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Chris and Charmaine Phillips say the district’s Environmental Development Permit Area (EDPA) bylaw prevents them from altering or improving most of their 1.5-acre property. This has carved almost 45 per cent from the land’s assessed value, they claim.

Our case is minor compared to some of the horrible stories in the neighbourhood.

The couple moved from the Cayman Islands to Saanich for their retirement, and bought a waterfront property four years ago, for $1.75 million. They intended to tear down the 1970s-era house, which they describe as “horrible,” and build a new one. They soon discovered their property is considered ecologically sensitive and is covered under the EDPA, which came into effect just two months before their purchase.

They say they are prevented from doing anything with their property, away from their current home’s footprint. They commissioned reports from two professional biologists in an appeal to the district’s EDPA edict. The reports concluded the property is not ecologically sensitive, to no avail; they were ignored, claim the Phillips.

Given the restrictions placed on their land, they doubt they could even sell it. According to Chris Phillips, Saanich’s manager of environmental services said the district “owns” his property.

“You just rent from us,” Adriane Pollard allegedly told him.

Pollard denies having ever said that. She insists the EDPA isn’t nearly as onerous as some folks make it out, noting that most municipalities have an equivalent, or something resembling it.