Sidney is asking the developer of the Sidney Crossing commercial site to try to save some trees.

Faced with only raising potential concerns with the proposed development, town councillors stated in a unanimous vote that the municipality B次元官网网址� only aesthetic ones B次元官网网址� as outlined in a staff report presented to them Tuesday night.

One of the main issues the community has, according to councillors, is whether the construction of the Sidney Crossing will take out some trees at the north-east corner of the property, where it meets the intersection of Beacon Avenue and the Pat Bay Highway.

Mayor Steve Price noted that in its voting Tuesday night, council has now expressed B次元官网网址渢he communityB次元官网网址檚 concerns about the trees.B次元官网网址�

Councillors reported hears a lot about those trees and peopleB次元官网网址檚 wish to save them. Yet, their vote is only an ask of the developer and does not guarantee their preservation.

B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of strong sentiment expressed for three trees on the property,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Barbara Fallot, adding itB次元官网网址檚 an ask from the community to try to save the evergreens.

Coun. Tim Chad, one of councilB次元官网网址檚 longest-serving members, noted those trees are probably on Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI) land B次元官网网址� plus, only grew up when the highway itself was built in the 1960s.

B次元官网网址淭hat lump of ground is detritus pushed there when the highway was created,B次元官网网址� Chad said. B次元官网网址渁nd back then, those trees were not there.B次元官网网址�

Coun. Mervyn Lougher-Goodey added the trees shouldnB次元官网网址檛 really be there and would have to be taken down eventually anyway, as they grow into the glide path of the nearby airport.

Coun. Peter Wainwright added those trees would probably interfere with the developerB次元官网网址檚 proposed signage for the property.

There was also a little humour over the fact that once construction starts, itB次元官网网址檒l eliminate B次元官网网址減olitical sign hillB次元官网网址� as the site is often used to post election signs.

Council did vote to ask the developer B次元官网网址� Omicron Developments Ltd. B次元官网网址� and the MOTI to consider saving the trees.

The councilB次元官网网址檚 vote on the issue did not rest solely on the fate of some trees. The Town also sought assurances that Omicron will stick to their promise to build a pedestrian overpass. The original overpass was shown at the Beacon/Pat Bay Highway intersection, but has since been relocated to north of that crossing, in the area of James White Boulevard.

That site, Town staff confirmed, is on MOTI property and is part of a memorandum of understanding between the municipality, MOTI, Omicron and the Victoria Airport Authority (VAA).

VAA Vice-President of Development and Marketing James Bogusz told council Tuesday night they will seek security from Omicron not only for site improvements but for the overpass as well. The overpass, he added, will be similar in design to the last one shown to the Town earlier this year. Bogusz said there may be some changes due to its new location, but assured council that the municipality would see those changes before plans were sent to the province for approval.

is OmicronB次元官网网址檚 proposal for the land, which is controlled by the VAA. ItB次元官网网址檚 a nearly 100,000 square foot commercial project that will have 10 new buildings with a variety of tenants B次元官网网址� from a grocery store and drug store, to restaurants and professional offices.

Bogusz added Wednesday that the VAA will discuss SidneyB次元官网网址檚 suggestions with the developer. He said, following that consultation, the next step will be to issue a development permit for the estimated $35 million project.

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