Saanich poised to suspend eco-bylaw

‘Out of the blue’ move a bid to appease owners of 2,200 single-family properties

Saanich council is poised to temporarily suspend the district’s controversial eco-bylaw as it applies to 2,200 single-family properties — provided the move wins approval at a public hearing.

Council has also indicated that it might exclude eight Ten Mile Point properties and seven in the Blenkinsop area.

A year ago, council voted to leave the 2,200 homes in the Environmental Development Permit Area until a report by consultants is ready.

At the time, the contract for the report had not yet been awarded. Diamond Head Consulting has been commissioned to do the report, at a cost to Saanich of $50,000, and it is due by the end of June.

The suspension vote came “out of the blue,” said Coun. Vicki Sanders, who voted against the suspension.

“I think we should be waiting for the report.”

Coun. Colin Plant, who introduced the motion to suspend the EDPA, said Friday that he did so to offer “peace of mind” to homeowners in affected properties until recommendations to improve the bylaw are made.

Saanich plans to schedule a public hearing soon.

Plant said he is in favour of an EDPA, but not in its current form. He said he is not worried that people will take advantage of any temporary exemption to make changes to their properties that, under the terms of the EDPA, could require municipal staff approval.

He said he was concerned that after council’s decision last year, more groups of residents are coming to council for hearings.

“Part of the reason I’m willing to give them a temporary exemption is because it’s taken some people seven to 10 months to get there. I’m empathetic to that.”

Plant said he has “great hopes” that Diamond Head consultants will offer improvements by “talking to everyone,” not just Saanich staff, councillors and groups that have aligned on either side of the issue.

A temporary suspension of the EDPA would “signal the public that we need to fix this,” given the amount of consternation it has caused, he said.

If the suspension is approved, rezoning or subdivision of singlefamily properties would still need approval, said Saanich chief administrative officer Paul Thorkelsson.

Only five per cent of Saanich private properties are partially or wholly within the EDPA. Fifty-two per cent of the land affected is public, mostly parks.

Passed in March 2012, the EDPA is designed to protect threatened and endangered species and habitats, including Garry oak ecosystem.

The EDPA has required exemptions or permits to alter or subdivide covered properties. Many property owners dispute that there is any ecological significance on properties they have owned for decades and covered with patios, decks and gardens.

Sanders said that Saanich still has a process that homeowners in the EDPA can follow to get things done.

Exemptions or permits can be issued if homeowners hire a biologist and convince Saanich staff that their plans would not affect sensitive ecosystems.

A staff report for 2015 said that of 563 applications for building permits for single-family properties, 94 were reviewed by environmental staff because the homes were in the EDPA. Of those, 15 required a permit. Many more exemptions were given for sheds, studios or decks.

Plant said he can’t see homeowners “working against their own best interest, which is protecting the natural beauty of their property.”