Re: “Saanich close to ‘happy ending’ on Haro Woods,” June 28.
I read the article and thought: How nice for Saanich and the residents of the Haro Woods area.
They were notified four years ago that there might be a sewage-treatment plant in their neighbourhood. They have had four years to marshal their troops, get petitions signed, have discussion groups, lead rallies, lobby their politicians and all the other benefits that come with time.
Since then, they were able to get the project reduced to underground storage tanks and got a sweet deal on a Capital Regional District land swap. After all this time they are now proceeding to a public hearing and rezoning without the threat from CRD that they will use provincial policy to force it through, if necessary.
Compare that to the public notice the CRD put out on March 20, 2013, that it purchased the Viewfield Road site for a biosolids treatment plant in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, started open houses on the so-called benefits of that site on May 22 and hoped to have the whole process wrapped up in July.
One need only look at the voting structure of the CRD board to see why the processes are so different. But then we’re not supposed to make it personal.
Doug Millen
Esquimalt
