The fate of a townhouse project near Swan Lake remains up in the air after Saanich council recessed its public hearing into the proposed development for a second time.
Council voted to defer its discussion and deliberation until the end of the month after Tuesday (Feb. 14) night’s hearing approached midnight without a decision on the proposal that’s been met with intense opposition from the area’s residents.
The first public hearing Jan. 24 was also recessed to allow more people an opportunity to weigh in.
Many of the neighbourhood’s residents criticized the project’s size and voiced concern over potential traffic congestion, as well as environmental threats posed to the nearby Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.
The project proposed by Abstract Developments envisions a three-storey, 25-unit townhouse complex at the northwest corner of Rainbow Street and Sevenoaks Road aimed at providing more missing middle housing supply.
Many of those opposed to the project have argued it should be reduced from 25 units to 12 or 13 — the developer has said the project would not be financially feasible at that size.
Those who spoke in favour of the project stressed the necessity of increasing density as the region faces a housing crisis, and more young families struggle to enter the market.
A District of Saanich staff report from November 2022 supports the 25-unit development proposal with several conditions, which require that garages include electric charging infrastructure, that units be built to be solar ready for future installation of photovoltaic or hot-water heating systems and that the developer provides $75,000 in community-amenity contributions for sidewalk and crosswalk construction.
The hearing is set to continue Feb. 28.
READ MORE: ‘Unviable’: Saanich developer won’t slash project’s density in half like residents want
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