May 15, 2024
Town of Sidney Council Meeting Highlights: May 13, 2024
Sidney, BC
Highlights from regular Council meetings provide a brief summary of some items of broad public interest. The summary is not inclusive of all agenda items. Please refer to sidney.civicweb.net/Portal for the full agenda, minutes, and webcast.
Council approves 140-unit rental building with below-market units at 2180 Beacon Avenue West
A new five-storey apartment building on the northwest corner of Beacon Avenue West and Highway 17 has been approved by Council. The building will include 140-rental units, including 28 units to be rented out at 20% below market value for 20 years. The development is aligned with the Official Community Plan which identified this area as a potential site for higher density multi-family residential development to meet housing needs.
Quote from Mayor Cliff McNeil Smith:
“This is an important housing development for the community. It is the second time in a generation that purpose-built rental housing has been developed in Sidney with below-market rental units. It is located on one of the last vacant properties in the community and will help meet critical workforce housing needs – supporting our economy and making Sidney a more complete community.”
Revised Plans for 2180 Beacon Ave West Video (48:46)
Sidney joining Provincial pilot project for electric kick scooters
Electric kick scooters (motorized scooters with two or four wheels, a platform for standing and handlebars for steering) are now legally permitted on streets in Sidney as part of a Provincial pilot project running until April 2028. Electric kick scooters are allowed to operate on streets in the same spaces where bicycles are permitted. Riders must be 16 years of age or older and are required to wear a helmet and keep speed below 25km/hour. Participating in the pilot project will allow the Town to provide input on potential changes to the Motor Vehicle Act related to electric kick scooters.
Quote from Mayor Cliff McNeil Smith:
“We are pleased to join many other communities in the CRD in this pilot project. As a flat and compact community, Sidney is an ideal place to allow this form of alternative transportation.”
New bike rack being installed outside Gray’s Café as part of Town’s cost-sharing initiative
A new year-round bike rack will soon be installed in a parking space outside of Gray’s Café (2520 Bevan Avenue) as part of a cost-sharing initiative developed by the Town in 2022 to support active transportation. Under a cost-shared bike rack policy, businesses pay for the cost of a bike rack, and the Town covers the cost of installation on public property. Since there is insufficient space on the sidewalk for the bike rack, one parking space will be converted into a parking area suitable for parking 5-10 bikes. The Town’s 2022 Downtown Parking Study indicates that this parking space is not heavily utilized, with less than 50% use during peak times.