Developers of a new, 40-unit small lot housing project in North Saanich have been given the go-ahead to create a subdivision.
It’s the latest step in a controversial project that pitted pro-development interests in the community against people wary of growth. This conflict manifested itself in prolonged debate among district councillors and extensive work done by municipal staff in creating new policies to apply to increased housing demand.
SANPEN Properties is proposing to build 40 new homes of varying sizes at 9395 East Saanich Rd. called Canora Mews. They offered the homes first to workers on the Saanich Peninsula, including North Saanich firefighters, in response to a stated local need for more affordable workforce housing. This week’s approval of a development permit allows the subdivision to take shape, with home building to follow.
The permit did not pass by council without some debate, this time over a perceived delay in the district’s approval of the developer’s final landscape plan.
Councillor Dunstan Browne initially questioned including this condition in council’s approval of the permit.
His confusion stemmed from the inclusion of a draft landscape drawing in the paperwork.
Staff apologized for including the item and noted the final landscape plan will apply to the entire site. Having it as a condition in the staff recommendation, said Director of Planing Mark Brodrick, would help speed up the permit process by not having it come back to council at a late date.
The latest crisis averted, council gave unanimous consent.