Current Topics of Interest

The proposed community at Bamberton includes a total of 3,227 homes, which would translate to approximately 6,775 residents (based on an estimated number of residents per type of household). The actual build-out of this total would be spanned over approximately 25 years.

The CVRD reviews many development applications every year, ranging from small ‘spot’ developments to some larger, planned communities. While there are a large number of homes and scenarios that have been considered in the area, it is unlikely that all will be approved, and of those that are approved, many will likely not proceed due to a variety of factors. (Ref: South Cowichan Services and Governance Study 2009 Technical Report by Sussex Consultants Ltd.). The projections in the report outline the proposed home units, not actual new homes and it is extremely unlikely that every application would be approved. Moreover, any significant new development (such as Bamberton), would happen gradually over time. In the case of Bamberton, the proposal is to add 3,227 homes over approximately 25 years.

The Bamberton development would create a new and diversified tax base for the community. The addition of new residential, commercial, and industrial users would help to ensure that the taxes required to meet the region’s needs would be spread across a larger number of rate-payers (and therefore the individual burden should actually decrease). This broader tax base would help to ensure that existing community services (such as recreation facilities, policing, and fire protection), have the ability to be maintained and enhanced.
Additionally, the creation of a diverse, mixed tax base (including residential, retail, commercial, institutional, and industrial rate-payers), would help to ensure that any one category of rate-payer (i.e. residential) does not bear a disproportionate tax burden. A balanced tax-base will help to ensure that the area develops the services, employment, and living options necessary to create a healthy and well planned community.

Since 2005, Bamberton has been the subject of numerous scientific environmental impact studies, including significant groundwater studies by multiple consultants as commissioned by Three Point Properties, the CVRD and independent parties. All of these studies have concluded that the proposed development at Bamberton will not impact the groundwater supply of neighbouring properties.
Bamberton plans to draw its water from Oliphant Lake which is surface water. The waters or streams running from Oliphant Lake do not seed neighbouring aquifers. Oliphant Lake is a man-made lake, constructed at the turn of the last century to service the historic company town and cement plant at Bamberton.
Groundwater studies have also shown that there is no risk to local groundwater supplies from storm water runoff generated by a community at Bamberton. These studies showed that neighbouring aquifers are protected from any surface activity (runoff etc) from Bamberton by a substantial layer of bedrock. Bamberton will treat its sewage to the highest environmental standards (based on the same world-leading technologies proven at Dockside Green). This level of treatment, care and protection of the water supply will be at a standard well above all existing neighbouring developments.

The development of a mixed use community at Bamberton will not negatively impact the Saanich Inlet. Bamberton is planning for a state of the art sewage treatment centre that will treat 100 per cent of all waste water on site. This in conjunction with an integrated storm water management system will ensure that the Saanich Inlet is not negatively impacted. Bamberton will treat water as the precious resource that it is. Water conservation, water quality and the use of progressive technologies to reach these two goals, will be integral elements to the new community at Bamberton.
The Class A waste water treatment plant proposed for Bamberton will reclaim and recycle all treated water. This reclaimed water is treated to nearly drinking-water standards, and will then be used to flush toilets, for irrigation systems, for water features or for industrial uses. Any surplus treated water will be disposed of in drain fields that will help to meet the fresh water needs of the surrounding eco-systems. These drainfields have the capability of further purifying the treated water so that it is indistinguishable from source (clean) water after travelling less than three feet (or one meter) through the drainfield. There would be no direct discharge of treated or untreated water into the Saanich Inlet.
The proposed waste water treatment plant is well above the level of sewage treatment in existing homes in the region, many of which still rely on septic systems.

Bamberton is currently zoned for the same Forestry and Industrial activities as when the Bamberton cement plant was in operation. The full implementation of the current zoning entitlements would be more aggressive on the inlet than the combination of parkland, green-space, and mixed-use development currently being proposed.

Significant development proposals (such as Bamberton) are developing infrastructure services independently from those offered by Mill Bay and other areas. As an example, Bamberton’s water source and sewage treatment will be entirely independent from the existing services. In fact, we are anticipating that through water conservation and recycling measures (along with high levels of effluent treatment), that Bamberton may have surplus water for use by the community. By using this water carefully , it is expected that Bamberton will be a model community for effective resource management.

The CVRD’s current system for evaluating growth is based on years of growth management study and community planning work. The recent suggestion that all development in the CVRD be put on hold until a ‘Growth Management Study’ is completed not practical. Freezing the system until a separate study is performed would likely result in most of the carefully planned community proposals (such as Bamberton) being withdrawn thereby creating increased demand for the rezoned spot developments to proceed. In other words, this would result in the loss of the the more progressive existing development proposals and would stimulate more “development as usual”. If this was to happen master-planned communities currently under consideration like Bamberton would likely revert to their existing entitlements (industrial, forestry etc.) and which could potentially result in a deterioration of the rural lifestyle and natural surroundings that make the region so desirable.

Most experts agree that during recessionary times, an economic stimulus is sometimes required to get the economy moving. The Bamberton proposal would help create that stimulus with the funds coming from a private sector source that does not create an additional tax burden on current residents.

Projections are that the Bamberton project would generate approximately $1.5B in construction revenue, along with 950 construction related jobs over approximately 25 years. This translates to meaningful, stable opportunities for current residents of the area and their families. Additionally, it is estimated that approximately 1,700 ongoing jobs will be created within the development.

The community proposed at Bamberton is planned around a ‘Triple Bottom Line’ concept that equally values social, environmental and economic considerations. The Bamberton plan includes diverse live/work/recreation opportunities and a vibrant, multifaceted community. Not only will bamberton create opportunities for local businesses and residents, but it will also create many amenities (parks, utilities, shops, restaurants, marina, transit etc.) that would not occur otherwise. Bamberton will be an economic engine for the region that will create jobs and attract businesses.

a strong and diverse tax base

a major contribution (est. over $5.0M) for regional public amenities

major portions of the land will not be developed, including much that is dedicated to parkland, green space and trails

extensive job opportunities in both the construction/development phase as well as into the future

world-leading sustainable community built on a previously contaminated and disturbed site

a preferable planned alternative to typical “sprawl” development

financial support toward a regional planning initiative in Mill Bay and the surrounding area

all servicing performed on-site

this is a common and understandable concern in a community, especially Mill Bay where some developers are not seen to have lived up to their commitments in the past.

Bamberton supports the creation of bylaws and a phased development agreement (PDA) which clearly outline and covenant developer obligations and responsibilities (financial, environmental and social). Permissions to proceed would also be subject to the terms of a Development Permit process. These mechanisms have been successfully used in the other developments (and are now starting to be used within the CVRD) to ensure that developer commitments are met and that appropriate controls are available to the community and local governments. In the case where Bamberton was sold at some point, the Development Permit processes would protect the community and ensure that a future developer’s actions were in line with the approved uses.

the Bamberton owners have already invested a massive amount of time and money over a 5-year period on the property’s remediation, planning and rezoning efforts: we have put our money where our mouths are.

we have a strong track record in community development and local team committed to the project for the long-term.

through the governance of a PDA the development would be phased over time within the context of an overall entitlement: unless the conditions outlined in the PDA were met after each phase, Bamberton would not be permitted to proceed to any subsequent phase

without a full entitlement the project’s financing would be impossible, which would make the project impossible

partial entitlement would also vastly increase the risk of further incremental “spot development” that has challenged the area for years

community systems like sewer, water, effluent treatment and reuse strategies etc. are impossible on a small-scale and any uncertainty makes then unviable (leading examples like Dockside show this in practice)

the full zoning entitlement alongside phased development approvals spelled out in a PDA take away the uncertainty for all involved

Bamberton is confident that the CVRD has both the ability and the supporting resources necessary to manage the Bamberton rezoning process and potential project development; particularly when engaged with a developer that is prepared to work within their guidelines rather than working “around” them

the independent Trillium impact assessment has shown that the Bamberton plan has merit within a series of outlined constraints

CVRD staff have experience through other communities such as YouBou Lands

we would recommend that the CVRD employ a planner dedicated specifically to Bamberton

by the use of a Phased Development Agreement (PDA) and bylaws they can ensure that the rules of the game are clearly defined for the duration of the development

the use of CD zones and neighbourhoods clearly identifies what uses are permitted in each area

this is an important question and one that the developer believes has a very clear answer: Bamberton is an opportunity to set up a regional strategy through the creation of a compact, mixed-use, showcase community that would serve as a catalyst within the existing Mill Bay community for new larger strategies. It is the difference between “responding” to growth and “planning” for growth; Bamberton is the opposite of the urban sprawl and haphazard development that characterizes many communities.

Mill Bay currently has a large number of single family lots available for future use. Many of these lots are not currently being developed, and when they are, past results have been mixed. Some forms of “spot development” have resulted in incremental growth in the area which has (in many cases) not delivered the finished product(s) that the community required. This has resulted in strained infrastructure without a substantial benefit. If - as all experts would agree- growth is inevitably occurring in the area, a well-developed master-planned community offers the ability to manage the growth issues effectively, while bringing with it the necessary amenities to help the community thrive.

Bamberton will be unlike any other development in the CVRD in terms of sustainability, ongoing high quality job creation and general planning on a previously disturbed site

the composition of the development at Bamberton is also significantly different from the other residential product in the market as many of the zoned lots are multi-family or small-lot and few represent true “Greenfield” development.

it is important to note that growth is going to occur and the rollout of the community would be over a 25-year period. It is not all going to happen at once.
- Consider the analogy of planting a garden: you can either plan what goes where to ensure a proper balance for sunlight, soil composition and/or complementarity of uses, or you can give random plots to random people to grow a variety of random things and see what happens. It is difficult to defend how the latter would work better than the former.

another important point is that – as described in the Trillium Report - much of Bamberton’s demand will come from people who would otherwise not be in Mill Bay, but rather in other locations like Comox, Victoria or Nanaimo. These people would be drawn to the area by Bamberton itself and would form some primary demand that would not otherwise exist.

Bamberton will “rasie the bar” for developers that currently have zoned (but undeveloped lots). In order to bring these projects to market successfully, they will need to deliver better quality offerings in order to compare favourably to the standards being set by Bamberton.

a key question to consider is, “What if Bamberton does not happen?” The existing lots that are approved in the area will be consumed as growth in the area continues to occur. If the community does not insist on higher levels of planning, sustainability, and community dialogue, the outcome is likely to be “more of the same” taking place in an atmosphere of increasing constraint. Bamberton represents an opportunity to plan for growth in way that balances the social, environmental, and economic requirements while complementing the existing community.

The interest shown in Mill Bay and the surrounding community by a reputable group of developers is a testament to the appeal of the area and the anticipated growth that the area will encounter.

The CVRD (along with its planning department) should be able to work with the community to identify the requirements for the area and which areas are most suitable to address the need. These requirements should then be presented to the developers that are requesting an entree into the community with the expectation that accommodation needs to be made for the needed services.

The current Bamberton proposal, as an example, anticipates the creation of a new emergency services facility (near the overpass/underpass), a school site, and a new Southlands regional amenity dedication in excess of 300 acres and expansion of the Bamberton Park. Additionally, Bamberton will contribute significant funds to requirements within the community.

The Bamberton Partners are prepared to meet and work with the local governance officials to ensure that our plans are coordinated and implemented in cooperation with the local community to ensure minimal overlap and maximum benefit.

The Trillium Regional Impact Assessment (completed in June, 2009) identified that Bamberton could work well under the current governance model (Regional District) or as part of an Incorporated Municipality. The terms and conditions of a Phased Development Agreement could be assigned or assumed by whichever governance model the community determined should proceed.

we are a neighbourhood of Mill Bay and we will take direction from local politicians and citizens and we will support them either way as we believe that having Bamberton will strengthen each case.

Bamberton helps to ensure that the community of Mill Bay develops a stable and diverse economy with a healthy blend of residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial activity – which is necessary in either governance model. Currently, Bamberton is the only industrially zoned property in Mill Bay.

Growth is already happening, and will continue to happen in the area. In some cases, the community is not comfortable with results of this growth.

Typically, a GMS takes years to complete. The Bamberton project (with the current owners) has been underway for five years and would not wait an additional three years to complete a GMS. In our opinion the advantages of proceeding with the project prior to completion of a GMS significantly outweigh the risks of having the project not proceed. If this were to occur, the owners would have no option but to move forward with the existing permitted uses.

Bamberton will bring people into the area that will utilize the various capabilities of the health care system and will, in the process, help to ensure that a complete range of services are available in the community.

Bamberton features nearly 100,000 square meters of retail, commercial, and institutional space planned that will attract new health care options to the area.

The tax base created by the community will help to ensure that health care and recreational services currently in the community remain viable.

Health care services will expand in response to the demand from the local area. Clinics will open in response to needs in the community and available space that is appropriately zoned. With its stunning setting and vibrant economy, Bamberton is well positioned to attract new practitioners and services to the area.

Growth in the area is occurring at an accelerating pace and will continue to do so (regardless of what happens with Bamberton). As such there will certainly be pressures on a wide range of community services. Spot development (of the type that has typically happened in the area) compounds the problem by introducing density for which (often) there is no offsetting increase in amenities or services. As a master-planned community Bamberton will help to match the population with the services and amenities that they will require.

No, we have met with BC Ferries on many occasions and there is mutual interest in the idea of utilizing the port at Bamberton as a possible, future location for the Brentwood Bay ferry. The fact that the current terminal (on the Mill Bay side) is objectionable to the Malahat Band and the ferry route is 30% longer than would be necessary if it were to come into Bamberton, and that additional passenger services (parking, amenities, etc.) could be built, are all factors that both parties have discussed.

Any firm plans for the potential relocation of the ferry terminal need to be viewed within the context of whether Bamberton will become a new community. The determination will play a large role in whether or not the investment is made to improve the roads coming out of the industrial site so that ferry traffic could be handled. If the development does not proceed, the infrastructure improvements will not be made to justify a consideration of this option, and the future viability of the ferry system would be debateable.

The proposed development at Bamberton represents an opportunity to improve the ongoing viability of the existing route and could help to ensure its ongoing operation.

Three Point Properties believes that the highest and best use for the Bamberton property is to pursue the plan that has been proposed. The current Bamberton proposal reflects the combined thinking of the Partners, the community, and the planners and professionals that we have worked with. It is environmentally responsible, socially progressive and financially sound. It offers a healthy balance of living, working, and playing options.

If the rezoning application is rejected, or modified dramatically enough that the plan is no longer viable, the owners would need to use the existing zoning and entitlements (forestry and industrial) to pay for itself. Given that the remediation and cement plant deconstruction are substantial costs now associated with the land, it is likely that forestry and industrial activity would increase significantly in order to recover these costs. This, in our opinion, would be an unfortunate outcome and would not be the highest and best use for the land.

The report that the Bamberton investor group was comprised of over 50 people appeared in a letter that was sent to the editor of the local papers by a misinformed writer. While the writer made numerous errors, this was one of them. There are currently 5 investors in the project. All investors (with the exception of one) are active in the project’s operations on a daily basis and have committed heavily to ensuring the project is completed at the highest standards.

The breadth, experience, and commitment brought to the project by this group is exceptional and, if approved, the group intends to fully develop the community from beginning to end.

Bamberton will both enhance and strain existing amenities before the entire roster associated with the project come fully on-line. It will enhance local businesses which are currently slow and foster the creation of others. In some cases there may be short-term challenges but we strongly believe and temporary pain will be worth the long-term gain. The difference with Bamberton, however, is that a master-planned development is required – and does - deliver the increased amenities that the community requires. Alternately, the status-quo for Mill Bay and the surrounding areas is further incremental growth (either from existing lot inventory or spot-development) which also strains resources but offers little hope of community benefits.

Bamberton will provide an immediate, incremental tax-base to help underwrite public services in the area (including fire services).

Bamberton is the opposite of urban sprawl and it is not a bedroom community.

its history as a residential, mixed-use community is among the richest in B.C.

it is not a Greenfield development and much of the required infrastructure is already in place (roads, power, non-potable water, telephone etc.)

the site has a working port and is centrally located on important transportation routes.

one of the most contaminated parts along the Saanich Inlet was entirely remediated and financed by the developer’s own funds.

as developers committed to the triple bottom line we look to the past for solutions which is why Bamberton is envisioned to be a work/live community rather than a typical subdivision like many other developments.

the nature of our buyers (empty nesters, retirees, on-site workers) will ensure that traffic concerns are minimized and that we do not become a bedroom community.

the development plan anticipates a diverse community with a variety of housing types and affordability levels.

the land is only capable of building so much of each product type: our goal has been to minimize our development footprint while ensuring sufficient density.

multi-family is often a more appropriate form of construction that occupies a smaller footprint, which allows for more green space to be left undisturbed.

the CD zone structure should provide for some flexibility knowing that the market is going to change over the years.

we see the Village as a critical part of the development that will drive value to all of the property on the site, and we want to develop it as soon as possible.

we have studied, toured, worked on and developed waterfront villages in the past. They are difficult to develop and require the proper residential and commercial density in order to succeed.

the single biggest risk we run is starting the village too early and having it fail or falter due to a lack of population, which would hurt the entire community.

at this point the market is not ready to purchase the types of multi-family homes that are planned for the area, but we are hoping that this changes over the next few years.

the cost of running services from the Northlands all the way down to the waterfront is another extreme financial challenge in the short-term, and is simply not viable in the first phases at Bamberton.

while the market will drive the Village’s construction and rollout, we hope to begin some smaller scale retail relatively early on.

in the interim, having an industrial “economic engine” that supports employment and generates tax revenue while also helping to build out the site’s infrastructure is an important component for both jobs and tax revenues.

the current industrial uses have leases and tenants tied into them and breaking these commitments is not an option.

with respect to constructing a viable commercial component, Bamberton anticipates coming to the market in the first few years with a substantial amount of affordable housing, non-traditional single family lots (smaller, unique configurations with suites over detached garages etc.), and employee housing. This type of housing is quite different from what is already on the market in the area. It is meant to allow a working population to live at Bamberton while at the same time produce the key population needed to open commercial/retail outlets after the first five years. Further, in our plans for Bamberton we have ensured that small commercial and retail nodes are included in most neighbourhoods, thereby allowing us to phase these services in on a consistent basis as we grow rather than waiting until the final phase. It is not our intention to wait until full build out to construct commercial/retail outlets. We want to build the retail as quickly as the market allows while also ensuring there is enough of a population base to offer the retail operators the best chance of success.

many of the areas within Bamberton will offer employment options, however the industrial employment is targeted toward two areas primarily – clean, deep water port needs and the commercial/industrial campus needs in the Lower Northlands community. These areas are partially in operation and would come on full-stream early in Bamberton’s development.

we understand these concerns however the Upper Northlands is a critical component of the development and are what make us able to offer amenities such as the Southlands dedication(s) to be completely free from development.

we have made modifications to lower the density in the area and significantly revise the planning and design principles to reflect the ultimate in sustainable design while also including strong buffers and extensive connected green space areas. The model community is Village Homes in Davis, California, widely considered the first “sustainable” community in North America.

the Regional Study noted that the Upper Northlands are the logical place to begin the development due to the significant initial cost outlay associated with servicing and infrastructure.

the development’s envisioned environmental systems are also scheduled to roll out via the Northlands, which makes them more cost-effective and feasible.
all market studies show that the highest demand product we have are single-family homes, which are predominant in the Northlands.

The Waterfront Village at Bamberton will likely be the “jewel” of the development and will attract a wide range of artisans, galleries, and businesses. This area will require a well established community and traffic flow in order to ensure its viability and, as such, will be one of the last portions of the development to complete.

Some of the uses anticipated are a hotel, marina, First Nations Cultural Centre, Eco-tourism applications (zip-line, canopy tours), pubs, restaurants, and all of the activities associated with the park (hiking, biking etc.).

Plans for the area will be reviewed with the community as the development of this neighbourhood emerges.

The Bamberton Partners (Three Point Properties and Bamberton Properties LLP) will lead as Master Developer and will administer all design guidelines for the proposed community. In order to bring high quality products to market in a timely manner and to allow construction companies to focus on their strengths (residential, multi-family, concrete etc.), the group will establish relationships with reputable builders and contractors.

While an anchor tenant is an option that Bamberton is considering - and there have been a number of interested parties approach us about fulfilling that role - the notion of a dominant tenant on the site has both positive and negative implications.

A community of the ultimate size that Bamberton will become would likely be better served by a number of healthy businesses and not subject to the risk associated with a single, dominant tenant. Communities around Vancouver Island are all familiar with the “boom and bust” dynamics associated with towns that were based around a single, dominant employer.

Bamberton has a large number of interested, mid-size businesses that like the idea of being part of healthy community in a spectacular location, with affordable and live/work housing components. A collection of these businesses is preferable in many ways to a small group of large corporations.

Not at all if the internal transportation networks are planned properly. In fact, communities without associated employment and industry have a much larger likelihood of becoming “bedroom communities” where people tend to need to leave home to work and socialize. This leads to situations where people are forced to use vehicles to work, shop, and be entertained. In contrast, healthy communities, in our opinion, offer a range of living and working options within them and nearby. Bamberton is a good example of a former company town where people lived, worked, recreated, and were educated within the community.

A vibrant working community not only reduces the need for traditional traffic patterns, but it also helps ensure that the area remains active during the business day. Shops, restaurants, and clinics are able to thrive due to a constant flow of commerce.

Additionally, by having a wide range of employment and housing opportunities, Bamberton can ensure that groups such as the volunteer fire departments are staffed and operational during normal business hours. Many volunteer fire departments are struggling to respond to daytime calls due to the need for their members to work away from the community. Bamberton is planned as “the natural metamorphosis of a company town”, where a diverse range of businesses will coexist with the residential community in order to create a strong economy and vibrant community.

The Haul Road (formerly used to haul limestone from Cobble Hill/Kingzette Lake to Bamberton), is not currently being used but portions are owned by Bamberton, South Island Timberlands, and a series of other landowners. The road was well constructed and has fared well with minimal maintenance over the past decades but will be lost if not maintained and repaired in upcoming years. The road passes through the Bamberton interchange (overpass/underpass) and is a key piece of transportation infrastructure for the future needs of the community. The Bamberton project team intends to work with the Regional District and other landowners to ensure that this capability is retained.

Oliphant Lake and the lands surrounding it are private property. Oliphant Lake will serve as the potable water source for the proposed community and as such will be expanded to serve this purpose. Although the land is private property, hikers and cyclists frequently access the area for recreational purposes and Bamberton has not discouraged responsible activities on the land. If, and when, the lake is used a community water source, there will be access restrictions placed on portions of the area (in accordance with normal community health requirements for surface water sources – similar to the Sooke Lake water reservoir). Bamberton will endeavour to ensure that as much access as possible is maintained to the area while maintaining a balance between public interest and public safety.

If the proposed development plans do not proceed and the F-1 forestry zoning is retained, access to the land will be restricted to allow for logging, planting, and other forestry operations.

Most of the Bamberton property faces east and as such has great exposure to the morning sun. As the sun sets in the west, the site does grow dark earlier than the other side of the inlet. While this may be a consideration in our planning process, it is factor outside of our control and it has not prevented many successful communities from being established with similar orientations (Sausalito, Sidney, New York, Boston, Miami, and Mill Bay as examples). We believe that with proper development plans in place this potential issue can be mitigated and overcome as it has been in other communities.

The Bamberton planning process has tried to ensure that viewscapes are protected as much as possible from the water. Large portions of the site will be preserved as parks, public and green space. Much of the waterfront will remain publicly accessible. While it is unusual for large portions of waterfront to not be developed, it will form a unique public amenity that can be enjoyed by the entire community and future generations. It will also ensure that private docks do not proliferate along the shoreline (the marina activity will be concentrated in a central point within the Waterfront Village) where access is simpler and environmental facilities can be in place (holding tank pump out facilities, fuel management processes, enviro spill kits etc.).

The south portion of the property (Southlands) which is over 300 acres will be turned into a regional amenity. This area, which marks the entrance to Finlayson Arm, will be complemented on the other side of the inlet by Gowland Todd Provincial Park and create a beautiful, and natural viewscape.

Development sites at Bamberton are proposed to take place in areas that were previously the hardest hit by industrial and logging activity. These are portions of the property that were previously contaminated, the site of industrial buildings, or areas that were previously logged.

Building lots have been planned to retain as much natural vegetation as possible. Instead of clearing the building sites to put services in and create viewscapes, care will be taken to located building envelopes in such a way as to retain natural spaces.

Comprehensive design guidelines have been developed to ensure that buildings conform to the natural landscape. The use of natural materials (such as wood, rock, and landscaping materials) will be intended to have structures blend into the surroundings rather than “stand out” from them.

Much of the single family residential construction will be located on benches that are above the waterfront areas and not easily visible from the waterfront.

The Waterfront Village will be obvious when viewed from the water but will be an attractive and vibrant community that will be infinitely more appealing than the derelict cement plant that it replaces.

based on water consumption figures throughout the province as well as our own Dockside Green development we do not believe our water consumption estimates are at all aggressive. Still, per the Trillium study’s recommendation, we are prepared and willing prove it over time through constraints imposed on our development: we would only be able to develop to the point where we can prove that there is sufficient water available. With that in mind, we would also reserve the rights to any excess capacity that exists if our water assumptions are proven correct (or conservative) over the life of the development.

a Phased Development Agreement (PDA) will govern the terms of water usage approvals and ensure that development is not approved unless there are sufficient water quantities – in other words, we would not be asking to proceed if we were not confident that we could do this.

water is a signature feature of our development and will be treated like the precious resource that it is.

we contend that the current water consumption rates/targets are archaic and require a serious revision to properly reflect the advances in technology and usage (for example, Dockside Green). As comparison, consider:
- 540 litres per person per day (lppd) is the measure used by the CVRD,
- 490 lppd is the historical average in BC without any extra conservation measures,
- Victoria is now 297 lppd,
- the Canadian average is 330 lppd, and
- Dockside Green is under 200 lppd.
- Bamberton has made its estimates based on 330 lppd.

please see the separate water and sewage briefs for more detailed information.

The notion of a single, massive, community sewer system for the South Sector of the CVRD may no longer be practical. Major (potential) subscribers to the system (Brentwood College, Mill Bay Centre, Mill Springs) have already developed independent treatment systems and would be unlikely to contribute substantially to a the creation of a new, centralized system.

Massive, centralized treatment systems (with outfalls) are becoming less common throughout BC and the world. Treatment technology has matured to the point where smaller modular treatment plants are viable and in many ways preferable. Ecologically, it makes more sense to use and treat water that has been gathered from one eco-system and return the water back to the area that previously relied upon it rather than carrying it for large distances and sending it through an outfall, thereby depriving the local ecosystem of the water that it previously relied upon.

Bamberton has the resources (water and local drain fields) to supply the development, treat its sewage waste, and dispose of the effluent all on-site. It would not pose a burden on the existing services in Mill Bay and parts or all of the system could eventually be assumed by the CVRD if desired.

traffic has long been a concern around Bamberton and was a major reason for our revised plan in December 2007 and, more recently, in July 2009.

Bamberton is proposed to be a community that is self-sustaining and that offers a wide range of employment opportunities on-site, thereby decreasing traffic volumes substantially.

also as was noted in the Trillium Report the nature of our buyers (who are expected to be of all ages and stages including a large retiree/pre-retiree population, as well as many who work from home and who work on-site or in Duncan/Mill Bay) likely will result in many fewer cars on the road to/from Victoria.

we have also planned for extensive transportation demand management (TDM) initiatives including a park ‘n ride, transit incentives, a car co-op, the potential relocation of the ferry etc.

in future, commuter rail is another major opportunity to decrease traffic concerns.

the Trillium Report also recommended periodic traffic studies as a part of the Development Permit process.

Bamberton will create a significant (and diverse) tax-base which will contribute to the local economy and help underwrite the emerging community and infrastructure needs (including road maintenance and upgrading).

Bamberton currently offers the best traffic access to the Malahat Highway in the area via its pre-existing highway overpass/underpass and northbound and southbound acceleration and deceleration lanes. This facility is under-utilized and with future improvements would be a superior way to manage traffic in the Mill Bay area.

The former “Haul Road” that runs between Bamberton, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, and Cobble Hill represents an important, long-term community benefit that is currently not being used. The re-establishment of this road could reduce current traffic demands on the portions of the Malahat Highway that run through Mill Bay and Cobble Hill.

The Saanich Inlet Study stated that development on the inlet should be done at the highest standards in order to ensure that the fragile ecosystem was protected. The proposals for the Bamberton development meet (and in most cases surpass) the recommendations.<

A tertiary treatment plant will be constructed for sewage on the site that will produce Class A effluent (drinking water standards in many countries such as Singapore), and the treated water will be re-used for many non-potable purposes (water features, toilet flushing, irrigation, industrial uses etc.) on the site. Any unused effluent will be discharged into gravel drainfields where it is estimated that complete purification will occur prior to the water travelling three feet into the ground. Eventually, of course, this water re-enters that ecosystem, aquifer, and Saanich Inlet, however it is as clean, or cleaner than if it were not used at all.

Similarly, storm water and run-off will be treated using bio-swales and other best practices for residential development.

The cleanup and remediation of the Bamberton site by the Bamberton Partners likely did more to improve the quality of the Saanich Inlet than any other single activity. Over 30 million cubic feet of metal contaminated cement kiln dust were gathered and contained inside of a closed containment system at Bamberton that will prevent the material from re-entering the natural systems.

Individuals and groups – including independent professionals and the Ministry of Environment- that have taken the time to understand the cleanup processes used and the proposed measures to ensure ongoing high environmental standards have most often been impressed rather than critical of our approach.

This concern has been brought up by some residents of the Inlet Drive area, and Bamberton has pledged to be very careful to ensure that new businesses operate at exceptionally high margins of safety. Further, the hydro geologist working on behalf of the Inlet Drive community confirmed that the plans proposed by Bamberton did not present a risk to the existing aquifer.

Dockside Green is a transformational community that is being well received by both local consumers and worldwide observers. It has won over thirty prestigious awards (including one of the first LEED Platinum community accreditations, the American Institute of Architects – AIA – award as one of the top 10 sustainable communities and the 2009 Georgie award for the best residential development in BC). Like all real estate developments, it has been impacted by the worldwide real estate slowdown, but continues to outpace the market in unit sales, customer satisfaction, and environmental standards. The Clinton Climate Initiative recently named it one of only 16 “Climate Positive” developments across the world.

If future development is going to occur in the Cowichan Valley (and by all assessments it will), we believe that the community would be well served by setting high standards and demanding that developers meet those standards. The proposal put forth by Bamberton for the site is by most objective assessments world-class in terms of social, environmental, and economic objectives.

The Bamberton Partners believe that “traditional developments” (those based on standard water, energy, and resource use) will become increasingly challenged in the coming years. Technologies that have been proposed for Bamberton (such as water and energy conservation) which, by today’s standards are innovative, will become common-place among progressive developments in the future. To demand anything less would be a disservice to the community.

Bamberton is the site of an existing deep water port that has been in operation since 1912. The cleanup and remediation of the site has resulted in one of the major risk factors to the inlet (contaminant leachate) being mitigated. The $20M cleanup (and ongoing monitoring) that Bamberton has completed is a big step forward in improving the inlet’s water quality. Additionally, the creosote pilings and foreshore materials are in the process of being replaced as part of the foreshore redevelopment.

This means that there will not be a proliferation of private docks dotting the foreshore, and that the proposed marina will be contained in a compact area at the central waterfront. This will serve as a location for visitors and passengers to access the site, along with a proposed new terminal for the BC Ferry from Brentwood Bay. By having a central location for the marine activities, the majority of the natural foreshore can be protected and central services (fuel management, emergency response capabilities, pump-out stations etc.) can be offered in a central and efficient manner.

Bamberton’s sewage treatment and storm water management practices are the best in business. All sewage is treated to Class A standards and recycled water is used throughout the site for non-potable purposes (toilet flushing, irrigation, water features, and industrial uses). Any treated water that is not required for other purposes is discharged into gravel based drain fields where it is naturally purified as it travels to the existing aquifer(s) or eventually migrates to the inlet. Based on the quality of the treated water being discharged, it is estimated that only three feet of travel distance is required through the gravel before the water is completely cleansed.

as our closest neighbour, Bamberton is committed to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Malahat as well as all the other First Nations in the area.

other area bands will benefit from economic opportunities in the form of employment and training opportunities.

Bamberton will respect all First Nations in our planning processes, however, we will focus our plans on the relationship with Malahat.

Bamberton has been privileged to develop a strong dialogue and understanding with the staff and leadership of the Malahat First Nation. Chief Daniels and the Band Councillors have been very gracious in expressing their concerns, desires, and expectations of any proposed development plans within the band’s traditional territory (especially as it relates to Yos Mountain – also known as Mount Jeffery).

The developer has discussed sharing of resources (both natural and constructed), to assist both communities (Bamberton and Malahat) to provide for their residents. We hope to ensure that infrastructure (sewer systems, water treatment plants, biomass plants etc.) will be shared across both communities.

Malahat has been asked to play a key role in shaping the Bamberton project.

community development experience shows that , the vast majority of large areas donated for “nature” or “parkland” are only used by residents and/or the public if the areas are properly managed with trail systems and/or minimally invasive activities. The Southlands, by nature of its topography and sheer size, would only be accessible by a small minority of the population if it were not managed in a way that encouraged “average” visitors to make a trip to see the land.

this will remain an ongoing dialogue between Bamberton, the CVRD and the community.