What is your vision for Sooke over the next 4 years?

In the District of Sooke – We do it our way

 

Sooke needs to go in a different direction. I would favour the 'Metchosin' model way of population growth over the ‘Langford' model. The DOS needs to formulate land use and zoning by-laws that reflect 'our community character' and our official community charter.

 

I propose that Sooke should take a step back and really…really ponder our collective future. Just where in the hell are we going? To not step back could lead to the oblivion of the very ‘character of Sooke’ that those who were born here cherish and remember.

 

Sooke up to this day has had only one high school. Think of all the families and the past generations that have attended Edward Milne High School. EMCS is the melting pot of Sooke and has many inter-generational family ties to attest to. Let’s keep those family memories alive

 

Those who have arrived here in the last twenty years after Sooke was incorporated into the DOS municipality were attracted to ‘our little town’ by it’s rustic splendour and it’s rural atmosphere; and there was also it’s ‘affordability’ and proximity to a major urban center – greater Victoria.

 

Now let’s take a look at Sooke’s future…

 

1) The future ‘trajectory’ of ‘our little town’s’ population has been set in motion by our present DOS council to exceed the threshold of 15,000 plus in the foreseeable future. We’ll be faced with increased policing expenditures and I might add…

a further increase in fire and rescue expenditures and the spillover of the added cost for public infrastructure and services.        Unintended consequences? hmmm…

 

2) With more people wishing to relocate to our…(we should strike the word 'little') our town, (we are the second fastest growing municipality behind Langford) there will be increased traffic congestion and in the not too distant future - westward expansion of the Colwood Crawl on Hi-way 14. We could call ours…the ‘Sooke-a-hella Gala Gathering’.

 

I lived in Calgary in the early seventies. I witnessed at times gridlock on the Trans Canada Hi-way between Banff and Calgary on weekends…mile long line ups…frustrated drivers and passengers trying to get home. Our future did not look too great! That’s why I moved to Sooke in 1977.

                         Unintended consequences? hmmm…

 

If any of you saw the classic 1970’s movie Rollerball starring James Caan…highly recommended…the ball shot out of the tube and raced around the track until it slowed down enough that a player could diligently scoop it up.
 

What we are facing now are unintended consequences that have been set in rapid  motion. Can we slow down our town’s growth in the coming years?

 

As I’ve stated in my platform…let’s take a step backward.

NO. 1 - let’s build public infrastructure for those who already live in our community
NO 2 - let’s build a mix of housing: affordable housing, tiny houses or modular housing for those who already live here…

for our sons and daughters who wish to remain here
NO 3 - with a balanced, careful approach, put a yearly cap on allowable new housing starts. Slow down the migration to Sooke until we have a handle on ‘our’ collective future.

 

Sooke faces extraordinary times – we need to formulate extraordinary policies! As far as respecting and maintaining our Official Community Plan – we are all in it together but it will all depend on who you elect to council.

 

I would also put in place a strategic marketing program that will promote Sooke as the ‘Gate Way to the Rainforest’. Tourism and it’s attached spin-offs will be a priority.

 

We will also need to attract new start up businesses that will provide local well paying jobs. Light industrial and wood manufacturing/assembly plants could be located in the Kaltasin area; and there’s also the Otter Point light industrial zone to be considered for would-be investors.

 

What improvements can be made within the community in the short term, and what will you work on longer-term?

 

The Sort Term:

More Green Space: In particular, let’s rally around creating a waterfront central park and a citizen’s plaza to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the incorporation of Sooke!

 

                    And... "No Lions in the Park" (John Phillips)

 

My intention (if elected to council) is for the DOS to sit down with Jeff Luccock, President of Seacliff Properties.

 

1) The DOS council and the DOS planning staff are going to talk about and debate once again, and negotiate swapping LOT A on Wadams Way for the former bankrupt Mariners Village properties; and place before Sea Cliff Properties - incentive$ for agreeing to the land swap

 

2) Let us negotiate and iron out a deal where Jeff Luccock (Seacliff Properties) can build their retail plaza and affordable housing units topped off with higher priced condos on Wadams Way. I believe they would like to build a 6-8 story complex, just like what the DOS permitted the defunct developer Condor Properties Holdings in building Phase 2 and 3 at Mariners Village building site

 

3) Wadams Way could become a central hub for retail shops and the new URGENT MEDICAL EMERGENCY/HEALTH CENTRE; and the build out will be away from Sooke Road. The upper stories will provide viewscapes of Sooke Harbour and Basin; East Sooke and the Olympic Mts facing south and a viewscape of John Phillips Park and the surrounding Sooke hills to the north. I think a lot of new retirees would like the idea of the shopping opportunities and accessibility to parks that are within walking distance…and Sooke has more affordable housing built

 

4) The DOS will ask Jeff Luccock (Seacliff Properties) if they are interested in building our new Sooke Urgent Emergency Medical/ Health Centre Clinic in the same complex; and the DOS and VIHA will negotiate a leasing agreement…a PPE (public/ private partnership)

 

5) Jeff Luccock (Seacliff Properties) might even want to put in a bid for the new Seniors/Youth Activity Centre

 

There are more options that the DOS can consider. There’s the 90% federal/provincial funding program for ‘new’ cultural, recreational and community infrastructure that was announced on September 12, 2018 by the BC Government. We have an advocate in John Horgan, our local MLA…guess who is the premier of the province of BC.

 

The CRD has had a good working relationship with Sooke in the last few years in the creation of new regional parks. The DOS can lobby the CRD Parks Acquisition Fund to fund the park proposal as a partnership. The T’Sou-ke band might also want to form a partnership in acquiring the park lands.

 

There is a world of possibilities that the DOS can tap into to create a waterfront central park with a citizens plaza and be the corner stone of our 25th year community celebration since the incorporation of Sooke in 1999.

 

Traffic calming: I will lobby DOS council to lower the speed limit to 40 km on all secondary streets within the Sooke town limit. (up to Helgesen/Otter Pt Rd)

 

If more people are going to relocate here, we must insure that 'our little town' is safe for our children; seniors; people with disabilities; electric scooter users; pedestrians; cyclists; pets and wildlife. Let’s respect every ones space and place.

 

In addition, the DOS will lobby the province to have the speed limit reduced to 30 km on Sooke Rd in the downtown core.

 

Traffic calming is the by-word. Let’s make it safer. We do need more sidewalks and street lights but by slowing down our pace we have an unintended bonus - it would allow more strategic placing of sidewalks and street lights to critically needed areas.

 

I would like everyone to experience a calming effect when they arrive back to their homes in Sooke. Slowing down traffic will lower the risk of accidents and allow for a more relaxed friendlier atmosphere for both locals and tourists and a more leisurely, pleasant shopping/dining experience.

 

Improvements to Hi-way 14: We now have pull-out lanes for BC Transit buses - why can't we have the same for cars? There are a number of wide shoulders along Hiway 14 that could be set up as pull out lanes. The hi-way between Sechelt and Gibson’s on the Sunshine Coast is much like Sooke Road…narrow and winding. There they do have pull-out lanes for slower moving traffic which I appreciated when I worked and lived over there for about three months.

 

With well placed signage and high visibility paint (light blue?) marking the safe pull-out lanes (great for night driving) like we have for bicycle lanes, it would allow slower moving traffic to pull over safely and allow others to pass. Seniors and tourists alike would greatly appreciate that; and so would the rest of us. Let's do a  MOTI feasibility study & get it done.

 

Sooke Region Farmland Trust: It is my desire and intention to advocate for rejuvenating sustainable agricultural practices and enterprises in the Sooke regional area. Over the last several decades and to this day, the region has seen large tracts of once productive acreage vanish due to enormous pressure from landowners and developers.

 

Sooke once supported a thriving farm community that employed many agri-workers. Due to the lower valued land assessments for ALR land, much land sits fallow or is assessed to be so-called 'wasteland' by landowners who wish to have it taken out of the ALR and sub-divided.

 

It has been suggested that a portion of the CRD Land Acquisition Fund household levy ($20) that every household in the CRD pays into; be put towards 'farm acquisition' and leasing of acreages.  This could in turn assist many young families who wish to farm. I think that is a good idea ~ an idea that we all should get behind!

 

All Sooke Day: One of my campaign proposals is to revive All Sooke Day. It should be a day when we honour all of our volunteer groups and perhaps have a volunteer drive to recruit new members.

 

I envision rows of volunteer tables advertising and promoting their services; local arts and crafts displays; children’s activities; a salmon derby/BBQ with the open fire pits and cooking racks like we ‘old Sookites’ remember in the by-gone days.

 

Let’s have an open stage for local musicians and a scheduled evening of musical performances – Sooke’s own 'Mid-summer Night’s Dream'. There could be a Championship Horseshoe Tournament; Invitational Baseball Tournament; Smoked Salmon Contest…let’s all be creative…and join in.

 

All of these ideas can be done at minimal cost and PROVIDE tremendous public benefits.

 

The Long Term:

The next four years will be attending to and mitigating the ‘unintended consequences’ set in motion by the previous DOS councils.

 

What is your plan to ensure the widest possible range of housing affordability options in Sooke?

It's sad to hear "Sooke is one of the few places you can still buy a home for under $500,000". Sooke needs to move away from the mindset of half million$+ mortgage$. Most houses being built in Sooke these days - are listed for sale as half million$+ mortgage$...or more.

 

Let's make some of our housing stock really...truly affordable. Let's help some young families who live in Sooke and want to live and work in Sooke build equity rather than being saddled down with huge mortgage payments.

 

The DOS has talked about creating higher paying jobs in Sooke. I suppose you need a higher paying job just to buy a home and raise a family in Sooke. For now, a lot of jobs in Sooke wouldn't qualify a first time buyer or a young couple with a pre-school child to be eligible for a first mortgage.

 

But what if the DOS changed the building code by-laws to allow ‘tiny homes’ or ‘modular’ homes to be built for first time buyers, or even seniors who want to downsize. ‘Intentional communities’. I'm trying to create possibilities for young families who already live here; to address affordability and get away from huge mortgages that force young families into long term debt.

 

Rather then one over sized house built on a lot, we could have two tiny or modular homes built instead. Home ‘ownership’ does not have to be a duplex. I’m tired of the mind set of developers who don’t even bother to consider that they are perpetuating a ‘life long financial $ystem of debt bondage’.

 

Allowing younger families in Sooke to have smaller mortgage payments for a home would allow them to plan for their future. How?

 

1. they would be able to build up their equity. A smaller mortgage means less money going towards intere$t payments and more money directed to paying off the principle

2. smaller mortgage payments might even allow one parent to stay at home and raise their children rather then ‘farm’ their kids out to ‘government funded’ private daycares

3. smaller mortgage payments might even allow one parent the time to upgrade their skills or retrain for a new job; it would increase their ‘earning power’…and purchasing power

4. and over time, as the family grows, these first time homebuyers can sell their home to another first time homebuyer; and with a large ‘downpayment’ from the sale – buy and move into a larger home

 

Think of how much money goes to intere$t payments in the first years of a mortgage. Everybody who owns a home knows that reality. Our present day banking system shackles homebuyers by ‘extorting’ huge sums of our daily income on interest payments (unearned income). You work hard and the banking system extracts interest payments, simply because they have a ‘charter’ to loan money!

 

Here in Sooke, we can do things differently and break this stranglehold of large mortgages that saddles first time homebuyers with large payments.

 

Yes, I’m saying that Sooke can challenge a private/share-holder Banking $ystem that enslaves people’s lives with life long debt! Why would any reasonable citizen want the present debt system to continue - especially for our youth. We can at least help some young Sooke families ‘get a leg up’ or we can vote to continue the ‘busine$$’ as usual model. The banksters will love you for it.

 

For down-sizing (single?) seniors/pensioners - if they decide to sell their primary home, they may/could out right purchase a tiny house/modular home and use the extra capital saved from selling their larger home towards their retirement.

 

In actuality, the DOS over the coming years would in effect be rotating the housing stock in Sooke to accommodate the different age groups and their purchasing power. Growth is inevitable…but at what price? The loss of our small town character. Could we have a model community that ushers in a new paradign of “Smart Growth’?

 

The DOS should plan to have all major high density/multiple-density housing situated on the north side of Sooke Road to divert our local vehicular traffic away from the growing traffic congestion we are witnessing on Sooke Road and eventually finish the Grant Road connector route.

 

I have suggested that Wadams Way should be reserved for high density/ multiple-density housing with a mix of affordable housing. The Knox affordable housing complex is finished and we have CASA on the north side of Wadams Way to service the new burgeoning neighbourhood; and in addition, the new housing development earmarked for the north corner land parcel located at Church/Wadams Way.

 

Housing on the south side of Sooke Road – there should be height restrictions…maybe small retail businesses on the ground floor…and a maximum of two levels of housing above. What kind of development is ear marked for Brownsley Boulevard…let’s keep it medium density.

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Furthermore, let’s have the DOS ‘reserve’ some new housing starts for current residents. The DOS could create a waiting list or a lotto draw for those who already live here. Other ‘from out of town’ buyers (who don't live here) can then put in a bid for the remaining housing stock that has been 'permitted' in that year by the DOS.

 

I truly believe we need to put a yearly cap on 'new' housing starts. If we further open the flood gates to new housing development in Sooke without careful planning for our collective future...you'll be wondering...who let the dogs out!

And if a current resident wants to put their home on the market; they can do whatever they like. No one's stopping you from selling to who ever.

 

And one other thing, my motion can be improved by the thoughtful analysis of my fellow counsellors...or it can be defeated. The DOS will continue to grow but we should slow the rate of new housing starts until we figure what 'Smart Growth' means to everyone who is seated around the council table.

 

As to the concerns of the realtors; the developers; the house builders; the tradesmen etc who will likely object: I ask you all why you moved to Sooke? To dismantle the character of ‘our town’ you call ‘your home’? Do you really care? The DOS will consult with the building community and create a plan of action that will lessen and mitigate any ‘unintended consequences’.

 

There will still be housing built and the building trades can still ply their skills; but until we as a community decide what’s best for us all, I would suggest that there are other faster growing communities where some might want to work…or relocate to.

I hear Langford and Victoria are booming – hopefully you don’t get caught up in the traffic jams. We all want to live and work in Sooke but what would you have Sooke do? Fold up the tent?

 

Is there a middle way?

DOS council…put on your thinking 'caps' on housing

 

DOS - population: 15000+…and GROWING…

How many cars travel East in the morning for work? How many MORE cars do we want traveling East? If there is a ‘land rush’ to Sooke…well evidently…there already is one because Sooke is NOW wide open for development. Do you think families saddled with $1,000,000 mortgages are going to work in Sooke…hell no!

 

How much more traffic do you think Hi-way 14 can absorb? Before too long, we may witness mile long line ups in the morning - the afternoon (add in a few tourists in the mix) and then there’s the evening rush hour. Some Paradise we got going here; but we can all put on the blinders…turn up the music…and we got…The 'Sooka-hella Gala Gathering'…and it’ll all becoming our way…in the not too distant future!

 

I ask the residents of Sooke: How many more cars can Hi-way 14 absorb? Would tourists be less inclined to travel to Sooke if there were mile long line ups? Would we be strangling the ‘golden goose’ that is one of the major draws for tourists to visit Sooke in the first place?

 

What do you think Sooke? How many ‘new’ building starts…how many more people do we want moving here in a given year. Where should we start…and where should it end? Maybe…just maybe we can do things different here or...we can always fold the tent and choose the Langford Model. hmmm…unintended consequences!

 

Let’s have a mix of land uses; zoning by-laws that allow a range of housing opportunities. Not just standard housing -  million dollar plus mortgages; but affordable tiny houses/modular homes - smaller mortgages for young families. A smaller mortgage may allow one of the parents to remain at home and raise their kids…just like in the ‘old days’. And if the family grows in size, they can sell their tiny home and make a down payment on a larger one.

 

What is the appropriate balance between Council direction and staff management?

January 25, 2016 DOS Regular Council Meeting

“Mayor and council have one employee, and that’s called the Chief Administrative Officer. The rest of the employees are the responsibility of the CAO to hire.”

Teresa Sullivan – DOS CAO ($140,000+ yearly salary plus expenses)

   (Ms. Sullivan departed from the DOS staff on February 14, 2018)

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Mayor's remuneration ~ $25,000  - that's about $15/hr for the mayor's position.

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The starting pay rate for the job posting:

CUSTODIAN 1 - Greater Victoria School District - $20.32/hour plus benefits (CUPE 382 Collective Agreement).

I hope Sifu Moonfist reads this.

 

The DOS council must be active participants when advising DOS staff with policy decisions. We need to ‘reframe’ the “Mayor and council have one employee, and work as a team.”

 

The ‘left hand must co-ordinate with the right hand’ if we are to complete the exercise of good judgement; shared values and a mutual respect that each ’team player’ can bring to the council table. Think of the DOS as a racing shell outfitted with long oars, outriggers to hold the oarlocks away from the boat, and sliding seats.

 

We all want to finish the race in a timely fashion and each

one of us has an important role in accomplishing that task. Teamwork = collaboration + co-ordination + creativity

– a balanced approach from a winning perspective.

 

Let’s all get the job done with zeal and passion and be pleased at the outcome of what we have together accomplished for the citizens of Sooke! Our collective endeavours will indeed benefit the best interests of Sooke.

 

In addition, I would like to see each councilor adopt and mentor the portfolio of the different DOS departments.

ie: land and housing; parks and recreation; transportation and communication to name a few.

 

Other than nature-based tourism, what are the economic growth possibilities for Sooke?

Imagine the streets of Sooke are ‘choked full’ of tourists and day trippers seven days a week. They all love coming to Sooke and they’ll tell their friends about what a great place it is to visit. And in a few days or more, they all go home but other tourists and day trippers arrive to replace them!

                             Non-permanent residents!

 

I hear cash registers a ring-a-ding ringing in Sooke. There’s growing employment in the Sooke tourist industry.

WHY: Because…WE ARE ‘The Gateway to the Rainforest’

 

Businesses prosper; local entrepreneurs and outside investors start up fabricating/assembly plants in our light industrial zones. A rustic furniture manufacture churns out knock-off Ikea furniture. Someone opens up a modular housing manufacturing/assembly plant that ships pre-fabricated homes up and down the island and to the mainland.

 

A visionary pioneer designs an electric golf cart prototype – the ‘Sooke Newt’ that can be driven off road or around Sooke. Tourists rent them by the dozen for touring the Sooke area and some of them place orders for purchase.  

 

A satellite university campus opens in the former (vacated) Sooke Elementary School.  Programs offered are in:

emerging hi-tech; sustainable/alternative agriculture practices and tourism/hospitality fields

Students  are assigned work/study modules that assist local businesses and enterprises.

 

A Sooke Urgent Medical Emergency/Health Clinic opens on Wadams Way that offers standard medical health services with ancillary ‘alternative health’ treatment services also provided.

 

The Community Hall is booked bi-monthly with live music events/fund raisers. Music fans flock from Victoria to take in the evening performances; some stay overnight to further explore the next day the inviting realms that Sooke has to offer.

 

Demamiel Creek Golf Course allows disc golfers to share the greenways with regular golfers. Disc golfers by the carloads flock to Sooke like seagulls.

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The new foot passenger ferry service from T'Sou-ke Harbour Park to East Sooke becomes a popular excursion route for bicycling enthusiasts, hikers and East Sooke residents.

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There’s a ‘World of Possibilities’ that Sooke businesses could cash in on.

 

Sooke appears to serve as a ‘bedroom community’ to more robust economic centres in Greater Victoria. What are your plans for enhancing transportation reliability and efficiency?

Nobody goes there anymore…it’s too busy! – Yogi Berra

If we want tourists and day trippers visiting our town…let’s not clog up Sooke Road.

 

The DOS should lobby BC Transit to double the satellite bus services to Sun River, Otter Point and East Sooke with earlier morning running times and late afternoon Rush hour times.

More BC Transit buses should be dedicated to servicing the residents of Sooke. For example, the Sooke bus (Route 61) travelling to Victoria picks up passengers only along Sooke Road till Luxton Fairgrounds; and then continues non-stop to the Langford Exchange; and then continues non-stop to the Victoria General Hospital drop off stop, and then next, onto the Uptown Shopping Center drop off stop. 

                  I ask myself…why isn’t this happening now?

 

If there’s earlier buses in the morning and later rush hour times in the evening…especially for those who want to shop after work…more commuters will consider leaving their cars at home. And what about weekend satellite bus service?

 

Perhaps BC Transit could park the mini-buses inside the school bus compound at Journey School with required vehicle servicing and road safety tests done on site by their professionally trained staff.

 

The DOS should support a ‘vetted’ volunteer carpooling association (Transition Sooke?) that matches would be drivers with other drivers who work in the greater Victoria region.

 

As an example – let’s say you are a student or you work in the university area of Victoria. A membership in the carpooling club would allow for two or more commuters to share a direct ride into Victoria to their place of work. Each commuter could take turns driving the other commuters in; share the gas costs, and new friendships might just possibly blossom.

 

Let’s also create zoning for mom and pop shops located in

Sun River…Whiffenspit…Maple Avenue/Grant Rd…Broomhill neighbourhoods.

 

I’d fashioned it on the ‘15 minute Walk-about-walk your dog’ turnaround. Properly sited store locations would allow local residents to walk there in seven minutes or less – purchase their milk or loaf of bread…or smokes, and seven minutes or less to walk back home. Great exercise for the resident and great for your dog if you are a dog owner.

 

Sooke - A world of possibilities waits at your doorstep

~ Please consider my candidacy for mayor

 

The choice is yours and please encourage everyone you know to exercise their civic duty

– vote for the change that you want to see in Sooke!