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Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 (Housing Statutes Bills 44 & 47)
First seen: October 7, 2025
Last seen: February 24, 2026
Lifecycle Timeline
February 24, 2026Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan Review and Update - Western Gateway Corridor
Council and staff discuss detailed land use plans for the Western Gateway, focusing on building heights, types of businesses, and environmental protection.
"Extensive discussion occurred regarding building heights. Staff (Leanne Taylor) clarified that 6 stories is the 'sweet spot' for financial viability (wood-frame), while 4 stories is often not viable and 10+ requires concrete. Councilor Rogers expressed concern about a 'canyon' of 6-story buildings and the loss of green space. Mayor Tobias and others supported the 'Neighborhood Village' concept near the Atkins mobility hub, potentially including an arts center and hotel. Council debated the 'red blob' (commercial designation) on Wilfert Road, eventually moving to retain its 2011 mixed-use status to allow daycare and residential options."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Council retain the 2011 OCP land use designation of Neighborhood Mixed Use for the parcels on Wilfert Road currently shown as Commercial in the draft Western Gateway scenario."
Moved by: Gery Lemon
Seconded by: Ron Mattson
Ron Mattson
Alison MacKenzie
Don Brown
Damian Kowalewich
John Rogers
Sid Tobias
Gery Lemon
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT staff and the OCP Advisory Committee be complimented for their hard work and efforts on the Western Gateway planning."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: Sid Tobias
December 2, 2025Council
Full RecordingStaff Report: Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025
Staff presented updates to the town's long-term plan to follow new provincial housing laws.
"Staff detailed how the map was updated to exclude parcels without SSMUH zoning. Council discussed provincial deadlines (Dec 31) and noted that View Royal has already exceeded its first-year housing targets by 234%."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT the report dated November 24, 2025 from the Director of Development Services titled "Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025" be received for information."
Moved by: Don Brown
Seconded by: Gery Lemon
Don Brown
Gery Lemon
Sid Tobias
Ron Mattson
John Rogers
December 2, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025
A public hearing to discuss changing the town's housing plan to allow for more multi-unit buildings near transit.
"Public members expressed concern over the 'painting with the same brush' approach to neighborhoods. Laura Webster queried how six units could fit on standard lots without parking. Jody Zwicker asked about restrictive covenants on titles. Vicki Keown questioned the infrastructure's capacity (sewers/stormwater) to handle increased density. The Chair and Councillor Mattson clarified that these changes are provincial mandates and that the town has limited the total floor area to mitigate impacts."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT the letter dated December 1, 2025 from N. Paltiel, Island View Land Management, Re: Official Community Plan Bylaw Update on the Western Gateway Designation be received."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: Don Brown
John Rogers
Ron Mattson
Don Brown
Sid Tobias
Gery Lemon
December 2, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 A Bylaw to Amend Official Community Plan No. 811, 2011 to Introduce New Land Use Designations for the Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) and Hospital Transit-Oriented Area, and New Housing Policies to Align the Official Community Plan with the 5 and 20-Year Housing Need in accordance with the Province of BC's Bill 44 - Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 and Bill 47 - Housing Statutes (Transit-Oriented Areas) Amendment Act, 2023 (third reading and adoption)
Council gave third reading and adoption to the OCP amendment integrating provincially mandated land use designations for small-scale, multi-unit housing and the hospital transit-oriented area.
"Despite acknowledging the work of staff, the majority of Council members expressed strong disapproval of the provincial overreach and mandates (Bills 44 and 47), calling them undemocratic and concerns about associated infrastructure costs. Mayor Tobias and Councillor Brown voted against adoption, arguing that View Royal had already exceeded its housing targets and should not comply with measures that inflate land value. Councillors Mattson, Lemon, and Rogers supported the adoption reluctantly, fearing that rejecting it would result in punitive measures or even worse forced regulations from the Province."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Official Community Plan No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be given third reading and adoption."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Ron Mattson
Sid Tobias
Don Brown
John Rogers
November 18, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025
Council took steps to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) to align with provincial mandates for small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH). They rescinded the previous second reading, passed specific technical amendments related to land use designations, and scheduled a public hearing for December 2, 2025.
"Staff presented revisions to the OCP amendment after an initial reading, specifically adjusting land use designations to ensure only parcels already zoned for SSMUH were included in the new SSMUH land use designation, thereby retaining Residential or Large Lot Residential designations for other parcels. This addressed Council concerns from the previous meeting and maintained existing land designations in areas like Lund Road. Council rescinded the prior second reading, passed the amendments, gave a new second reading, and scheduled a public hearing."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be amended as follows: 1. retain the Residential and Large Lot Residential Land Use Designation for all parcels not currently zoned for small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) in the Zoning Bylaw; 2. amend the land use designation from Residential and Large Lot Residential to the new SSMUH land use designation for those parcels within SSMUH; and 3. update the existing land designation table and map in the Official Community Plan to reflect the proposed changes."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: Don Brown
Ron Mattson
Alison MacKenzie
Sid Tobias
John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Don Brown
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be given second reading as amended."
Moved by: Gery Lemon
Seconded by: Ron Mattson
Ron Mattson
Alison MacKenzie
Sid Tobias
John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Don Brown
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT a public hearing for Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be scheduled for December 2, 2025."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: Gery Lemon
Ron Mattson
Alison MacKenzie
Sid Tobias
John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Don Brown
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Council rescind second reading of Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025."
Moved by: Don Brown
Seconded by: Ron Mattson
Ron Mattson
Alison MacKenzie
Sid Tobias
John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Don Brown
November 4, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025
"Staff presented OCP amendments designed to meet provincial housing mandates. The changes include enabling up to six units on residential lots (SSMUH) and allowing high-density mixed-use (up to 10 storeys) near the Victoria General Hospital. Residents Judy Estrin and Doug Wilson pointed out major mapping errors in the proposal. They stated that approximately 146 lots in the Chilco area, which were legally exempt from the provincial SSMUH zoning, were incorrectly designated for higher density in the draft OCP maps, while over 200 actual SSMUH lots were missing. Councillor Rogers clarified the 'Tier 2' transit-oriented area requirements, and Mayor Tobias confirmed that these areas would have no mandatory parking requirements for residential uses."
November 4, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025
The bylaw to update the Official Community Plan (OCP) to comply with new provincial housing density mandates was sent back to staff for revision due to concerns that the proposed land use map may misrepresent the zoning status of some residential properties.
"Council discussed public concerns regarding potential inconsistencies arising from collapsing existing residential and large lot residential land designations into the new Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Residential designation. Staff clarified that the OCP provides high-level policy, while zoning regulates development. However, to address concerns about parcels not currently zoned for SSMUH, Council voted to refer the bylaw back to staff to maintain three distinct land use designations."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be referred back to staff to address concerns with respect to certain parcels being added to the new Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing Land Use Designation that are not currently zoned for small-scale, multi-unit housing in the Zoning Bylaw; AND THAT for parcels where small-scale, multi-unit housing is not permitted in accordance with the Zoning Bylaw, the current land use designations remain as Residential or Large Lot Residential in the Official Community Plan."
Moved by: Don Brown
Seconded by: John Rogers
Don Brown
Sid Tobias
Gery Lemon
Alison MacKenzie
Damian Kowalewich
John Rogers
October 7, 2025Council
Full RecordingOfficial Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 (Housing Statutes Bills 44 & 47)
"Staff presented the OCP amendments required by Bills 44 and 47. Discussion centered on the clarity of the mapping for Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) areas, specifically the difference between 4-unit zoning (general) and 6-unit zoning (near frequent transit). Staff clarified that the OCP provides the high-level designation ('up to six units'), with the precise rules enforced by the Zoning Bylaw. Council also confirmed that the New Road Therapeutic Recovery Community Facility would not be counted toward housing targets."
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT following first and second reading of Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025, a public hearing be scheduled in accordance with the Province of BC's Bill 44 - Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 and Bill 47 - Housing Statutes (Transit-Oriented Areas) Amendment Act, 2023."
Moved by: Gery Lemon
Seconded by: Ron Mattson
Ron Mattson
Sid Tobias
Alison MacKenzie
Don Brown
John Rogers
Gery Lemon
Damian Kowalewich
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be given first and second reading."
Moved by: Ron Mattson
Seconded by: Gery Lemon
Gery Lemon
Don Brown
John Rogers
Sid Tobias
Alison MacKenzie
Damian Kowalewich
Ron Mattson
Formal MotionPassed
"THAT a public hearing for Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025 be scheduled for November 4, 2025."
Moved by: Gery Lemon
Seconded by: Don Brown
Damian Kowalewich
Gery Lemon
Ron Mattson
Don Brown
John Rogers
Sid Tobias
Alison MacKenzie