Sandown Petition

North Saanich is a unique, small rural community on the northern tip of the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island, which is under threat by a large shopping centre proposal on agricultural land.

Twelve acres of the former Sandown race track would be converted into a large traffic dependent shopping centre with mid box retail. The bylaw would allow a floor size of 209,088 sq. ft. and above, more than double the size of Gateway. The bylaw does not limit the number of box stores, it does not have any building design restrictions and does not prohibit under-ground, multi-level or roof-top parking.

Citizens are concerned about the lack of consultation, about diverting more shoppers from Sidney (approximately 25% of its consumer base), about box store pricing competition for farmers and smaller established retailers, about the relatively thin population base on the Peninsula to support this shopping complex, about the long term infrastructure costs, and about the increase in traffic on our rural roads and highway.

Citizens believe that residents must be given a voice in the future direction of their community by way of a referendum.

Please, help us to stop this shopping centre proposal on this agricultural land by signing this petition asking North Saanich Council to rescind any approval, including bylaw(s) that would permit mid box retail and other commercial development on the Sandown land that would harm our farming community and independent businesses on the Saanich Peninsula. 

*  Please share this link with your contacts so this petition will reach as many people as possible  * 

Thank you. 

 

Update - November 28, 2016: 

More than 1,330 people have signed the paper version and the online peitition to date.  The goal is to have 10% of the North Saanich voters sign this petition in order to meet the threshold for an alaternate approval process by way of a referendum.  Allowing traffic dependant box stores into a small rural residential / agricultural community will mean significant changes for North Saanich.  Residents must be given a voice in those changes to their community.  Please recommend ths link to all your friends and your North Saanich contacts and ask them to support this petition.  

Update - November 10, 2016:

  • This petition has collected a combined total of more than 1,220 signatures to date on the paper and online version.
  • At the October 17, 2016 North Saanich Council meeting staff did not discount that the Sandown Bylaw will allow multiple levels and up to 627,264 sq. ft.  Site coverage does not include parking, entrances, turn-around space or landscaping. 
  • The Sandown bylaw will allow a single building, i.e., a Farm Market (grocery store) up to 180,000 sq. ft. on the agricultural land. 
  • North Saanich does not require the proponent to submit a full build out site plan for the 12 acre commercial site.  Instead applications can be made store by store - a complete lack of community planning.  Staff are currently reviewing an application for a Canadian Tire store on a portion of this land. 
  • Staff have indicated that a report to Council will be forthcoming in January 2017.  

MAKE YOUR VOICE COUNT:

Sign this petition and leave a comment!

Write to:

North Saanich Council:  admin@northsaanich.ca and allmayorandcouncil@northsaanich.ca

A letter to the Editor:  editor@peninsulanewsreview.com  


Concerned Citizens of the Saanich Peninsula    Contact the author of the petition