A public hearing into a proposed 192-unit development in Central Saanich was adjourned Monday after the developer changed the proposal, scaling back the height of one building.
The project would have seen five single-family homes replaced with a six-storey building with 62 rental homes for seniors, and a four-storey building with 130 rental units, 13 of which would be rented at below-market rates.
The revised proposal would see two four-storey buildings, with 57 homes for seniors, veterans and First Nations elders to be rented at $900 per month, 117 market rentals and 13 units to be rented at $1,200 per month for health-care workers.
Council had previously declined to send the project to a public hearing, but councillors reconsidered and voted in favour of holding two public hearings on the proposal.
Ahead of Monday evening’s council meeting, a public hearing was scheduled to hear from residents on amendments to the district’s Official Community Plan to shift the properties from neighbourhood residential to multi-unit residential for the project.
The developer, Aryze Developments, notified the district last week it was reducing the height of the seniors’ building to four storeys. As a result, the public hearing was adjourned Monday with no opportunity for public feedback.
Mayor Ryan Windsor addressed those present at the hearing to say he understands if people are frustrated.
“You’ve all taken time out of your schedules to be here, and that is frustrating, so I want to acknowledge that, but it is likely for the best that we’ve taken a step back. We’ll receive new information and be able to re-engage with the public,” he said.
Luke Mari, principal of developments at Aryze Developments, said they made the changes after knocking on 60 doors in the district over the last two weeks and the update is not an attempt to prolong the process.
“We heard a tremendous amount of support for the project with the main concern being height,” Mari said by email.
Aryze had already reduced the height of the proposed buildings three times and made changes to add more parking, more off-site amenities and improve accessibility and affordability, he said.
