The next 25 years: Victoria wants to get a grip on land needs

Mayor says city is trying to be proactive on requirements from housing to libraries

Victoria wants to get a handle on its property needs for the next 25 years.

The city’s Strategic Real Estate Office has issued a request for proposals for a consultant to develop a land acquisition, management and disposal strategy.

“This is about managing our assets to ensure they are providing a return to the city and that they are being utilized to their full potential,” said Peter Rantucci, manager of strategic real estate.

The goal, he said, is to consolidate the city’s strategic plans, business plans, neighbourhood plans and related property needs to establish the city’s property requirements for the next 25 years. It would also offer a look at how the city can maximize returns from its assets.

The request for proposals calls for the plan, budgeted at up to $170,000, to be developed over four to five months.

Mayor Lisa Helps said the strategy is an attempt to be proactive.

“We want to figure out what the city’s needs are, whether it’s parks or affordable housing, or a new library or whatever it might be,” Helps said.

“Also, what properties do we currently have that we might not need?”

Helps notes that one of the goals of the city’s Affordable Housing Strategy was to work with the city’s real estate function to determine if affordable housing objectives were being met when considering the acquisition, disposition or redevelopment of city lands.

The request for proposals closes next Wednesday.