Check out this weekend’s event by Woodwynn Farms’ volunteers, Brad and LeeAnna!

ATTENTION Woodwynn Farms supporters.

Vitally important letter coming up at Central Saanich Municipal Hall tonight at 1903 Mt Newton Road commencing at 7:00 p.m.

Check this out.

Join us if you can, on such short notice.

And thanks in advance for your continued support of this project.

********************************************************

District of Central Saanich
1903 Mount Newton Cross Road
Saanichton, BC V8M 2A9

Re: Woodwynn Farms Therapeutic Community for the homeless

Dear Central Saanich Mayor and Council;

The Woodwynn Farms property of Central Saanich, under-producing for decades, has the potential to once-again significantly contribute to the local agricultural economy and simultaneously become home to a showcase solution to one of the Capital Region’s most important issues – homelessness.

The Creating Homefulness Society, owners of Woowynn Farms, has taken the opportunity to have a number of discussions with the Planning staff and Administrator over the last several months. The thrust of these meetings has been to try and establish a process that would lead to permitting the expanded agricultural uses of existing lands and adding further uses (primarily residential and retail outlet) that would support the effectiveness and sustainability of our therapeutic community for the homeless. It has become obvious that these meetings simply serve to point out to both Woodwynn Farms and municipal staff that the current bylaws do not allow for this mix of uses. In effect, a square peg in a round hole. Consequently we would like to propose another alternative.

While we know that the Agricultural Land Commission will be a large part of the approval process we would like to have Central Saanich as a supporting partner in this endeavour. To this end we would like Council’s support in establishing a site-specific Agricultural Zone in the Land Use Bylaw that would guarantee the continued primary agricultural use of the lands and also permit a small area for housing (approximately 1% of the total land area) and various scaled uses in existing buildings only, including:

• retail and indoor market;
• craft workshop;
• museum & gallery
• community hall
• restaurant & café
• outdoor area for market and stage performances
• offices;

We note that there are already several Agricultural Zones that have these features (site-specific Agricultural), including:

• a model aerodrome,
• a historical museum and,
• the fairgrounds

We also note that the current Farm Worker Housing initiative/review while welcome, will not provide for Woodwynn’s needs.

By way of this letter we are requesting that Mayor and council give staff direction to prepare a report for Council establishing this site specific Agricultural Zone. Woodwynn would be happy to work with city staff wherever we might be needed and look forward being able to apply to the Agricultural Land Commission with the support of Central Saanich Mayor and Council.

Further, we are requesting that, as a token contribution to the region’s homelessness issues, Mayor and Council waive all application fees to move this project forward.

 Regards,

Richard Leblanc

Founder & Executive Director, Creating Homefulness Society

www.woodwynnfarms.org