Revised plans for a new subdivision in Cordova Bay will get a public hearing despite ongoing concerns from residents about the development’s impact on the character of the neighbourhood and local traffic.
Coun. Judy Brownoff said the revised proposal responds to many of the concerns heard last year when council first considered the matter.
“I’m pleased with the number of changes, but public hearing is where we will hear from the majority of the residents in the area,” she said.
The public hearing will hear plans for a subdivision on Del Monte Avenue with four lots – one lot fewer than proposed in May 2016, when council first heard the application. Council had also asked the applicants for a pedestrian sidewalk, to preserve more trees and create shared driveways among other measures.
David Smith of McElhanney Consulting Services said on behalf of the property owners that their revised application responds to those concerns during a presentation Monday.
The revised subdivision will cut down fewer trees than originally proposed, add a pedestrian sidewalk of 112 metres, and reduce the number of driveways onto Del Monte from five to two, a move that would reduce the trees cut down.
Smith said his clients also promise to dedicate 5,697 square-metres – or 51 per cent of the subdivision’s site – as parkland to Doumac Park.
He also made the larger argument that the revised application was consistent with the general evolution of the area, as it has evolved from a largely rural area towards a residential area.
“Now, that it [this process] is nearly complete, you find residents who oppose further developments, although that is what allowed them to move into this area in the first place,” Smith said during his presentation which pre-emptively acknowledged the concerns of residents.
“You will hear from residents tonight who will object to our density, the number of driveways, tree removal, traffic, secondary suites, just to name a few,” he said. “But the truth of the matter is that the redevelopment of this property is not unlike any other establishment of a residential subdivision in Saanich.”
However, the subdivision also faced criticism.
Helvetia Crescent resident Sid Ball said the proposed subdivision would undermine the character of the neighbourhood, which lacks the infrastructure to handle increased density. He said it would set the stage for future developments that would rob Cordova Bay of its rural character. Other speakers noted that the development would increase traffic, thereby threatening the safety of area residents.