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McLoughlin Point lot won't make the cut for sewage plant

The small, low-lying lot at McLoughin Point is unsuitable to safely house such a large, centralized sewage plant.

Despite all of the arguments around the Victoria sewage plan, the small size of McLoughlin Point remains a major clog.

No matter how the Capital Regional District attempts to market it; the small, low-lying lot at McLoughin Point is unsuitable to safely house such a large, centralized sewage plant.

The CRD rezoning application requested approval for a building with zero setback on all of the lot’s land boundaries and only a one and a half metre setback on sections of the waterfront.

This request is in stark contrast to the provincial government’s own waterfront setback recommendation of a minimum of 15 metres. In addition, the low lying lot is in a tsunami zone requiring a high protective wall that could endanger sea life and migratory birds. The seawall elevation also requires the sewage structure to exceed current harbour height restrictions.

These facts should not surprise the CRD, since a 2009 report prepared for them considered McLoughlin Point unsuitable and too small. Poor CRD planning and a too small a lot is to blame for the escalating costs of the sewage project.

Norma Brown

Esquimalt