, 3816 - four story campus of care building 73 units affordable housing
Roderick St., 760 - three story pet hospital
Short Street, 800 block - six stories - 61 condos
Short Street Condos
Sept 2019
Sept 2019
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.