Until May, 2024, Saanich had Local Area Plans. These were carefully crafted, with input from both residents and planners, to direct growth and give reassurance to everyone – residents, planners, developers – as to what direction the community was going.
Local Area Plans included items like major infrastructure; traffic management; recommending the type and density of development compatible with the neighbourhood; improved, safe access to schools; establishing footpaths; listing significant trees; and recognizing heritage buildings.
They also included areas of special environmental interest; and specified 300m “buffer areas” around both small and large parks.
As an example, the North Quadra Local Area Plan also described the Special Characteristics of the area:
The most prominent feature is Christmas Hill in the southwest corner. This glacially scoured bedrock hill is noted for its varied flora, large Douglas fir stands, and Garry oak forest. The treed areas and rock outcrops throughout North Quadra are important to the overall character of the area.
These characteristics were taken into account when any development was proposed. (You can search for ‘North Quadra Area Plan’ to read the careful consideration used in compiling community directives)
However, on April 30, 2024 and May 7, 2024, Saanich Council voted to adopt a new Official Community Plan (OCP). After discussion, they also chose to ‘adopt’ the existing Local Area Plans (LAP), recognizing:
“There is still valid policy in LAPs; adopting them by Council Resolution will allow staff to use LAPs as a resource to inform decision-making.
But tellingly, a further direction by Council was made:
In areas where there is conflict between an LAP and the OCP, the OCP would be the primary document for policy direction.
By taking this action, Saanich Council took the Local Area Plans (and their recommendations) OUT of the Official Community Plan By-law, thereby making the Local Area Plans legally non-binding.
The Quadra McKenzie Plan makes no reference to the former Local Area Plans, discarding their recommendations in favor of rampant development with few checks.
Already, the new Official Community Plan (and the Quadra McKenzie Plan) – both developed without community input – have ignored the directions – like “buffer areas around parks”; and compatible development – contained in the Local Area Plans.
Development plans – one for three, 6-storey buildings on a rare Garry oak meadow; and another, for a 12-storey High-Rise on Quadra Street – are already going ahead, despite the Quadra McKenzie Plan NOT YET being passed by Saanich Council (that approval being planned for January 2025).
Save Our Saanich.
Please Sign the Petition on the Home Page.
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We acknowledge that the District of Saanich lies within the territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples represented by the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations and the W̱SÁNEĆ peoples represented by the W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum) and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nations.