The Capital Regional District (CRD) Board denied the Central Saanich Peninsula Co-op supermarket Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment.
The board determined that the proposed amendment to the Regional Context Statement (RCS) within the OCP is not consistent with the CRD’s overarching planning document, the Regional Growth Strategy (RGS).
The District of Central Saanich applied to amend the OCP and zoning bylaw to facilitate the development of a grocery store on West Saanich Road. The property is designated rural and is located outside the Urban Settlement Area in the OCP. The site is also located outside the Regional Urban Containment and Servicing Policy Area (RUCSPA) under the RGS.
Central Saanich council asked the CRD to review the proposed changes to their RCS as proposed changes to approved municipal context statements must be consistent with the RGS and be accepted by the CRD board.
“The evaluation of the proposal highlighted significant servicing policy concerns; the proposal would unnecessarily enlarge the RUCSPA boundary in Central Saanich and is contrary to many RGS policies,” said a CRD media release.
“This is a decision the board does not take lightly,” said CRD Board Chair Geoff Young. “Implications of the proposed amendment could potentially open the door to sprawl by unnecessary expansion of the Regional Urban Containment and Servicing Policy Area.”
The CRD had been asked by Saanich Councillor Vic Derman to review a number of other development proposals in Central Saanich for consistency with the RGS. These five additional proposals, including the Vantreight development, Senanus water line, McPhail subdivision, Woodwynn Farms proposed rezoning and the proposed Northwest Quadrant urban servicing were reviewed and the board agreed with staff recommendations that no further action should be taken at this time.
“This is vindication,” said Central Saanich Councillor Ron Kubek. “They see that this was a politically motivated motion by Vic Derman.”