Attachment 10 - Community Workshop Session Summary Report

Community Workshop Session Summary Report

Summary Report written August 23rd, 2023.

Event Date: August 17, 2023 Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Location: Lions Cove, 290 Island Hwy, Victoria BC. Attendance: 16 members of the public signed in (20 total in attendance). Comments: 16 comment sheets and 13 emails were submitted.

Meeting Purpose:

1. To present the proposed development application materials to the Community.
2. To provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions about the proposal.
3. To provide an opportunity for neighbours to comment on the proposal.

Notification:

In accordance with the Town of View Royal policies:

Invitation Brochures Invitations were delivered to neighbours within a 300m radius of the site.

Attendance:

16 members of the public signed in for the meeting with a further 4 who accompanied them to make a total of 20 members.

The following Project Team members were in attendance:

Project Team presenters included:

• Daniel Martins, Ankenman Marchand Architects.
• Ron & Nick Warrington, Client Representative.

Overview:

The Community Workshop meeting was held in an Open House format at Lions Cove, 290 Island Hwy, Victoria BC. Meeting participants could browse the display boards and engage with the project team directly.

The participants were invited to submit written comments to the Project Team. 16 comment sheets and 13 emails were submitted – Attached.

A brief presentation was provided by the applicant’s Project Manager (Daniel Martins) at 6.00 pm followed by a question-and-answer period. This was carried out through an in-person workshop. The key themes of the evening included:

• Introduce the Design Team and Property Owners to the neighbouring community.
• Share the proposal to develop 20 infill townhomes on the property.
• Provide information about the planning process and local development policies.
• To accommodate a diverse range of residents – moderate income earners, young families, downsizers, and age-in-place.

Public Dialogue:

(Summary of questions/statements asked in the exit surveys c/w answers).

Q1: Is Sustainability Important to you (ie, sensitive building methods, reducing energy consumption, dual-flush toilets, wastewater, heat recovery systems etc.)

Q2: Are residential uses appropriate for this site (other uses such as commercial are not an appropriate use)?

Q3: I believe that it’s very important to have a wide variety of housing types that are appropriate & affordable for seniors, downsizers, first time home-buyers and families in View Royal.

Q4: I believe the Architectural style and design is appropriate for the area.

Q5: Do you feel that this project is heading in the right direction?

Comment Sheet and Email Summary

Participants were invited to submit comments for a one-week response period after the meeting. 16 comment sheets and 13 emails were submitted. As noted, the vast majority of the respondents are either in favour of the proposal, or are neutral. Only four respondents do not favour the proposal.

While the majority of the respondents were in support of the proposal, some minor concerns were expressed, particularly relating to parking.

Conclusion:

The meeting length and format were sufficient to provide all community participants an opportunity to learn about the project, ask questions, and make the comments they wished to provide that evening as well as subsequently online and mail. Our Team’s take-away from this event is that the density is acceptable, the roof top gardens, and parking at grade are favored by the community. In general, most people agree that there is a need for this kind of housing, that feels like a home, with lots of outdoor private space.