Sidney, B.C., shopping centre rezoning approved over strong opposition

For years the town of Sidney has promoted the charms of its seaside village ambience and quaint main street.

Now, critics are warning that Monday night's zoning approval for a $35-million shopping centre on nearby airport land will transform "Sidney by the Sea" and hollow out the downtown.

Plans for the 9,100-square-metre Sidney Gateway mall at Beacon Avenue and the Patricia Bay Highway were approved in a 5-2 vote by Sidney's town council Monday night following a packed public hearing.

Mayor Steve Price said the development will bring millions of dollars in new public infrastructure, hundreds of new jobs and tax revenue.

"I think this is going to be the start of an economic renaissance in Sidney," Price said.

But dozens of opponents who spoke at the public hearing, and more than 2,200 who signed a petition, clearly disagree.

Springfield Harrison, a resident of neighbouring North Saanich, tried unsuccessfully earlier this year to get the Agricultural Land Reserve to reverse its decision to free up the farmland site owned by the Victoria Airport Authority.

"I don't think it's an appropriate place for a shopping centre," Harrison said. "I don't feel that is very good use of agricultural land."

Other opponents worry that big-box stores on the edge of downtown will crowd out existing businesses.

In an interview with CBC Radio's On the Island host Gregor Craigie, Sidney Mayor Steve Price attributed the opposition to "fearmongering".

He said many of the opponents were residents of North Saanich, not Sidney, and favour a potentially competing development proposal on the site of the former Sandown horse-racing track.

"This will encourage more people to shop in Sidney as opposed to Victoria or Langford, so it will keep more of those dollars in town," Price said. "It's going to just stop a lot of people from driving down the highway."

Price said the developer will provide $5.5-million in amenities including an new pedestrian overpass across the busy Patricia Bay Highway, sidewalks, bike paths, street lights and landscaping.

He said the development will generate more than 200 construction jobs and another 200 ongoing jobs once it is finished, as well as about $316-million a year in tax revenues.

The mall proposal still requires a development permit from the Victoria Airport Authority to proceed.

With files from On the Island

To hear the interview with Sidney Mayor Steve Price, click on the link labelled Sidney shopping centre gets zoning green light despite opposition.