The Township of Esquimalt committee of the whole passed a motion on Monday, Oct. 21 to scrap the boulevard alteration permit process to instead enforce township guidlines.
According to a staff report, the township heard that the permitting process is "onerous" for someone trying to improve their boulevard space.
"When we [started the permit process], we did it as a reaction, and sometimes when you do things as a reaction you tighten things up too much, and we've heard that from several residents that have wanted to add some beautifications to their boulevard," said Esquimalt Mayor Barbara Desjardins
Currently under the permit process, if residents want to make any changes to their boulevard, such as adding flower beds or gardens, they would have to survey 90 per cent of homes within the sphere of influence, and would need approval from 80 per cent of homes surveyed, a $500 deposit, to sign an indemnification and release form and to provide proof of property damage and public liability insurance in the minimum amount of $2 million.
The Township Guide to Boulevard Modifications, which was implemented in 2015 and updated in 2019 and 2020, described a boulevard as the travel corridor, which is the road, curb and gutters, and the remaining portion is from the back of the curb to the property line.
Coun. Duncan Cavans said people end up modifying their boulevards regardless of whether they have a permit or not, and "I always worry when we penalize the rule followers more than the rule breakers."
The motion was passed unanimously by the committee, and it will go through council readings at a later date before it is adopted.
