Second Meeting on Marine Task Force Report Recommendations Calls for a Third Meeting

Citing the need to receive additional information on factors such as environmental impacts, re-zoning and jurisdictional issues related to building private docks on the waterfront, Council voted 6 to 1 against Councilor Sheilah Fea's motion to move ahead with private docks in North Saanich. I also agreed with the Council majority to defer to a third meeting the rest of the Marine Task Force (MTF) report's recommendations, including recommendation #7 related to private docks. A sometimes noisy waterfront group attended the October 29th Committee of the Whole special meeting, the second held by Council to address the MTF's 2008 report.

I knew going into these meetings that some recommendations would be controversial, particularly the recommendation dealing with private docks. As you know, North Saanich, since 1984, has restricted private docks, resulting in current Official Community Plan zoning limits known as M5 and M6. As a result, the North Saanich coastline is relatively unobstructed, making public access to our beaches and waterfront one of the attractions of living here -- I support public access to our beaches and will always try to find a balance between the need for public beach access and the desires of waterfront property owners.

As you know, some waterfront property owners disagree with North Saanich's current zoning restrictions for private docks, believing the municipality should allow private docks whenever a waterfront property owner makes an application. One waterfront owner at this week's meeting stated that he feels that it is his "right to have a private dock and unfettered access to deep water." But another waterfront property owner cautioned the municipality against allowing private docks that impede adjacent neighbours' sight lines and interfere with their views, acknowledging my belief that a significant factor that determines waterfront property values is the quality of the view.

Council also agreed to move ahead with the MTF's recommendation for a public boat launch on the West side of the Peninsula, below the airport. Mayor and Council plan to re-open talks with the Victoria Airport Authority, the Federal government and other community stakeholders to explore having a small public boat launch on the West side that provides vehicle parking and access for small boats, kayaks, canoes, etc. I understand from one resident who attended the meeting that Tulista Park will be one of the last small public boat launches left on the Peninsula, given that Van Isle Marina is rumoured to be closing its boat launch to allow expansion of a restaurant.

Regarding the MTF's recommendation on the Federal government's initiative to designate the Saanich Inlet a marine conservation area, Council agreed to invite Parks Canada to make a presentation to Council on the status of the initiative and on what impacts, if any, such a designation would have on waterfront property owners. Some owners express concern about a marine park/conservation area designation, suggesting that it might interfere with their property rights. We learned, however, thanks to Frances Pugh of the Saanich Inlet Protection Society, that a conservation area designation means only three things: no dumping, no dredging and no oil drilling. I can't imagine that the majority of North Saanich residents wouldn't wholeheartedly embrace such protection for the Saanich Inlet.

A new date for the next special Council meeting to address the MTF's report will be announced on the District website, in the District newsletter and I will ensure that the date is also announced on this blog. Stay tuned and watch for the date and time of the next meeting. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail and I will try to answer your questions. Thank you.

Heavy Traffic at McTavish Road Interchange Open House

It was standing room only last week when I dropped down to the McTavish Road Interchange Open House, hosted for local residents by the Provincial government, as part of its public consultation process. Local residents, North Saanich, Sidney and Central Saanich Council members, Victoria Airport Authority staff, project staff from the Province and other transportation staff mingled and chatted with the public as people poured into the Presbyterian Church at East Saanich Road and circulated around the room, browsing the various design displays. Of particular interest was an animated demonstration showing how the traffic will move through the new interchange and its three roundabouts.

Comments on the project that I heard ranged from "too big and too complex for this area" to "too expensive when we are cutting everything else in this Province" to "we need the improvements for safety's sake" and "it's about time we did something at this intersection." I also heard some anxiety about drivers having to negotiate the roundabouts, which I agree can be daunting.

I remember well my first driving experience in Britain. I rented a Mini and drove 2,700 miles through England and Scotland but not before having to learn in the first 5 minutes, how to drive on the opposite side of the road, shift the manual transmission in the opposite direction with my left hand (I'm right-handed) and read a map. Things were going pretty well by the time I was 20 miles out until... I encountered my first roundabout!! You could hear my screams all the way around it while I was desperately trying to find my way out. But by the end of the trip, roundabouts and I had become friends and I have to admit, they are extremely efficient at keeping traffic moving; I am now a roundabout fan.

In general, my impression of public reaction during my visit to the Open House was that most people, while not wildly enthusiastic, were more accepting of recent modifications made to the design. Despite public concerns about cost and scope (which I appreciate), residents I talked to that day seemed to recognize that efforts had been made by provincial transportation planners to incorporate some of the public's feedback on design and to make subsequent changes.

Beyond original concerns about the finished product and its suitability to this area, people I spoke to have concerns about impacts during the construction phase, including road closures, re-routed traffic along East Saanich Road, emergency vehicle access to Lochside Drive and noise. I share these concerns as does the Mayor of North Saanich and other Council members. I observed that Heather Gartshore, North Saanich resident and one of our two community appointments to the McTavish Road Interchange Task Force (the other is Bob Williamson, Dean Park Resident and former North Saanich Councillor) was keeping close tabs on public input at the Open House. I know that Heather and Bob will follow up these concerns with the District as part of the Task Force process (established by Mayor and Council to give the community a voice in the project).

I want to stress, once again, that the District of North Saanich is not a contributing partner to this Interchange. YES, we supported in principle last year the Victoria Airport Authority's original request to make safety and access improvements at McTavish and the Pat Bay Highway but NO, we have no authority or responsibility for the project and no money invested.

Having said that, I can assure you that the District of North Saanich is concerned about how construction impacts will be managed until the project is completed. I understand that Mayor and Council will remain involved on your behalf through our McTavish Interchange Task Force. For questions, comments or more information, please contact your Interchange Task Force community representatives, Heather Gartshore at 250-656-0974 or Bob Williamson at 250-655-1270. And at anytime, please feel free to contact me directly (as well as other Council members) with your concerns. Thank you!

The McTavish Road Interchange Project

I have been asked by our North Saanich community appointees to the McTavish Road Interchange Committee (Heather Gartshore and Bob Williamson) to post this following letter regarding the project. You can also get further information from the Ministry of Transportation's website at http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayprojects/Hwy_17_McTavish_Interchange/index.htm

We wanted to let you know that we have been appointed by the District of North Saanich Council, as the two community representatives to to sit on the McTavish Road Interchange Task Force. Other members include representatives from North Saanich Staff and Council, Sidney Council, the Victoria Airport Authority, the RCMP, the Tseycum and Pauquachin First Nations and the Ministry of Transportation.

The purpose of the Task Force is to maintain consultation and dialogue with groups and individuals to identify and address community concerns during the detailed design and construction of the McTavish Road Interchange. We will represent community interests primarily in the geographic area bounded approximately by Amity Drive to the south, Dean Park to the west, Beacon Avenue to the north and Lochside Drive to the east, however we will accept comment from the community in general.

The BC Ministry of Transportation is proceeding with this project to improve safety, enhance transit and improve access to the Victoria International Airport. While we understand that you may have concerns about the design, timing and cost of this project, the Task Force is not in a position to consider those.

This is a Provincial project on Provincial land and as such, the Province can proceed. To qualify for supporting funds from the Federal Government, the project must be completed by March 2011.

After considering alternatives, the conceptual design comprising two roundabouts and a road bridge over the main highway has been complete and has now been accepted as the final design. The design contract has been awarded to a consulting engineering firm who will proceed with the detailed design. No fundamental changes can be made to the concept.

Citizens can provide input on bicycle paths, pedestrian paths, signage, landscaping, noise abatement and pollution control, but not on the design concept itself. On site construction activity is expected to commence as soon as October 2009.

As your community representatives, we would be pleased to communicate your concerns, suggestions and comments on topics where we can still exert some influence as the McTavish Road Interchange moves to the next phase.

The Task Force will be meeting at regularly scheduled intervals. You will find the project website at: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/highwayprojects/Hwy_17_McTavish_Interchange/index.htm

Please feel free to pass this information along to friends and neighbors who will also be impacted by the McTavish Road Interchange.

Heather Gartshore heathergartshore@shaw.ca 250-656-0974

Bob Williamson prismoid@islandnet.com 250-655-1270

Marine Task Force Report Well Anchored

After first receiving the Marine Task Force (MTF) report last year (commissioned by the District of North Saanich in 2007), the former Mayor and Council accepted the report and its sixteen recommendations but voted to defer any action on the recommendations until after the municipal election in November 2008. Nearly a year later, the current Council has breathed new life into the report and planned two meetings (October 13 and 29, 2009 at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers) to address MTF recommendations and action items and to involve the public in these debates. The following highlights the results of our first meeting on October 13th.

An audience of about 45 to 50 people attended the October 13th Committee of the Whole Meeting, representing the general public, waterfront property owners, former Marine Task Force members and representatives of environmental groups and interested organizations. Using a September 2008 staff report to guide Council deliberations, we debated roughly half of the sixteen recommendations and carried the rest over to the next meeting on October 29th. My view is that despite some potentially contentious issues, the meeting proceeded well and the audience was respectful and fully engaged.

The meeting was opened by the former Task Force Chair, Graham Williams who provided us with a brief overview and background on some of the report's key recommendations. Council then discussed briefly how we should proceed, finally deciding to deal with each of the recommendations separately and in order. At first, I was concerned about the process of tackling these recommendations and wanted to avoid getting bogged down in minute detail and putting our audience to sleep. Other Council members agreed so we kept focused on the general recommendations, opting to attack the detail at our next meeting.

Debate was thorough and members of the audience were keen to participate in discussion on following:

Better recognize marine heritage, economic contributions and boating interests (staff directed to prepare a report for Council on anticipated changes to the Official Community Plan (OCP), suggested policy changes, development of community values related to recreation and environmental impacts and inclusion in the OCP of shoreline maps provided in the recently completely Saanich Inlet and Peninsula Atlas of Shorelines 2009 Public Report;

Meet with local marina industry representatives to explore options for improved capacity related to recreational boating and development (includes options for dry land boat storage);

Agree to keep OCP boatshed regulations the same but also agree to discuss other boatshed options with marina industry that might reduce moorage costs but increase capacity;

Guidelines for private docks (M5 vs. M6 zones).

The most contentious of these four items is the issue of guidelines for private docks. Waterfront property owners who attended the meeting are fiercely protective of their property rights -- some PRPA members (a North Saanich waterfront property owners' group) even suggested that the District should change its policy on M6 zoning so that private docks are allowed in North Saanich. Such a change would represent a major departure from the North Saanich Official Community Plan.

In the end, Council acknowledged that this Mayor and Council must first decide whether to open up this debate at all, a discussion that may be brought to a later meeting. I am reminded by other North Saanich taxpayers that while waterfront property owners have strong feelings about their riparian rights, the North Saanich waterfront is also a significant environmental asset to all North Saanich residents who live and pay taxes here. Many residents have asked that we protect and preserve the waterfront wherever possible.

In conclusion, I believe that when citizens make time to attend our meetings, we need to ensure that information and processes are "user friendly," meaning that discussions are well understood and information is readily provided. Granted, some of our discussion seemed a bit dry and drawn out and I noticed members of the audience drifting out of the Chamber before the end of the meeting. Others noted that we tended to use acronyms they did not recognize and referenced documents not provided to the audience for their information. These concerns of "using too much jargon" and "not providing some reference materials to the public" were duly noted. I have in fact today requested copies of our OCP and the original MTF report be provided at our October 29th meeting for people to see and share.

The debate will continue on October 29, 2009 when Council re-convenes in the Council Chamber at 7:00 pm to continue its review of the MTF report and the rest of the recommendations. Please try to attend this important meeting and join the discussion on how best to establish a balance between marine economic development and environmental protection of our marine habitat.