BLENKINSOP VALLEY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
PO Box 30063, 3989 Quadra St., Victoria BC, V8X 5E1
250-477-8539

 

July 2007

Dear BVCA members

The BVCA directors met on July 11. At that meeting, two members of the Saanich by-law enforcement service made a presentation to us and reviewed the procedures they use for enforcing the municipal bylaws. They also reviewed some issues they have dealt with involving infill and signage within the Blenkinsop Valley.

We have collaborated with the Broadmead Area Residents Association and the North Quadra Land Use Protection Association to express our concern about the Beckwith U-Farm proposal. Representatives from the 3 associations have met with Mayor Leonard and we have written letters to the Saanich Council and David Cubberley MLA. In the letters we expressed support for not removing land from the ALR within the Blenkinsop Valley and we encouraged the recipients of the letters to be vigilant in enforcing all municipal and Agricultural Land Commission requirements for this proposed development.

Representatives from our association met with the Saanich Engineering department about the extension of cycling lanes on Blenkinsop between McKenzie and Mt Doug Cross Rd (due to be done later this summer). We encouraged that a comprehensive transportation plan be developed to include the statements about transportation which are in our Local Area Plan as well as other issues. We expressed support for signage at the entrances to the valley to remind folks that they are entering an agricultural area and could meet with animals and slow moving farm vehicles. We encouraged strict policing of the roadway rules and more signage warning people that vehicles may be slowing and turning into the roadside farm markets. We encouraged more parking at the trailhead on Blenkinsop and suggested that the Lochside Trail be the recommended route for cyclists through the valley. We also suggested enforcement of the gross vehicle weight limits which apply to Blenkinsop Rd. We pointed out the traffic concerns which many residents of the valley share including speeding, carelessness, racing, noise, overweight vehicles, and pedestrian/cyclist safety and parking issues.

We also communicated with the Saanich Police Department about traffic safety on Blenkinsop Rd. We were advised that about 300 tickets had been issued in the last 18 months. We were told that Blenkinsop Rd is a "low crash" area and thus does not receive as much of the police attention as does other areas. The vehicle weight restriction is 1200 Kg which means that loaded single axle trucks are permitted. Larger trucks are permitted if their destination is in the valley. The police arranged for the meter trailer to be placed on Blenkinsop Rd and we had the use of it for about 1 week.

A letter from Councillor Gillespie has been received in which he has requested our input about a proposal to limit property line hedges to a height of 8 feet. We expect to review this topic at our August meeting so your input on this suggestion would be welcome.

We have developed a policy for the directors on how they should handle conflicts of interest in our deliberations. We have determined that each director who feels he/she is in a conflict of interest or who a majority of those directors present feel he/she is in a conflict of interest should be absent from the room when our position about the involved matter is being developed.

Thank you to those of you who sent comments following our last newsletter and we encourage all of you to feel free to comment about our deliberations or other concerns which you may have.

With thanks,
BVCA directors

Home

Return to Archive Index