A townhouse development proposed for the Swan Lake neighbourhood will be back in the spotlight this week as Saanich reconvenes a public hearing to consider rezoning three residential lots for multi-family use.
The project, proposed by Abstract Developments, envisions 25 townhouse units at the northwest corner of Rainbow Street and Sevenoaks Road.
The complex would replace three single-family homes.
Neighbouring residents say the proposed development is too large and would add to traffic and parking problems in the area, home to the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary.
The first public hearing Jan. 24 ran late into the night and several speakers were not heard. The hearing will continue at a special council meeting Tuesday starting at 7 p.m.
In a letter to council and media outlets, Anthony Britneff, the past president of the Rainbow Park Ratepayers’ Association, said Saanich should reject the proposal or consider a development with a significant reduction in density to either six townhouses, three duplexes or six single-family homes.
Community spokesman Matthew Yerrell said in an interview that a survey of 103 area residents showed 95 per cent believe 12 to 15 units would be acceptable.
“That would add about four to five times the density of the existing homes, it would meet the housing needs for Saanich council and Abstract could still build a viable development,” he said. “We’ve asked for lower density, not no density at all.”
Yerrell said area residents feel Saanich has paid little attention to their concerns so far, arguing staff have looked for ways to accommodate the development through variances and ignoring guidelines.
“We are concerned that there’s a set of rules for developers and there’s a [different] set of rules for homeowners.”
A report prepared by Saanich staff supports the development proposal on a number of conditions, including that the units be built to be solar-ready for photovoltaic or hot-water heating systems and include electric-vehicle charging infrastructure in each garage, and that the developer provide $75,000 in community-amenity contributions to build sidewalks and crosswalks.
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