Five years after the project started life with a land purchase, a controversial housing complex in the heart of Gordon Head will get a chance to spread its wings.
Following a two-day public hearing spread out over two weeks, Saanich council voted 7-2 Tuesday night in favour of moving forward with a 93-unit complex proposed by Abstract Developments for the corner of Gordon Head and Feltham roads.
In coming to its decision, council weighed the need for new and varied housing types in what has traditionally been a single-family home neighbourhood with concerns over the size of the project and the impact on traffic.
Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff suggested there may have been some development fatigue growing in the area, which has seen a number of new projects approved in recent years.
“I wanted to let folks know that I feel you. I live down the street. We’re getting a tonne of new projects in the neighbourhood, and that can be very frustrating,” he said. “But it’s also a sign that we are currently tackling the housing crisis. When you’re tackling the housing crisis, that means you’re building housing, and that can be somewhat disruptive.”
Coun. Karen Harper Harper said the site is the right place for this type of diverse development. “No project can hit every mark, but this hits all but one, which is the affordability one.” If the district were to stick to just allowing single-family homes in the area all of the new units would have been priced out of reach of most people, she said.
“When I look at projects such as this, I think into the future, and I look at 50 to 100 years out, and quite frankly, this is an easy decision in that context,” Harper said. “In fact, this type of project I would say is a very modest proposal, even within the next five years.”
Coun. Colin Plant said the time of single-family homes being a dominant form of housing is over.
“The economics of housing are not going to support single-family homes for the majority of our residents, future residents especially,” he said.
Council’s support mirrored a lot of the community feedback heard over the last two weeks. Many Saanich residents said the district needs more housing options beyond single-family homes, which are often unaffordable.
The project envisions a 70-unit, four-storey apartment building and 23 townhomes spread across six three-storey buildings.
The developers are also to provide $289,920 in community amenity contributions split between the affordable-housing fund and pedestrian and cycling improvements.
Abstract Developments has said the project’s design is intended to transition into the existing neighbourhood, while transportation alternatives such as on-site car share, parking facilities and active-transportation upgrades could address some of the traffic and parking concerns.
Two councillors, Nathalie Chambers and Judy Brownoff, voted against the project.
Chambers, citing affordability, said she wanted to see some below-market-price housing in Gordon Head.
Brownoff did as well, though she also had concerns about the lack of outdoor space for those living in the complex and the design not fitting in well with the existing neighbourhood.
“We need to have affordable units everywhere in Saanich, even in Gordon Head,” Brownoff said. “I would have been happier if this applicant would have thought about some affordable units in this building.”
There had been plenty of concern and opposition to the project, expressed at the first half of the public hearing held Sept. 24.
Many suggested the large project, to be built on 1.7 acres, doesn’t fit in with a neighbourhood of mainly single-family homes and will create a traffic nightmare.
During his presentation to council Tuesday night, Abstract Development’s director of community planning Adam Cooper said he understands community reluctance to see change in coming to neighbourhoods that are used to single-family homes.
But he said this kind of project can bring vibrancy, and he believes the project respects the unique qualities of the neighbourhood.
“We’re confident it will be an asset to the neighbourhood and align with values that made the area special in the first place,” he said.
