A proposed land swap deal with the developers of Royal Bay could see the City of Colwood gain nearly seven acres of parkland and $2 million towards a new community centre.
In exchange, the city will give developers Gablecraft Homes, nearly nine acres of city land – described as a redundant gravel storage site on Metchosin Road – for further development.
Three bylaw amendments are also proposed as part of the deal, including a change to the Latoria South Sub Area Plan, allowing for an additional 500 residential units, bringing the maximum total of units permitted to 2,600.
The deal was described as a “legacy-defining opportunity” by Coun. Ian Ward at a meeting on Monday (Nov. 25).
“It’s rare that you come across at this table a true win-win,” said Ward. “This is a rare opportunity where we can do what’s best for the 22,000 people in Colwood.”
Of the nearly seven acres of parkland on offer, close to five acres will be used for the city’s Quarry Park expansion plans, while the remainder will extend Promenade Park.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the City of Colwood to achieve a number of its parks and recreation objectives,” said Mairi Bosomworth, senior planner.
“This is a solution that preserves a significant amount of mature forest area up in the Royal Bay area, and allows what isn’t a park to become a park,” said Ward about Promenade Park.
The $2 million can be used at the city's discretion, but has been earmarked to help towards plans for a community centre on the Quarry Park site, an opportunity Coun. Ward described as "priceless".
The three bylaw amendments related to the land swap deal were given their first two readings at the Nov. 25 meeting.
Coun. Cynthia Day opposed two of the bylaw amendments related to the city land at 3698 Metchosin Rd., citing “major concerns” about the impact an additional 500 homes will have on the sewer network.
The councillor said she had expected the land at 3698 Metchosin Rd. would be needed in the future for sewage treatment works.
“I cannot blindly support something that may cost us a great deal in the future,” said Day, who highlighted plans for the Royal Bay development have “tripled in size” since its first conception.
A public hearing on all three bylaw amendments will follow in the near future.
