The District of Saanich has announced that the proposed updated Shelbourne Valley Plan (SVP) will be moving forward to a public hearing that will take place later this year.
This hearing will give residents another opportunity to learn the details of the SVP, and to give their input on the plan.
Last week, on February 24th, the District’s council approved holding the public hearing so that three amendments to the plan could be read.
The first of these proposed changes would involve changing the designation of “Shelbourne Valley Centre” to “Shelbourne Valley Village.” District staff say this will effectively reduce the maximum building height in this area from 12 to six storeys.
Next, council has proposed that the northern boundary of the SVP should be extended to allow selected properties between Shelbourne Street and Lambrick Park Secondary School to be designated “urban townhomes.”
Lastly, the District suggests elevating watershed health as a guiding principle within the plan’s priorities.
The Shelbourne Valley Action Plan was originally implemented back in 2017 and has since been used to guide land use and transportation initiatives and policies in the Shelbourne Valley.
The plan focuses on enhancing pedestrian, cycling and transit infrastructure that coincides with underground utility infrastructure work.
Part of this project included the near-complete Shelbourne Street Improvements Project, which is slated to be complete by 2026.
The District notes that the Shelbourne upgrades that are nearly complete are not part of the SVP.
The SVP deals more with development and land use policies in the designated area, and will help shape the future of the valley for the next 20 to 30 years.
More information on the SVP and the upcoming public hearing can be found online here.
