The traffic issues along Sooke Road may be alleviated somewhat in the near future if a covenant is removed from a piece of property behind Evergreen Centre.
At council on May 13, discussion ensued as to the feasibility of building a road which would filter off some of the traffic from the mall and funnel it through to the proposed Grant Road extension.
There has been a covenant on the property which restricts commercial traffic off of the lot. The covenant has been the stumbling block to any development on the property, or sale of the property. The covenant is in the name of the District of Sooke as well as the Crown (Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure).
The proposed roadway is part of council’s strategic plan but without removal the plan sits in limbo. Staff does not feel removal of the covenant would be appropriate, but council disagreed.
At the April 22 council meeting, council approved its 2013/2014 Corporate Strategic Plan which now includes the re-alignment of the “Connector Road” from Church Road to Otter Point Road (Evergreen/Townsend/Otter Point). This new project has a goal of spring 2014 for construction. Once completed, this new connection will run adjacent to the northern property line of Lot A, zoned R1, (directly behind Western Foods at Evergreen Centre). The traffic would discharge to road where there are traffic lights.
At council on May 13, Coun. Maja Tait stated that this roadway would be “satisfying commerical interest but not satisfying road interest.”
Coun. Herb Haldane made a motion to ask staff to negotiate with the land owner to get 10 metres of access for a roadway. The motion passed, with Coun. Tait opposed.
Sooke will still have the opportunity to acquire additional amenities when the property is rezoned.