The execution suspension for seven ripe plums along Menzies Street 100 in James Bay did not come this week as the Victoria Council unanimously approved the 137-unit Village Green project. The targeted rental project on the northwest corner of Menzies and Niagara Streets has received the green light, although many in the city council have said they regret the trees will be lost as construction begins. Approval depends on the legal teams from the city and the developer Primex working to include a clause in the housing agreement. This is expected to happen in the next two weeks and is not expected to affect the council’s decision. Many in the immediate neighborhood had gathered to try to save the trees, and many called or provided video during the public hearing Thursday night to urge the town council to make a mistake with the environment. Some said they were terrified that the trees would be lost from the city’s wider sidewalks and the destruction of a two-year-old window. A good one asked the city council to do things differently and find a solution that will help maintain Victoria’s unique charm. Concerns did not seem to fall into place, with many in the city council saying the problem with the trees was exacerbating them, although city staff had confirmed that many were ill and would not be doing well during construction. Coun. Geoff Young said that while trees may look healthy, they should be removed periodically. He suggested that people who expressed concerns about flowering plums should discuss the matter with their council members to push for the city’s tree conservation policy to include the preservation of traditional flowering trees through the proper replacement of removed trees. The conclusion was that the council had to find a balance and decided to vote in favor of the new housing. “We need housing and we need rental housing. This is very important. “And they have told us again and again from the younger ones who spoke today,” Koon said. Stephen Andrew, who noted that the developer intends to plant more trees than will be removed. “This is a logical solution, especially when some of them are suffering from an illness.” Mayor Lisa Helps said the city council often has to deal with the difficult task of balancing choice whether to approve large buildings that could change the character of an area and affect parking, with the desperate need for housing. He said that the feeling of loss, anxiety and change in these neighborhoods is very real and the municipal authority listens to it every time a new project is proposed. But he said this is balanced by the needs of a fast-growing city. Helps said the developer in this case has exceeded the municipality’s expectations regarding the relocation of tenants. The project, at 110 Menzies St., 111 Croft St. and 450-458 Niagara St., includes the demolition of three older buildings with a total of 45 housing units and the redevelopment of the land with a four-storey and six-storey wing. The tenant assistance program, which includes housing searches, financial assistance and travel expenses, has been working for months to help 33 affected tenants find new homes. To date, 23 tenants have received a total of $ 112,615 in assistance and a relocation team is working with the remaining 10, who expect to receive an average of $ 6,900 each. There is also a clause, which is still included in the housing agreement, that will give former tenants the first right to refuse to return to the site and be able to pay 20 per cent lower than the market rent for a suitable unit. “There is no way out of the mess,” said Greg Mitchell, Primex’s director of development. Coun. Ben Isitt voted in favor, but was concerned about displacement. “I believe the city needs to move towards the principle of non-net loss at existing accessibility levels,” he said. “I believe that if we intend to make the community more inclusive, it is important to ensure that every project does not lose ground and does not make us less inclusive.” Isitt said that once built, the units at the Village Green project will be less affordable than they currently are. “And that means this project will not offer relief to many members of the community who need deep affordable housing.” Several members of the public were concerned about the project and not just because of the loss of trees. Some said it seemed too big for the area, it would create a parking nightmare in the surrounding streets and change the character of the neighborhood forever. One of the other tenants said he and his young family would be left homeless as they could not afford to rent in the area. “We do not know what to do, we are terrified,” he said, noting that it would probably mean a move from Victoria. “Many people feel desperate and scared.” But there was also a lot of support for the project, with residents saying they liked its proximity to the city center, making it easier to get around without a car and mostly creating more homes. One caller said he had heard many complaints about the loss of a past Victoria, but suggested it was a building block for the future. “Cities are changing and evolving,” he said, noting that old Victoria was already gone and developments like this could mean fewer clearings and urban sprawl on the West Coast and beyond. Primex’s Mitchell said they were excited to get the approval and get started. He hopes that the construction will start this year and expects a construction of 24-30 months. “Hopefully we will be able to welcome residents to the new building sometime in 2025,” he said. Primex has approximately 2,300 rental units across the county, including five 300-unit properties in Victoria. [email protected]
