Over the past two years, Saanich has engaged often with the community regarding the Environmental Development Permit Area (EDPA) bylaw. Public sentiment regarding the EDPA can be determined by considering three documents available on the Saanich website (https://goo.gl/vTnYFP).
Firstly, the EDPA public process report summarizes engagement conducted by the district through 2015 and 2016. Engagement included direct contact with the 2,200 properties within the EDPA, and a series of town halls, open houses and other public or directed engagements. On the whole, the vast majority (90 per cent) of properties in the EDPA did not participate. Of those property owners that did, 56 per cent indicated a medium to high level of support for the bylaw.
Secondly, the Economic Impact of the EDPA summary fact sheet describes the results of a study GP Rollo and Associates completed to assess the economic impact of the EDPA in response to public concerns about home values. Their findings were that very few properties had substantial adverse economic impacts (notable exceptions being subdividable lots and small waterfront properties), and that in most cases EDPA properties were actually more desirable and valuable due to their proximal natural features (ie waterfront, backing onto parks).
Thirdly, the draft report from Diamond Head Consulting Ltd. describes the results of a $50,000 study commissioned by council to provide recommendations to council on how to improve the EDPA bylaw. This report determined that the Saanich EDPA was not dissimilar to bylaws in other jurisdictions, and provided 15 well considered recommendations for improvement. It is important to note that the review was initiated following a decision by council in March 2016, to revise the bylaw (rather than repeal or maintain the status quo).
None of the recommendations within any of these documents were implemented. In fact, Saanich council did not even discuss the recommendations made in the Diamond Head Consulting report, before a motion was made to rescind the bylaw. Discussion by councillors in making this decision referenced the need to rebuild trust between Saanich and its citizens. For myself and many others, this decision has completely eroded confidence in the current Saanich council’s ability to represent the interests of the municipality.
Ben Kerr
Saanich