North Saanich staff released a preliminary Sandown budget to the News Review this week.
The numbers, which have not been approved by council, show a financial plan for addressing necessary expenditures on the former race track property. The municipality laid out a proposal with land owner Bill Randall to turn 83 acres into farm land in the Agricultural Land Reserve.
According to the proposal, Randall would keep 12 acres of the 95-acre property and have it rezoned commercial, in order to develop it. In exchange, 12 acres of municipally owned land elsewhere would be added to the ALR.
The Agricultural Land Commission identified requirements for making the land farmable, including fencing, soil remediation, demolition of structures, agrology and drainage.
Municipal staff estimate those costs will amount to nearly $800,000, minus $100,000 offered by Randall to pay for some demolition. North Saanich plans to take about five years to complete the work, according to the budget. The Preliminary 10 Year Cost and Revenue Projections document is also posted on the district’s website, at northsaanich.ca.
Council discusses Sandown at Monday night’s council meeting, at 7 p.m. at North Saanich municipal hall, 1620 Mills Rd. Coun. Conny McBride has raised a notice of motion that will ask the district to issue a request for proposals from approved agrologists, among other things.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
By the numbers
The complete preliminary budget is online at northsaanich.ca
Expenditures 2012
Appraisal 5,000
Phase II Environmental assessment 9,000
Legal 6,000
Agrology Plan 17,000
Total: 37,000
Funding sources 2012
Developer contribution 16,000 (of 100,000 total)
Great Canadian Lease 17,500
Telus Lease 3,500
Total: 37,000
Expenditures 2013
Fencing & Signage Drainage 63,000
Funding sources 2013
Developer contribution 55,500 (of 100,000 total)
Telus Lease 7,500
Total: 63,000
Expenditures 2014
Drainage 100,000
Site clearing & Soil remediation 37,000
Demolition of buildings 45,000
Agrolist monitoring 4,000
Total: 186,000
Funding sources 2014
Property taxes from rezoning 150,000
Developer contribution 28,500 (of 100,000 total)
Telus Lease 7,500
Total: 186,000