cowichan housing association – Duncan Taxpayers

Duncan Council Rejects Centennial Park Land Swap Proposal By Duncan Housing Society

Posted on January 2, 2022 by admin

There were two important items on the Agenda of the 13 December 2021 meeting of Duncan Council.

One was the matter of the application for a Temporary Use Permit to allow temporary cabins on the lot BC Housing has purchased at 610 Trunk Road. Duncan Council approved this Temporary Use Permit.

The second significant item on the 13 December 2021 Agenda

Here is the Agenda Item:

“5.2. Duncan Manor – Consideration of Land Swap

– Call for Statement of Conflict – Council

– Staff Report

– Applicant Presentation – Duncan Housing Society

– Public Comments (maximum 3 minutes per person)

Staff Recommendation:

That Council direct staff to finalize the land exchange agreement with the Duncan Housing Society for Council consideration, substantially as described in the December 13, 2021 report of the Chief Administrative Officer.”

Here is a photo of the land which the Duncan Housing Society proposed to obtain through a land swap with the City of Duncan in order that the Duncan Housing Society could erect a six storey building on what is now parkland in Centennial Park.

The land in Centennial Park that Duncan Manor (building on right) proposed to exchange with the City of Duncan so Duncan Manor could build a six storey building on this site. (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Here is the video of the 13 December 2021 meeting of Duncan Council. Discussion of Agenda Item 5.2 and public input starts at 2:52:38 of the video and concludes at 4:15:23. The Duncan Council vote on this matter starts at 4:15:23.

I note that Councillor Tom Duncan was the only member of Council who expressed support for the proposed land swap in Centennial Park. I also note that he did not vote when the matter came to a vote by Council.

All members of Duncan Council who voted cast their vote against this proposed land swap. In my view this was the correct course of action.

Here is a map showing the location of Duncan Manor and Centennial Park:

BC Housing Has Purchased 610 Trunk Road And A Temporary Cabin Site Is Proposed For The Property

Posted on November 29, 2021November 29, 2021 by admin

BC Housing has purchased the .975 acre lot at 610 Trunk Road and a temporary cabin site is proposed for this location. Here is a link to a Cowichan Valley Citizen report published on 23 November 2021.

According to the Cowichan Valley Citizen, “Another 40 sleeping cabins for the homeless are proposed to be placed at a temporary site at 610 Trunk St. (sic) in the new year.

The Cowichan Housing Association, on behalf of the Cowichan COVID-19 Task Force for Vulnerable Population, has applied to the City of Duncan for a temporary-use permit for the site, which is owned by BC Housing, to provide a 24-hour housing and support service for up to 40 people in the small cabins from Jan. 15, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2022.

The proposed project, which would be called “It Takes a Village: Housing the Unsheltered Population of the Cowichan Valley”, would be operated by Lookout Housing and Health Society, which also runs the newly opened Health and Wellness Centre on York Road…..

Funding for the new temporary housing project comes from a $2.5-million grant from the Safe Restart: Strengthening Communities’ Services funding program, a joint federal/provincial initiative.

Duncan Mayor Michelle Staples said the city is thankful that North Cowichan submitted the proposal for funding on behalf of the region and that the application was successful.

She said the next step is securing a suitable location for the village….”

Here are some photos of the site at 610 Trunk Road:

The lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Realtor's sale sign for the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers) — Realtor’s sale sign for the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Activity on the lot at 610 Trunk Road in Duncan, BC, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

We note that the lot at 610 Trunk Road is in a residential district and is directly across the street from Sunridge Place, a seniors facility at 361 Bundock Avenue, and several apartment buildings which cater to seniors. It is also directly next door to 554 Trunk Road, which is the offices of the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society.

554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Youth Services Association, is adjacent to the lot at 610 Trunk Road, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers) — 554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society, is adjacent to the lot at 610 Trunk Road, 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

The lot at 610 Trunk Road (left) and 554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Youth Services Association (right), 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers) — The lot at 610 Trunk Road (left) and 554 Trunk Road, which houses the Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society (right), 26 November 2021 (photo: Duncan Taxpayers)

Here is a map showing the location of 610 Trunk Road:

Here is a Google Street View image of 610 Trunk Road:

We will post more in future as this situation unfolds.

Would you like to leave a comment or question about anything on this post?

Cowichan Valley Regional District Bylaw 4201 Passed In A Referendum Vote

Posted on November 16, 2018November 16, 2018 by admin

CVRD logo on the front of the CVRD building on Ingram Street in downtown Duncan (photo by Duncan Taxpayers)

The 20 October 2018 Municipal Elections featured two Referendum questions placed on the ballot by the Cowichan Valley Regional District. The two questions asked voters whether they approved CVRD Bylaw 4201 and Bylaw 4202.

Both these Bylaws passed in the Referendum. DuncanTaxpayers.ca was opposed to both both Bylaw 4201 and 4202.

But now that both Bylaw 4201 and 4202 have passed by referendum, we think it is important to monitor developments on both continually. Both Bylaw 4201 and 4202 authorized new CVRD taxes and we believe the use of these taxpayers funds needs to watched very closely.

Here is what CVRD Bylaw 4201 said:

CVRD Bylaw No. 4201 – Service Establishment

“CVRD Bylaw No. 4201 – Cowichan Housing Association Annual Financial Contribution Service Establishment Bylaw, 2018″, will allow the CVRD to annually requisition up to the greater of $765,000 or an amount equal to the amount that could be raised by a property value tax of $0.04584 per $1,000 of net taxable value of land and improvements within the service area to assist the Cowichan Housing Association with costs associated with providing programs and services related to affordable housing and homelessness prevention in the Cowichan Valley.”

Note that amount raised from taxpayers “to assist the Cowichan Housing Association with costs associated with providing programs and services related to affordable housing and homelessness prevention in the Cowichan Valley” can be “up to the greater of $765,000 or an amount equal to the amount that could be raised by a property value tax of $0.04584 per $1,000 of net taxable value of land and improvements…”

So it could be $765,000/year, or it could be more than $765,000/year, paid annually to the Cowichan Housing Association by taxpayers.

Note also that the “programs and services related to affordable housing and homelessness prevention in the Cowichan Valley” are not defined in the Bylaw. This is one of the primary reasons we voted No on this referendum question. We did not deem it prudent to vote Yes without specific details of the program being provided to voters beforehand.

Here is the Cowichan Housing Association Attainable Housing Strategy for 2018-2019. Note that no plans have yet been formulated by the Cowichan Housing Association despite the Cowichan Housing Association now having been given $765,000, or more, per year in taxpayer funding raised by new CVRD taxation.

We will monitoring the CVRD and the Cowichan Housing Association use of these taxpayer funds very closely in the upcoming years. There will be more posts about this in future