The municipality of Highlands (inc 1993) is a ruggedly beautiful rural residential community of barely more than 2000 people. This is country life for those who relish privacy and untamed natural surroundings. Not that it’s a remote or unreachable location – it’s a short commute to communities on the Saanich Peninsula like Brentwood Bay and Royal Oak, or View Royal and other western communities, depending on which end of the Highlands you are coming from! Even the city of Victoria is certainly within a reasonable commuting distance.
Yet it seems worlds away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and residents of Highlands like it that way! There are no residential subdivisions by design, and people are encouraged to build homes that minimize impact on the environment and blend into the natural surroundings by avoiding vegetation removal, using natural construction materials, and when possible, ensuring the home is hidden from the road and viewpoints.
The homes you will find here vary quite a bit, from summer cabins to single family dwellings and on up to gorgeous waterfront estate properties. Land value is reduced compared to other municipalities due to the fact that there are fewer amenities for the tax base to support, and this means properties can be quite reasonable, for those who like the rural flavour.
If you are looking for privacy, you won’t find a better place in Greater Victoria to look for it, but it doesn’t mean you have to be alone. Citizens in this community are very supportive of one another, as is often the case in smaller centres, and there are a number of annual and ongoing community activities you may wish to participate in, like the Highlands Markets held the last Sunday of the month May through September where you can buy locally grown produce, fresh eggs and honey, or crafts. Maybe you would enjoy the opportunity to get together with your neighbours at the Highlands Coffee House, the second Saturday of the month October through August. Both events take place at the Caleb Pike Heritage Park, which is the site of many local happenings, from council meetings to the Easter Egg Hunt.
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