Thursday, August 22, 2019 ~ LANGFORD
by Mary P Brooke ~ West Shore Voice News
At their Special Meeting of Council on Monday, August 19, Langford Mayor and Council heard further public input about the recently-acquired steep oceanfront city property at 3680 Trans Canada Highway at the north end of the municipality.
As followup to both a public information meeting held by the City on August 13 to hear and address the concerns of neighbours in the area — and before that, hearing public input at Council on July 15 — Mayor Stew Young and Council agreed around the council table on August 19 to drop ‘hotel’ and ‘campsite’ as uses allowed under a Temporary Use Permit (TUP19-0007) geared at recreational usage. That was during discussion of a report on that night’s agenda, which will likely result in a motion at the next regular meeting of Council in September.
The TUP is set to allow for three years of recreational use which the city intends to include gatherings and small meetings at the ‘log cabin’ on the property (a building offering about 2,500 sq.ft. floorspace), on-site accommodation for someone to maintain security around the property (presently that is a representative of Rowing BC who will be involved in providing training there), and on-water training for school groups, athletes and the public in small groups.
Due to the steep terrain of the property, there will be use of a parking area part-way down the hill (about 20 vehicles can be accommodated), from where transport to the bottom of the hill and the oceanfront on Finlayson Arm will be accomplished by electric golf-carts.
The property used to be a private residential spot (the land is still zoned RR4). The neighbours in that area who bought their properties with the hope of seclusion, privacy and solitude are now concerned about noise and the increased risk of fire in their forested area with challenging roads on a steep grade.
“There will be change and it’s going to be noisier,” was the key messaging from staff during the August 13 City of Langford information meeting. About 15 residents of the immediate area are concerned about the changes, including trespassing that may occur if people lose their way on the sloped property. At the August 19 meeting, Mayor Stew Young said the city will cooperate with the neighbours.
“There will be kids there in summer, in housing units,” the Mayor said, clearly hoping for school groups from the west shore’s School District 62 as well to be bussed there for on-water activities like kayaking and rowing. “We’re trying to work with different ideas, it’s a work in progress,” Mayor Young said at Council. “There will be no camping like there is at Goldstream Provincial Park,” he made clear. The Mayor agreed with one of the neighbours that some fencing might be a good idea.
A commercial enterprise right next door to the new city-owned property is Goldstream Boathouse Marina. In operation there since 1988, the marina owned by Mark Aitken and Alida Seymonsbergen was recently upgraded with new hydro and water at every slip. They offer moorage and other boating services on the calm inlet waters. Their fuel dock is open daily, with other maintenance supplies and services available. There is 24-hour security. Aitken proposed at the last three meetings that the city’s recreational operation poses competition — not in terms of direct services — but in terms of the foreshore lease and tax overhead that a business pays compared to the recreational TUP arrangement that the city aims to operate under.
“This (city property with the TUP) is not a permanent arrangement. In three years it might just go away,” said Stew Young. The TUP also includes a clause that offers a three-year renewal. Anything more permanent would likely go through a rezoning process to something commercial, it was indicated a few times over the last few meetings.
Local Langford developer Ron Coutre said he appreciates the city’s efforts to provide open spaces, park acquisitions, and recreation. “Opportunities like 3680 Trans Canada don’t come along very often. It was an opportunity that needed to be acted on quickly,” he said at the microphone during public participation.
A small percentage of fees that are charged for programs and activities on the property will be payable to the City of Langford. The city will be providing fire protection, maintenance, appropriate upgrades to the building or shore area as required, and things like road adjustments, fencing, and signage.
Goldstream Provincial Park with its well-known salmon run observation tours — including by school groups — is at the tip of Finlayson Arm (an extension of Saanich Inlet). That end of the inlet still maintains a relatively pristine ecosystem for fish, birds and other wildlife.
The remaining uses proposed in the TUP are (after the removal of hotel and campsite), are: assembly (groups of people); accessory dwelling; conference and meeting facilities; accessory dormitories (e.g. bunkhouses for athletes in training); recreational facilities including but not limited to canoe and rowing club, gymnasiums, and physical fitness training; rental of recreational equipment including bicycles, kayaks, canoes, clothing and outdoor gear; restaurants; and light manufacturing and assembly of recreation equipment in enclosed buildings which are not noxious or offensive by reason of permitting odours, dust, smoke, gas or noise.
The parcel as purchased by the city does not enjoy the benefit of a separate foreshore lease or any other foreshore lease, it was noted at the meeting.
Among the residents of the area who participated in the discussions over the last three meetings were were Caleen Taylor and Stephen Thorne, Dr Betty Johnson, Ron and Diana Cheeke, Al and Margie Gordon, and Ron and Ria Holkensen as well as residents from the Aspen Road area and Goldstream Heights.