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| May 31, 2007 Colwood councillor's resolution would remove height restrictions Colwood Coun. Gordie Logan hopes removing height restrictions in the city's core will break a council log-jam blocking some highrise development proposals. Logan will bring forward a resolution in two weeks that would see the current six-storey limit removed from the existing Official Community Plan. That would reduce the need to keep going through the OCP amendment process, Logan said. |
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UPCOMING CONFERENCE
Having a Neighbourhood Vision:
A starting point for Sustainability and Affordability Friday May 25th & Saturday May 26th, 2007 The 'Having a Neighbourhood Vision Conference' A starting point for Sustainability and Affordbility is hosted by the Housing Affordability Partnership, in collaboration with the Victoria Real Estate Board, Vancity Savings, and the British Columbia Real Estate Association. This conference will bring together representatives from all sectors of the housing industry, including Neighbourhood Associations, Developers and Planners, to discuss innovative solutions and raise awareness of the complex issues related to Housing Affordability in the Captial Region. The Having a Neighbourhood Vision Conference will take place on May 25 & 26, 2007 and will consist a public presentation by Jim Diers on the evening of Friday May 25th along with with workshops and interactive discussions throughout the day on Saturday May 26th. The Jim Diers presentation on Friday evening will be on "Sustainability & Affordability – the Challenge for Cities and Neighbourhoods" and will be open to both conference participants and to the general public at no cost. Seating is limited, so if you are not a conference participant, please use the Conference Registration form to reserve a seat for the Jim Diers presentation. The Jim Diers presentation will be held in the Esquimalt Community Theatre, 847 Colville Road.
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| May 18, 2007
Housing co-op eyes five-unit building
A fledgling rental co-operative is close to a deal that could block a five-unit rental building from being turned into less affordable strata apartments. Sol Kinnis, director of Roofs and Roots Housing Co-operative, said the group's pending purchase of a five-rental unit building on Bank Street in Victoria demonstrates the difficulty organizations have in making a dent in the affordable-housing crisis in a rising market. |
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| May 17, 2007 CRD approves grants The Capital Regional District has approved a $300,000 grant from the regional housing trust fund to the Victoria Native Friendship Centre for a six-unit Youth At Risk shelter to be located at 1250 Balmoral Rd. Directors also approved a $120,000 grant to the Sooke Elderly Citizens society to help in the development and operation of 10 assisted-living units in Sooke. |
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| May 2007 No Place to Call Home A Special Series on Homelessness in Victoria The Times Colonist published a 6 part article on Victoria's homelssness problem written by Louise Dickson and Judith Lavoie.
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| May 14, 2007
Healthy neighbourhoods topic of conference
A conference May 25-26, geared to planners and community organizations, will focus on neighbourhood sustainability and affordability issues. Featured speakers include Jim Diers, the first director of Seattle's department of neighborhoods and an instructor at the University of Washington where he teaches courses in community organizing and development. He will speak at the opening Friday evening. Edmonton councillor Janice Melnychuk will speak Saturday about the successes her city has had in reviving neighbourhoods. Melnychuk is responsible for the Edmonton Community Drug Strategy and Neighbourhood Revitalization. The event will be held at the Esquimalt Community Theatre at 847 Colville Rd. For more details on the event called Having a Neighbourhood Vision, visit the website housingaffordability.ca or call 383-6166. The event is organized by the capital region's Housing Affordability Partnership. |
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| May 9, 2007 Island construction boom at 30-year high Home builders on Vancouver Island haven't been this busy since Elvis Presley went to rock 'n' roll heaven and the first Star Wars movie played in theatres. Thirty years have passed since the number of apartment-style homes under construction on Vancouver Island matched today's levels. "This generation of builders is experiencing their busiest year ever," said Peggy Prill, market analyst for the Victoria office of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.Link to Times Colonist article for more information.... |
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| May 8, 2007
Residential partner named for Saanich project
Developers envision up to 500 housing units at Town & Country site
Redevelopment of the Town & Country mall has taken another step forward, with the developer confirming yesterday that a residential partner for the project has been signed. Westbank Projects Corp., a Vancouver-based company with developments throughout Canada and the U.S., will be responsible for the residential side of the redevelopment. The outdated strip mall is to be replaced with 600,000 square feet of open-air retail replicating a downtown. Another 300,000 square feet on the 7.3-hectare Douglas Street site is to become residential. |
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| May 4, 2007 Victoria residents sweet on suites A test last night of which way the wind is blowing on allowing more secondary suites in Victoria showed light breezes ahead for council. About 40 people attended a meeting geared to getting feedback from residents on a proposal to expand secondary suites through most of the city. Although the city has talked about expanding secondary suites since 2004, it has proceeded with extreme caution on a related bylaw out of fear of a community backlash. But rather than a blast, council got a reasonably warm reception from many of the people in attendance last night. |
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UP COMING EVENT
City of Victoria Public Meeting Secondary Suites Review Council Chamber, City Hall, Victoria City Council invites you to attend a meeting on proposed changes to the city’s single family detached housing zoning regulations in the R1-B, R1-A and R-2 zones regarding secondary suites. The proposed changes:
The existing zoning restricts most exterior changes to a single family dwelling for five years before and after the introduction of a secondary suite. No changes in this restriction or in existing business licence or bylaw enforcement practices are proposed. City Council would like to hear your comments on the proposed changes. All those who have an interest will be given an opportunity to be heard. Information on the Secondary Suites Review, including a map of the affected zones, is posted on the City’s webpage at www.victoria.ca/cityhall/departments_plnsph_hsngln_scndry.shtml. A copy of the staff report is available for review at the Public Service Centre at City Hall, |
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| May 3, 2007
Colwood Corners plan applauded by majority
More than 250 citizens turned out last night, the majority wanting to tell Colwood council they support local developer Les Bjola in his dream to transform Colwood Corners into a towering city core for the West Shore. Bjola wants to replace the existing strip mall and pub on the 5.6-hectare site at Goldstream Avenue and Sooke Road with condos, office towers and a hotel, to be built over the next 15 to 20 years. Eleven buildings would eventually occupy the property, some reaching as high as 29 storeys. The site would be home to an estimated 2,800 people. |
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| May 2, 2007 Contentious Colwood proposal to be debated Hundreds are expected to jam the Colwood Pentecostal Church hall tonight to express their views on a proposed $1-billion redevelopment of Colwood Corners. Les Bjola wants to transform the 5.6-hectare Colwood Corners property -- now home to a pub and the under-performing Colwood Plaza strip mall -- into a Colwood city core with condos, office towers and a hotel -- 11 buildings in total, up to a height of 29 storeys. Chris Pease, Colwood's chief administrator, said tonight's meeting will put the proposal "into the public forum, basically, so that people get an opportunity and council gets an opportunity to see exactly what the developer is proposing; what the amenities are he is offering, and to see what the public reaction is. |
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