Gordon Head neighbours losing patience in standoff between farmland owners and Saanich

Ted Lea is on the losing end of a dispute heB次元官网网址檚 not even a part of.

A family of cow farmers and Saanich council remain locked in a stalemate, but itB次元官网网址檚 Lea and his fellow Gordon Head neighbours who say they are the ones suffering.

B次元官网网址淭he smellB次元官网网址檚 not too bad now, but thereB次元官网网址檚 the odd waft. The cows are relatively quiet, but theyB次元官网网址檙e going to get noisier, and louder, and smellier,B次元官网网址� Lea said of the 23 Angus cows now living on land in the middle of their residential neighbourhood at the base of Mount Douglas. B次元官网网址淎nd a lot of people are worried about their property values. A lot of the neighbours feel theyB次元官网网址檙e being held hostage and bullied.B次元官网网址�

The Albergs, who own 1516 Mount Douglas Cross Rd., installed a cattle feedlot in late February after multiple attempts failed to subdivide and build homes on their agriculturally protected property. Council twice denied approval on the basis that they didnB次元官网网址檛 want to lose farmland.

Right now itB次元官网网址檚 a win-lose situation for the Albergs, whoB次元官网网址檝e dug in their heels and say Saanich needs to make the next move if they want the cow farm gone. The lot is now being used to turn a small profit for the family, but the cow farm comes at the expense of their neighboursB次元官网网址� support and quality of life.

B次元官网网址淭his is taking way too much time for everybody, and just getting people upset and people worried about their homes and children,B次元官网网址� Lea said.

A letter-writing campaign is underway, with much of the unified neighbourhood urging the Albergs to submit another rezoning application.

B次元官网网址淲e agree that you may have been treated in an unfair manner by Saanich ... but your response is just as unfair to your neighbours, including the many that initially supported you,B次元官网网址� Lea and his wife, Lora, wrote.

B次元官网网址淭his is not about winning a battle between you and Saanich; it is about doing what is right for the neighbourhood and leaving a family legacy that you can be proud of and one that your parents would be proud of.B次元官网网址�

Don Alberg, who inherited the property along with his siblings Gordon Alberg and Florence Davis, says he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to take a B次元官网网址渓eap of faithB次元官网网址� and put his trust in a council that wasted their money in the past.

The fear, he says, is the Agricultural Land Commission could remove all farmland protection and Saanich could potentially deny rezoning again, leaving the property that canB次元官网网址檛 be farmed or developed for housing.

The Albergs are demanding that Saanich guarantee subdivision rezoning before sending a request to the ALC to remove the land from the Agricultural Land Reserve.

No can do, responds Saanich Mayor Frank Leonard.

B次元官网网址淲hat theyB次元官网网址檙e asking for is not legal, nor is it likely. It would be unlawful for council to zone the property for a use thatB次元官网网址檚 not permitted (like allowing more houses) while itB次元官网网址檚 in the Agricultural Land Reserve,B次元官网网址� Leonard said. B次元官网网址�(Council) cannot eliminate risk for a developer. In exchange for risk they have a reward. To seek the reward of increased density on that property without risk is unreasonable.B次元官网网址�

Brian Underhill, executive director of the ALC, says heB次元官网网址檚 aware of the situation brewing in Saanich. Speaking in generalities, however, he agrees with Leonard that zoning cannot be changed until his organization makes a decision.

B次元官网网址淭his type of situation is not that common, but it is not, at the same time, uncommon throughout British Columbia,B次元官网网址� he said of the neighboursB次元官网网址� frustrations as a result of suburbia encroaching on farmland. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why the commission prefers working closely with municipalities on land-use planning.B次元官网网址�

Don Alberg says the other big deterrent keeping him from filing another rezoning application are the costs involved.

B次元官网网址淔or us to spend several thousand dollars on doing something else and go through the whole process again doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem reasonable to us,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪aanich is sticking with their guns that they canB次元官网网址檛 rezone it without it being out of the ALR, and weB次元官网网址檙e saying they can. B次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 neighbours saying we should submit a plan, get on with it, stop holding them up for ransom. WeB次元官网网址檙e so gun shy about doing that. I think council has to show good faith.B次元官网网址�

For Lea and his fellow neighbours, theyB次元官网网址檙e strongly urging the Albergs to get on with another development application B次元官网网址� regardless of the risk.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 sort of our last step. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing else we can do after this if (the Albergs) will not change their direction right now,B次元官网网址� Lea said. B次元官网网址淭he mayor warned something like this could happen, but I think a lot of people were hoping (the Albergs) were bluffing. They clearly werenB次元官网网址檛, and now look at this mess.B次元官网网址�

kslavin@saanichnews.com