Intent

On August 10, 2009, Saanich Council approved the Terms of Reference for the Saanich Planning Dept. to undertake the Shelbourne Corridor Action Plan.

The intent of the Plan is to develop, in consultation with the community and other stakeholders, a comprehensive, long range (20 to 30 year) vision for an area 500 m on either side of Shelbourne St. from North Dairy Road in the south to Feltham Road in the north.

Plan Objectives

The Action Plan objectives will be guided by policies and principles contained in the Sustainable Saanich Official Community Plan (July, 2008). These include focusing multi family residential, commercial, institutional and civic development in existing Major and Neighbourhood Centres in a way that complements existing development.

The creation of a balanced transportation corridor that accommodates walking, bicycling, transit and private motor vehicle use is a major objective. This complies with OCP policies to integrate alternatives to the private motor vehicle into the transportation system. Reducing the community's dependence on the private motor vehicle will contribute towards a reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions and help mitigate Climate Change. Creating a balanced transportation corridor and encouraging more mixed use development will also result in more sustainable, walkable, neighbourhoods in which residents will be less dependent on private vehicle use to access employment and services.

Other Plan objectives include enhancing existing neighbourhood attributes, developing an age friendly environment for the Corridor's seniors, and protecting and enhancing the Corridor's natural environment, including Bowker Creek.

Process

The process for developing the Plan will involve public consultation. A Stakeholders Committee made up of stakeholders who live, work, or have a special interest in the Corridor, will guide the public consultation process and assist in issue identification. Open Houses, surveys, and Community Mapping, are some of the tools that will be used to garner public input.

Virtual Open House

Review the On-Line Open House and its collection of displays and maps on the Corridor by clicking HERE.

Survey and Community Mapping Results

From January to May 2010 the Shelbourne Corridor Action Plan Vision Survey was distributed throughout the Shelbourne Corridor study area as well as on-line.  The response was terrific with 593 paper copies and 204 on line surveys completed for a total of 797 returned surveys.

The Vision Survey results are shown in the Vision Survey Results Summary and Vision Survey Respondents Profile.  The Vision Survey allowed respondents to identify issues, suggest solutions and voice their opinion on what the Corridor should look like 30 years from now.  The Respondents Profile includes information regarding the age, gender, residency etc. of the respondents.  This gives us an understanding of who the respondents are, their relationship to the Corridor, and whether the respondents represent a good cross section of the public that lives, works or commutes through the Corridor (note that all respondents are anonymous). 

A community mapping exercise was done at the same time as the Vision Survey.  The exercise involved putting information on a map, included in the paper copy of the survey, about where respondents live, work, shop etc. in the Corridor as well as the routes they use to walk, bus, cycle and drive through the Corridor.  A table size map of the Corridor was used at events and presentations (an estimated 1,300 people were exposed to the exercise) to gather similar information which was then compiled, along with survey information, into the community maps.  Refer to the Community Mapping Results here.

The surveys and the community mapping exercise, while not statistically valid, provide us with a good indication of how people feel about the Corridor, their connection to it and their vision for it.  The information will be used to help guide the development of Shelbourne Corridor Action Plan Policies.

Transportation

Problem Definition Report: the Shelbourne Corridor Action Plan Transportation Study

Download the Full size report (12 mb)

Download the Web size report (1.5 mb)

This is the first interim transportation report for the Shelbourne Corridor Action Plan. The report reflects on all the shaping documents and elements providing background and context to the Shelbourne Corridor. It also reviews all the background work conducted by the District of Saanich which included multiple community surveys, open houses and engagement of stakeholders.

Creating a Walkable Shelbourne Community

Download the Full size report (4 mb)

The Shelbourne Valley Walkability Group was formed in September 2010. We are citizen volunteers associated with the SCAP Stakeholders Committee of the District of Saanich.

This report is the result of community educational outreach, on-the-ground research, and consultation over a period of six months to community associations, schools, University of Victoria, Camosun College, seniors residences, at the January 27, 2011 SCAP Open House, and from eye-witness accounts and photos from walking assessments in the Shelbourne Valley neighbourhoods.

Urban Design

On July 20, 2011, 23 members of the Shelbourne Corridor Stakeholders Committee met with the urban design consultant team of D'Ambrosio Architecture + Urbanism and Landeca Services Inc. who had been hired to develop design guidelines for the Shelbourne Corridor/Valley.  The attached notes represent a summary of what was said at the meeting particularly with regard to existing and desired Land Use, Movement, and Form and Character in the Corridor/Valley.  Please review these notes and if you have any comments or additional suggestions feel free to contact the Project Planner, Harold Stanley.

Please view the notes from the July 20th, 2011 meeting.

As well as soliciting responses from Committee members regarding their vision of the Corridor/Valley the urban design consulting team provided a power point presentation on the value of good urban design, the elements of urban design, and an overview of the design objectives in the Shelbourne Valley.

Upcoming Events

TBA

For more information please contact:
Harold Stanley, Planner
250-475-5494 ext. 3410
harold.stanley@saanich.ca

*Title photo, Rainbow over Shelbourne credit: Soren Henrich