A public meeting sparked outrage among Cordova Bay residents after Aragon Properties unveiled an ambitious housing project plan at a former gravel pit.
What began as a proposal for a 300-unit project a decade ago ballooned into a plan for over 1,100 units – although the exact size and scope of the project have yet to be finalized.
Residents who attended the Nov. 29 meeting mentioned having felt “blindsided” and excluded from the process.
“I was shocked like everyone else,” said Dan Horth, a longtime Cordova Bay resident. “They've [had] everything planned and yet hardly anyone knew about this.
Appalled by the developer’s approach and absence of community input, the 61-year-old launched a petition in late January opposing the project. As of Feb. 27, it had 1,039 signatures.
Horth told Saanich News that Aragon’s proposed plan would feature a mix of highrises and multi-storey townhouses concentrated on a 26-acre site along the 700 block of Cordova Bay Road.
“Aragon came at this meeting and they basically told us what they were going to do,” he said. “It also was not communicated at all that they were going to increase this density.”
This sharp rise in density, which he estimates could bring over 2,000 new residents to the neighbourhood, would significantly impact traffic on a road already grappling with “brutal” rush-hour jams, argued Horth.
He also shared concerns about the strains the plan would potentially exert on existing public services, infrastructure, the environment, and the community as a whole, among other things.
Horth, like many Cordova Bay residents, said he isn’t against growth. However, he believes growth should be conscientious and shaped by community input, particularly for a project this large.
“It's not like we don't want any development, but it is clearly outrageous on so many levels,” said Horth. “If [Aragon] had consulted with us, maybe our attitudes would be a little bit different, but they have chosen not to go that route.
“I think the whole issue [with] this development is that no one knows what's going on. It's kind of a catch-22. A lot of that information doesn't exist and they're not being forthcoming with it.”
Noting “that the plans did not meet a lot of people's expectations,” Saanich Coun. Colin Plant clarified that Aragon hasn’t submitted an application yet. As a result, he added, the council won’t discuss the project until a plan is presented.
“My advice to the residents [is] to stay informed and to see where the application is at by following along on our development tracker where, as projects get submitted with Saanich, they become something you can follow online to see where they are at in their process,” said Plant.
Despite being “very early” to vote yay or nay on the project, Plant hinted that council may not prioritize the project once Aragon comes forth with an application.
“My understanding is this is a market development, which means it will not be prioritized for Saanich's planning staff, whereas affordable housing projects and rental projects do get fast-tracked because we are in desperate need of that,” he said.
After hearing the concerns of Cordova Bay residents, Plant said that Aragon’s plan will have to respect the municipality’s planning framework, align with the district's official community plan, and include public input.
“We all want to keep Saanich special, but we need to recognize that change is going to happen,” said Plant. “But we're trying to manage the change as opposed to just letting it happen without a plan.
“This is in no way complete; it's just the beginning of the journey.”
Saanich News reached out to Aragon for comments but did not hear back before deadline.
