The latest threat to Shirley – Western Forest Lands to be sold to developers
Suburban sprawl is coming to Shirley:
“A proposed bylaw that could see forest and waterfront land on the south Island turned into suburban sprawl is the “largest land change in CRD history,” and should be treated as such, environmental groups say.”
Much of the land is in Shirley:
“The 132,000 hectares at issue — part of the Juan de Fuca electoral area – stretch from the Island’s west coast to the Malahat, and make up two-thirds of the Capital Regional District. Yet a draft bylaw governing the future development of the land will be decided by a subcommittee of CRD directors, not the whole board.”
“For almost three years, after the province allowed Western Forest Products to remove thousands of hectares of its private land from tree-farm licences in 2007, opening up the possibility of development, debate has raged over what should happen. Just 160 people live in the area in question, which excludes the communities of Shirley, Jordan River, Port Renfrew, East Sooke and Otter Point.”
A new CRD bylaw and Sooke, Langford and Colwood will decide Shirley community planning:
“The bylaw will go to a CRD land-use committee — made up of directors from Juan de Fuca and the neighbouring municipalities of Sooke, Langford, Colwood and Metchosin. In November, it will be brought to the whole board for discussion, but only committee members will be able to vote.”
Comments:
“What’s being proposed is absolutely absurd,” said Ray Zimmerman, who believes the proposed bylaw will lead to patchwork development. His group organized a “Forests or Sprawl” symposium at the University of Victoria this week that attracted about 150 people.”
Excerpts from a recent Times Colonist article entitled: “Huge land decision falls into few hands” — written by Judith Lavoie October 4, 2009