CRD resists Vantreight plan

There is no way an 89-unit mix of houses, duplexes and townhouses on a rocky knoll in Central Saanich could be considered rural, says a Capital Regional District committee.

In what has become a hot-button issue in that municipality, Central Saanich council is considering a proposal by the Ian Vantreight family to allow the subdivision on a rocky 13-hectare parcel at 8410 Wallace Dr.

The Vantreights, a four-generation farming family, want to develop the parcel -- which they say is unsuitable for farming -- to offset the high costs incurred buying out one family member so they can continue to operate the farm

"The viability of our farm is only as good as we can make it with what we have, and this 32 acres of rock, that is outside the ALR, is a piece of property we can utilize to help continue that farming with the current acreage we have right now," said Ryan Vantreight, general manager of Vantreight Farms.

"Without that acreage and without that 32 acres of unfarmable land, we would not be able to continue farming the way we do right now."

But the CRD's planning committee decided yesterday that Central Saanich will have to get CRD board approval for a change to the Regional Growth Strategy should the development go ahead. Most committee members said the development is not in keeping with the strategy.

Central Saanich Coun. Ron Kubek, a real-estate agent, told the committee the development should be left to Central Saanich council to decide.

"You were not elected by the residents of Central Saanich -- I was," he said.

"If we truly want to protect farmland, we have to come up with innovative solutions like this where we allow a small portion of the land to be developed with the true farmland to be created as one large 'superfarm' of 177 acres, which is what I'm in favour of."

But several committee members disagreed.

"If this was to be left simply at the municipal level it establishes a precedent that you could drive several trucks and the Queen Mary through," said Saanich Coun. Vic Derman, a committee member.

More than two dozen people -- the vast majority opposed to the development -- packed the CRD boardroom yesterday.

"I see no benefit for the residents of Central Saanich from this proposed 'urban' subdivision," said Vicky Husband, a director of the Regional Planning Society.

Central Saanich council says the development is consistent with the municipality's Official Community Plan and could be considered rural, fitting with the Regional Growth Strategy because:

- It won't be serviced with urban water or sewer, but will have its own services.

- The plan is to consolidate the 13-hectare development site with the surrounding 72 hectares of agricultural lands, lessening the density so it can be considered rural.

- The development is not near an existing urban area, so no extension of the urban containment boundary is being sought.

But CRD planning staff disagree. They note the proposed access road through the ALR is inconsistent with the OCP. They also point out the municipality's regional context statement says the municipality is committed to retaining agricultural land in as large parcels as possible.

"The development represents an urban development in an agricultural setting that was not previously contemplated in this location by the municipality and represents a departure from previous plans and policies," the CRD staff report says.

bcleverley@tc.canwest.com

This story has been updated with corrected information.