Colwood residents are voicing concern over an application to increase housing density in the up-and-coming Royal Beach development.
During the public participation portion of ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 council meeting on March 9, residents took up almost the entire 20 minutes allotted to them to speak about Seacliff PropertiesB次元官网网址� application to amend ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 Official Community Plan to allow for 2,850 units on the Royal Beach property.
At a previous council meeting in February, a motion to receive the recommendation to amend the CityB次元官网网址檚 land use bylaw and Official Community Plan was carried by council. It would allow up to 2,850 residential dwelling units on the entire site. It would also limit the amount of non-residential floor space to 80,674 square metres with a minimum number to be decided by council based on options provided by staff before the first reading of the bylaw.
Colwood resident and member of the Royal Bay Homeowners Association, John English, said he was worried about the application to build more dwellings on the Colwood seashore. He noted that the Royal Bay and Royal Beach area are intended to be a regional destination for shopping, dining and recreation, making it another commercial area in addition to Colwood Corners.
READ ALSO: Plans for ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 Royal Beach property moving forward
B次元官网网址淭he changes that Seacliffe has requested B次元官网网址� will fill up the lands between Metchosin (Road) and the seashore with residential development,B次元官网网址� English said. B次元官网网址淭he Colwood Royal Bay seashore lands will then only be a destination for the people that live there.B次元官网网址�
Other residents voiced similar concerns, stating the need to support ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 Official Community Plan and add commercial space to the city.
B次元官网网址淎s we all know the City of Colwood is dearly short in commercial tax revenue,B次元官网网址� English said.
Residents said they were disappointed to see the number of dwellings in the area will be increased. They said they werenB次元官网网址檛 against development, but would like to see a vision to move forward.
B次元官网网址淏uilding a bunch of homes doesnB次元官网网址檛 build community,B次元官网网址� one resident said. B次元官网网址淲e need to have different services and opportunities to meet.B次元官网网址�
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At the Feb. 24 council meeting, Coun. Cynthia Day B次元官网网址� the only councillor to oppose the recommendation B次元官网网址� also noted the importance of commercial development, saying Colwood canB次元官网网址檛 be a B次元官网网址渓iving room communityB次元官网网址� without it.
Coun. Stewart Parkinson said commercial space in Royal Beach depends on economics as well.
B次元官网网址淚f itB次元官网网址檚 not economic, itB次元官网网址檚 not going to happen,B次元官网网址� he said.
Royal Beach takes up 1.4 kilometres of shoreline and is nestled into the larger Royal Bay community, which is separately owned by Gablecraft Homes. Seacliff Properties purchased Royal Beach in 2017, the property is a total 134 acres in size.
The City of Colwood said that together, the Royal Beach Landings area and the Royal Bay Commons area will be one of two primary centres in Colwood and a B次元官网网址渕ajor focus of future residential and commercial growth.B次元官网网址�
The Seaside Village area will include residential, commercial and institutional uses in multi-unit low-rise buildings, stacked townhouses and mid-rise buildings up to 12 storeys, Colwood said.
B次元官网网址淐olwoodB次元官网网址檚 Committee of the Whole has advanced the application to council,B次元官网网址� said Sandra Russell, communications manager for the City of Colwood. B次元官网网址淎dditional staff reports will be considered by council prior to a public hearing.B次元官网网址�
The City is also coordinating transportation planning between multiple developments to address traffic considerations as the community grows.
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