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Salt Spring Island Real Estate

MLS homes for sale by Scott Simmons

Could Ganges grow up?

August 28, 2014 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

In Response to the August 20th Driftwood article “More Planning crucial for a healthy economy”

Channel Ridge land
Channel Ridge land
Channel Ridge land
Channel Ridge land
Channel Ridge land
Channel Ridge land

As John Tylee, chair of the Salt Spring Community Economic Development Commission, states in last week’s Driftwood; “The last decades have seen tremendous advances in understanding how to create exciting places. Encouraging downtown living to maximize after hour activities, making the most of water features, ensuring public spaces are easily navigable for pedestrians, and providing wayfinding so visitors feel safe to explore — these techniques are successful throughout the world. But they are conspicuously absent in Ganges.”

I totally agree with the statement above. Cities and towns around the world are seeing benefits of building a livable, workable, walkable core. There seems to be a worldwide trend against the car-dependent suburban/rural sprawl development model that dominates the Salt Spring landscape.

If “Salt Spring” could build up Ganges, in the process it could gain the following: 1) A larger location, for NSSWD, to build a water treatment plant thus avoiding the restrictive Tripp Road location. 2) Extinguish the future cost of building a new fire hall in the north end. 3) PARC could have land for a much-needed multi-sports field complex. 4) The island could get a much-needed industrial/business park.

Could all this be done?

The basic idea would see Salt Spring purchase the bankrupt 830-acre Channel Ridge development for approximately $10 million or so. The purchase would include the 306 transferable lot densities, 17 strata lots that are almost ready to sell, the right to build 75,000 square feet of buildings in the village area and the 65-km trail system.

The 306 densities could be sold in blocks of 37 units to developers who could buy 1.2-hectare properties in Ganges and build condo buildings. Ganges could end up with eight or so six-storey condo buildings. An example of a receiver lot, in Ganges, could be the current Irwin Collision auto body shop land. Here is the Island trust map which shows the donor and receiver areas on Salt Spring;ssbylbaseocp0434map26

Let’s just say for argument’s sake that the lot densities could be sold at $50,000 each for a total price of approximately $15 million. The 17-lot strata subdivision could be sold as a package to a developer for, let’s say, $1.7 million.

The Channel Ridge village site could be rezoned commercial/industrial and sold as a packaged mini business park with 10 subdivided small industrial lots. map of Channel Ridge

The business park might fetch $2.5 million or so.

In total, Salt Spring could potentially make approximately $9 million plus all the yearly property taxes that could help subsidize our pool, library, transit, fire service, schools, etc.

Some of these funds would need to be spent on increasing the Ganges sewer capacity, buying a ladder truck for the fire department and maybe subsidizing all the water districts on the island proportionally, thus relieving the beleaguered water district property owners.

At the end of the day, Salt Spring could change and be a greener island with less car-dependent rural/suburban sprawl and have a built-up walkable Ganges with approximately 500 or so new residents living in the core.

Please note that this article is not about incorporation and or the roles of local government. This is about the ideal of what could happen if we all worked together for the common good of the island. I have used the term “Salt Spring” as if it was an all-encompassing entity.

Here is an information sheet about Channel Ridge properties. Channel+Ridge+Brochure Please note Channel Ridge has sold for 6.6 mil.

Cheers
Scott Simmons

Please note this article was published in the Driftwood on August 27, 2014.

Filed Under: Salt Spring News

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Salt Spring Real Estate Market Report

If you are looking for Salt Spring Island Real Estate it would be well worth your time to check out my Salt Spring Market Report pages.

To help you search for a Salt Spring home for sale I have two systems you can use.  One is a map based mobile search system for tablets and/or phones. This system works really well if you are on Salt Spring, as it will automatically show you properties as you drive around the island.

The other system is a data base (Advanced MLS system or PCS) for laptops or desktops.

These two systems display information in real time, which allows you to view new listings within one second of them coming on the market. You will also find the “sold” prices of homes, as well as other useful information.

Radio Real Estate Shows

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July 18, 2018 By Scott Simmons 2 Comments

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Ban on Dual Agency BC

June 16, 2018 By Scott Simmons 2 Comments

On June 15th, 2018 the ban on dual agency just came into effect in BC. Here is a post I wrote about how the new rules will change the way I do business on Salt Spring New Rules for BC Real Estate As a continuation of the New Rules post, what happens if we are […]

New Rules for BC Real Estate

June 16, 2018 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

On the 15th of June 2018, the new rules governing BC real estate have come into effect. If you come to Salt Spring to look at homes and or land Scott will go over the form below and ask you if you would like agency representation and ask you to sign this Disclosure-of-Representation-in-Trading-Services as a represented part […]

Salt Spring Island Trust Land Use Zoning bylaw 355

February 17, 2018 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

On Salt Spring Island the Island Trust is responsible for our local zoning.  You can find our zoning info here at the Salt Spring Island Trust LUB 355. The bylaw has maps that cover every part of the island.  Believe it or not every few months or so I get an email from someone saying […]

Is an offer an sale?

January 26, 2018 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

This last month I had an accepted offer on a home and had a backup offer come in.  The backup offer was a very weak offer because the condition precedent (subject to clause) was so subjective.  It was subject to the buyer viewing and liking the lot.  Normally no one would take an offer like […]

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SALT SPRING NEWS

Salt Spring Housing Crisis explained

July 12, 2018 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

Is Salt Spring in the middle of a housing crisis?  It all depends on who you talk to and what one defines as a crisis. If you move to Salt Spring and have limited funds and are looking to rent a home at about $1000 per month your probably out of luck.  There are basically […]

Candidate for Regional Director CREA

March 7, 2017 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

I’m running for the position of board member Regional Director for BC for the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA).  Below is my official platform after edits suggested by CREA lawyers. My name is Scott Simmons. I’m a REALTOR® on Salt Spring Island BC. If you go to the REALTOR.ca site and put in Salt Spring […]

CRD sewer and solid waste

January 23, 2017 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

The nuts and bolts of local goverment are really the non glamours basics of water, sewer and garbage (solid waste).   The CRD is the local service provider for Salt Spring.  On the night of 24 Nov 2016 Russ Smith Senior Manager, Environmental Resource Management for the CRD put on a waste presentation.  Here is a […]

Incorporation – A Third Option: Self-governance with contracted services

May 11, 2016 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

This was just posted on the Salt Spring exchange in 4 parts.  I have permission from John Gauld the author to publish this document on my Salt Spring web site;   SSI is known as a community that questions conventional practices and is creative and innovative in its response to community challenges. Perhaps the up-coming […]

Salt Spring’s new SSIWPA PAC

November 4, 2014 By Scott Simmons 2 Comments

If you live on Salt Spring you have to get used to all the acronyms.  If you have not heard of SSIWPA it’s because it’s new.   SSIWPA stands for Salt Spring Island WaterShed Protection Authority.  Today  was the first meeting of the SSIWPA PAC (Public Advisory Committee). The ideal behind SSIWPA is that it […]

 

Critical Salt Spring Buying Info

Ban on Dual Agency BC

June 16, 2018 By Scott Simmons 2 Comments

On June 15th, 2018 the ban on dual agency just came into effect in BC. Here is a post I wrote about how the new rules will change the way I do business on Salt Spring New Rules for BC Real Estate As a continuation of the New Rules post, what happens if we are […]

New Rules for BC Real Estate

June 16, 2018 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

On the 15th of June 2018, the new rules governing BC real estate have come into effect. If you come to Salt Spring to look at homes and or land Scott will go over the form below and ask you if you would like agency representation and ask you to sign this Disclosure-of-Representation-in-Trading-Services as a represented part […]

Sun Path Chart

Does the home get sunlight?

February 28, 2013 By Scott Simmons 1 Comment

If you’re planning to live on Salt Spring year-round, one of the most important things to consider when buying a property is SUNLIGHT. Do the neighbor’s trees or a mountain block the sun during the winter months?  According to Salt Spring real estate mythology, “If they buy in August, they will list in November and […]

Aggregate Days on the Market

January 2, 2012 By Scott Simmons Leave a Comment

What are “aggregate days on the market”? On the Victoria Real Estate board an agent can “Re-List” a property for a mere $25 fee.  An example would be if a home has been listed on the board for 180 days the listing can be taken off the market and then “Re-Listed” and appear to be […]

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