FIRST STEPS (2016)
Survey by Polaris Surveying – Summer 2016
Attended Islands Trust Affordable Housing Conference – Cowichan Bay, July 2016
Riparian area plan by Gooding Hydrology – Fall 2016
Received $30,000 Seed Funding grant from CMHC – October 2016
Preliminary site plan by D. Gunn Designs – Winter 2016
PROGRESS in 2017
Submitted rezoning application and proposal report – February 14, 2017
Ongoing meetings with Islands Trust planner, Rob Milne, started Spring 2017
Well #1 drilled – May 2017
Well tested for flow-rate (showed that the well can provide the water requirements for 30 homes) & tested for water quality (MB Labs certified potability)
Drainage & stormwater management plan by Gooding Hydrology – May 2017
Septic engineer site visit – June 2017
Meeting with Island Savings Credit Union to inform them of our project – Spring 2017
Public Information Meeting – June 11th, 2017 with public site tours
Many meetings and phone conversations with home builders of manufactured homes, modular homes, flat-pack homes, etc.
Attended Affordable Housing Water Forums – Fall 2016 & Feb 2017
Presentation of Staff Report at LTC Meeting on July 20, 2017, where the trustees voted Yes to prepare the rezoning bylaw
Meeting with BC Housing with regard to funding our project – July 19, 2017
Groundwater Licence application for the well with Ministry of Forests, Land and Natural Resources (FLNRO) – submitted first week of August, 2017
Archaeological Assessment Report done by Chris Arnett, PhD in August, 2017 concluded that “no items of archaeological significance were identified on Lot A, Section 20″
Discussion with VanCity – August, 2017
Ongoing home design & site plan by Donald Gunn, July & August 2017
Floor plans for home designs for 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom home in progress
RAR (Riparian Area Report) to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRO) received approval September 19, 2017
Presentation to CRD Transportation Commission – September 25, 2017
First reading of draft bylaw for rezoning passed – October 5, 2017
Registered as a not-for-profit society “Dragonfly Commons Housing Society” – October 2017
Submitted application for subdivision to Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in progress (MOTI) in November 2017
Affordable Housing Agreement – Dragonfly subcommittee worked on the draft of this agreement and it was sent to the Islands Trust in Jan 2018
December 2017 held first AGM for Dragonfly Commons Housing Society
Presentation for Probus organization – June, 2017
PROGRESS in 2018
Met with BC Housing representative January 2018
Islands Trust agency referrals have gone out, have received all responses now – see blog posting
In discussion with Islands Trust Fund Board regarding putting a protective covenant on the undeveloped part of the property (approximately half the land) – had site visit March 2018
Attended Housing Council meeting March 12, 2018
Presentation at the library – March 20th – Fernando presented Dragonfly Commons at the well-attended Transitions Tiny Home talk
Discussions & research in the past year lead to the decision to change the Dragonfly model from home ownership to affordable rental in May 2018
Working through the agreement with BC Housing regarding construction financing, 2018
Research regarding the Private Water Utility licence (CPCN) during 2018
Presentation to CRD Parc Commission regarding their request of $15,000 for cash-in-lieu on April 16th at 5pm, Portlock portable – see blog post
May 11, 2018 – Well #2 drilled, another gusher! we capped it, of course.
August 2018 – hydrogeologist performs well-water pump test on Well #2
PROGRESS in 2019
Subdivision (MOTI) agency referrals have gone out to NSSW, VIHA, Canada Post, BC Hydro, fourteen First Nations and CRD
Sept 2019 – Well-pump test of Well #2, requested by FLNRO, by Gooding Hydrogeology and Alan Kohut, senior hydrogeologist
PROGRESS in 2020
August 27, 2020 – Site visit with FLNRO water officers Tanya Dunlop and Regional Hydrogeologist Sylvia Barroso
Hydrogeologist reports and waiting for the Groundwater Licence…
PROGRESS in 2021
April 2021 – after 4 long years, we were granted our Groundwater Licence!
April 2021 – the Dragonfly Commons board started to meet regularly again, once we received our Water Licence we could start to make progress
May 2021 – started rezoning discussions with Geordie Gordon, our Islands Trust planner, who was helpful and cooperative
May 27, 2021 – attended North Salt Spring Waterworks District NSSWD board meeting to propose a collaboration between them and Dragonfly Commons
May 31, 2021 – gave a tour of the Dragonfly property to the NSSWD board members
June 2021 – started research into how to apply for the CMHC Housing Supply Challenge grant
June 2021 – meeting with Michael Smith, Community Services regarding affordable housing in general and the Housing Council
June & July 2021 – Discussions with reporter Jimmy at Capital Daily, an online new site based in Victoria
July 27, 2021 – passed First Reading with flying colours, for our revised rezoning bylaw, with hearty support and well-wishes from the trustees
July 2021 – Capital Daily article about Salt Spring Island affordable housing and water crisis: https://www.capitaldaily.ca/news/salt-spring-islands-duelling-crises
August, 2021 – grant writing for the CMHC Housing Supply Challenge
UPCOMING & ONGOING in 2021
Prepare documentation and reports requested by the Islands Trust to move to second reading: a) an Affordable Housing Agreement and b) a Water Management Report
Second reading for rezoning bylaw – fall 2021
Second Public Information Meeting – fall 2021
CLOSURE 2024
After much thought, the decision was made to wind up the project (see blog post April2024 for more details).