The Shelbourne Precedent: Will Council Hold Aragon to the Same Standard?

As we move forward, it is time to highlight the significant impact our collective voices are having on local planning. Recent weeks have proven that when residents speak up, Saanich Council is capable of choosing "sensible growth" over extreme, developer-driven density.

Precedents for Common Sense: Quadra-McKenzie and Shelbourne Plans

I have personally attended the recent Council meetings where these critical shifts took place:

The Quadra-McKenzie Plan (Feb 2): Following extensive community testimony, Council directed key revisions, including eliminating the Chatterton and Beckwith hubs and reducing building heights to align with neighborhood character.

The Shelbourne Valley Plan (Feb 24): This week, Council showed a unified front in prioritizing a livable scale. They agreed that 12 storeys is inappropriate for that local context, opting instead for human-scale heights and townhomes.

Please see today's Times Colonist article here - Scaled-down Shelbourne plan gets green light from Saanch council

Why this matters for Cordova Bay:

These decisions prove that Council is listening. By rejecting "mega-density" in other areas, they have set a new standard for what is "appropriate" in Saanich. We are holding them to this standard to ensure Cordova Bay is treated with the same respect.

Why We Must Be Ultra-Vigilant

We need to be clear: Cordova Bay is not Shelbourne or Quadra-McKenzie. Unlike those areas, Cordova Bay is not a designated "Primary Growth Area" or a major transit corridor.

If Council has determined that 12 storeys is too high for the densest parts of Saanich, it is logically impossible to justify 11-storey towers for the Trio lands. We must be ultra-vigilant to ensure our semi-rural community isn't used as a "overflow" for the density Council just rejected elsewhere. Our infrastructure—from road safety on Cordova Bay Road to sewage capacity—simply cannot support a 1,160-unit "mega-project."

The October Election and Economic Reality

With the October 17, 2026, municipal election approaching, this is the ultimate test of consistency for our elected officials. Voters are watching to see if the recent shift toward "human-scale" development is a permanent commitment to residents or just an election-year trend.

The economic climate is also shifting. Saanich is seeing a spike in development applications expiring because over-scaled "mega-projects" are no longer financially sustainable. We still need to be vigilant to ensure  our recently completed Local Area Plan (LAP) is considered and focus on housing that actually fits our village.

Holding Council Accountable

I sent a letter to the Mayor, Council, the CAO, Planners and to Legislative Services this morning. While I thanked them for their balanced approach in the Shelbourne Valley, I made it clear that we view community character as a guiding issue for all of Saanich' s neighborhoods.

Accountability at the Community Level

At a recent Cordova Bay Association meeting, representatives for the developer were heard telling residents they are pushing this scale simply "because they can." This dismissive attitude is an affront to the collaborative planning process Saanich just upheld in Shelbourne. We are reminding Council that they also serve the people of Cordova Bay, not the developers. In Saanich, we develop because a project fits, not simply because a developer demands it.

This is a marathon, not a sprint—and we aren't going anywhere.

Thanks for the continued support!

Dan Horth

Cordova Bay