Sept. 10: The development proposal is to be scheduled for an Oak Bay public hearing on October 8th. Again, this development is not within Saanich or the CCA geography, but borders both and will be of interest to Saanich residents in the neighbourhood.
permissable building height in the affected zone to be increased from 3 storeys to 6 storeys
setbacks to be defined to provide a reasonable buffer between the proposed building and the University Woods neighbourhood to the north, largely by retaining the existing vegetation in that area
a reduction of on-site parking stalls as the proposed building is planned for an existing parking lot area; but only a loss of 5 parking stalls compared to the peak demand they counted
bike parking: 107 long-term and 43 short-term spaces planned; let’s hope the long-term at least are reasonably secure!
trees: 42 on-site and 14 municipal trees protected by the Tree Protection Bylaw to be removed, while 65 replacement trees will result in a total canopy coverage for the affected area of 67.5%
infrastructure: the sanitary sewage connection presents some challenges that should be resolvable given the proximity of both Oak Bay and Saanich sewage infrastructure; other infrastructure connections should be more easily planned
costs to build: Camosun College will pay Oak Bay just shy of $1.4 million when a building permit is issued
The above referenced report has expansive appendices that include a site design and building layout, and is well worth a read if only for the views of what is planned.
Notice of a development proposal has been posted by Camosun College on the Foul Bay Road side of their Lansdowne campus. This proposal for student housing has been a part of their long term vision, presented in their 2019 Master Plan, and commented on here more recently with respect to provincial government funding.
The proposed development will be on land that lies within Oak Bay, but a large portion of the Lansdowne campus lies within Saanich and the geography of the Camosun Community Association.
The stated purpose of the development:
This is an application for a zoning bylaw amendment to facilitate a six storey, 429 bed student housing building for Camosun College which would include a combination of single (dormitory style), studio (single suite) and quad (four-bedroom apartment style) units as well as retail and food services. It is accompanied by an Official Community Plan amendment application.
This much needed student housing will have an impact on the neighbourhood well beyond Oak Bay’s borders. Area residents will want to stay informed on this initiative as it moves forward.
Preparedness 101: Emergency Preparedness Begins with You
and Volunteer Information Sessions this fall.
The next exciting Speaker Series is on Thursday, September 18 about earthquakes and tsunamis with earthquake seismologist Dr. John Cassidy. More information about this event can be found on Saanich’s website here.
If you’re keeping track, it’s Phase 4 of the update to the SVP. And there are public engagementts now scheduled for online and in-person attendance. Please check out the table below reproduced from here.
Saanich has published an update to the Shelbourne Valley Plan. This draft plan is open to public review. Public engagement activities will begin after the details of this process are revealed in August, and take place from August and into October.
The updates focus on:
Aligning with the Official Community Plan, notably the updated land use framework
Integrating recently adopted Saanich plans and strategies
Reflecting up-to-date census data, community needs, and District-wide priorities
Considerable progress has been achieved in the more than ten years since the development of the Bowker Creek Blueprint. Meanwhile, new information, studies, and plans have emerged that the update aims to capture while engaging with the public, partners, and First Nations.
The updated Blueprint will guide Bowker Creek Initiative member municipalities (District of Saanich, District of Oak Bay, and City of Victoria), School District #61, the Capital Regional District, the community and other land stewards as they work to manage and restore the Bowker Creek Watershed and creek corridor into the future.
Check out the ways in which you may learn about this effort and have your input:
Event
Date & Time
Info
in-person Open House
Tuesday, June 10, Drop-in between 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Na’tsa’maht, Camosun College Landsdowne campus, 3100 Foul Bay Road, Victoria, BC
