Minutes of a Committee of the Whole Meeting Held on Tuesday, September 9, 2025
Official record of the previous Committee of the Whole meeting, covering OCP amendments, purchasing policy updates, and staff reports.
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL
MINUTES OF A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING
HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025
VIEW ROYAL MUNICIPAL OFFICE – COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PRESENT WERE:
- Councillor Rogers, Chair
- Mayor Tobias
- Councillor Kowalewich
- Councillor Lemon
- Councillor MacKenzie
- Councillor Mattson
REGRETS:
- Councillor Brown
PRESENT ALSO:
- S. Sommerville, Chief Administrative Officer
- E. Bolster, Director of Corporate Administration
- L. Taylor, Director of Development Services
- I. Leung, Director of Engineering
- S. Vella, Director of Finance
- J. Chow, Senior Planner
- S. Scory, Senior Planner
- J. Cochrane, Deputy Director of Corporate Administration
- 9 members of the public
- 0 members of the press
1. CALL TO ORDER
Councillor Rogers called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
Councillor Rogers acknowledged that this meeting is being held on the traditional territory of the Songhees Nation and Esquimalt Nation.
2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Lemon
THAT the agenda be approved as presented. CARRIED
3. MINUTES, RECEIPT & ADOPTION OF
a) Minutes of the Committee of the Whole meeting held July 8, 2025
MOVED BY: Councillor MacKenzie SECONDED: Councillor Lemon
THAT the minutes from the Committee of the Whole meeting held July 8, 2025 be adopted as presented. CARRIED
4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD
5. PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
a) Insp. S. Rose, West Shore RCMP, Re: West Shore RCMP Update
Insp. Rose discussed the events, programs, calls for service, statistics, and open files in View Royal.
The Committee and Inspector discussed the school liaison officer program, traffic reporting, collisions, and calls for service at Thetis Lake Regional Park.
b) K. Underwood, The South Island Farmers Institute, Re: The South Island Farmers Institute Services
Ms. Underwood gave a presentation to the Committee regarding the South Island Farmers Institute, specifically membership, collaboration, and the educational opportunities provided to local farmers.
The Committee and Ms. Underwood discussed marketing of produce, funding, and farm land in View Royal.
6. REPORTS
6.1 STAFF REPORTS
a) Rezoning 2025-01 - 258 Helmcken Road
- Report dated August 21, 2025 from the Senior Planner
The Senior Planner provided the Committee with a summary of the report.
The Committee and applicants discussed the current occupancy levels of the residential units, challenges in securing a commercial tenant, community engagement efforts, and potential uses for the commercial space.
MOVED BY: Councillor Kowalewich SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie
THAT the Committee recommend that Council instruct staff to prepare the necessary Zoning Bylaw amendments to amend the CD-26: Island Highway/Helmcken Comprehensive Development Zone as follows:
a. Add Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail as permitted uses b. Add a condition that Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail uses, with the exception of parking, are only permitted on the ground floor of a building.
AND THAT after publication of notification in accordance with section 467 of the Local Government Act, first, second and third reading of the Zoning Bylaw amendments be considered by Council. DEFEATED Mayor Tobias and Councillors Lemon, Mattson, Rogers opposed
MOVED BY: Mayor Tobias SECONDED: Councillor Kowalewich
COW-25-25 THAT the Committee recommend to Council to instruct staff to prepare the necessary Zoning Bylaw amendments to amend the CD-26: Island Highway/Helmcken Comprehensive Development Zone as follows:
a. Add Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail as permitted uses; and b. Add a condition that Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail uses, with the exception of parking, are only permitted on the ground floor of a building;
AND THAT first and second reading of the Zoning Bylaw amendment be considered by Council and a public hearing date be set. CARRIED Councillors Mattson and Rogers opposed
b) Official Community Plan Review and Update - Western Gateway Corridor Survey
- Report dated August 14, 2025 from the Senior Planner
MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor Tobias
COW-26-25 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that the Western Gateway Corridor Survey be amended by including the following:
- provide a link to the Housing Needs Report in the preamble;
- add landmarks on the maps to allow for the better orientation of survey respondents;
- remove re-affirming questions on density that were previously asked in the Community Growth Survey;
- shorten the preamble to improve clarity and only include relevant information; and
- reduce the number of open-ended questions;
AND THAT the Western Gateway Corridor Survey be approved as amended. CARRIED
c) Proposed Amendments to the Official Community Plan
- Report dated August 8, 2025 from the Director of Development Services and Senior Planner
The Senior Planner gave a review of the report to the Committee.
The Committee and staff discussed referencing Provincial requirements, housing needs such as shelters, and affordable housing.
MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Mayor Tobias
COW-27-25 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that staff prepare the necessary bylaw amendment to amend the Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011 as follows:
- adding a new sub-section, Housing Need Requirement, within Section 3: Housing, to detail the 5- and 20-year period (2021 – 2041) housing need in View Royal;
- revising an existing housing policy, Policy HS1.9 Innovative Approaches, by adding: shelters for persons experiencing homelessness and housing for those at risk of homelessness;
- adding a new policy, Policy HS1.12 Non-Market Units, within Section 3: Housing, to support the development of non-market housing for lower-income populations through collaborative efforts with agencies and governments;
- deleting existing Large Lot Residential (R-L) and Residential (R) land use designations and replacing with a new Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) land use designation defined as follows: uses include detached and attached dwellings, such as detached residential, secondary suite, garden suite, duplex, rowhouse, townhouse, house-plex, and apartments; buildings up to three storeys; and a maximum of six (6) dwelling units;
- adding a new Hospital Transit-Oriented Area (HTOA) land use designation, and amending the existing land use designations of all properties within 200 metres of the identified transit exchange bus stop to the new HTOA land use designation, defined as follows: uses include mixed-use with apartments, visitor accommodations, restaurants, retail, office, institutional (i.e. Hospital), and Civic Use (e.g. daycares, libraries, public gathering and amenity spaces); buildings up to 10 Storeys; and density up to 3.5 Floor Space Ratio (FSR);
- adding a new Neighbourhood Village (NV) land use designation, and amending the existing land use designations of all properties within 201 and 400 metres of the identified transit exchange bus stop to the new NV land use designation, defined as follows: uses include small-scale, mixed-use buildings, such as multi-unit housing and community-serving commercial and civic uses (schools, offices, restaurants, retail, small grocery store, and community spaces); buildings up to six storeys; and density up to 2.5 FSR; and
- adding a new policy, LU 4.14 Mixed Commercial Development, to Section 1: Land Use and Urban Design, which states the following: Development of four-storeys or greater should incorporate commercial or public use space. CARRIED
d) Proposed Amendments to Purchasing Policy #1600-21
- Report dated August 15, 2025 from the Chief Administrative Officer
MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Mayor Tobias
COW-28-25 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that Purchasing Policy #1600-021 be adopted. CARRIED
e) Use of Town Grants for Alcohol
- Use of Town Grants for Alcohol - Policy #0100-053
MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie
COW-29-25 THAT the Committee recommend to Council that Use of Town Grants for Alcohol Policy #0100-053 be adopted. CARRIED
f) Departmental Update
- Report dated September 4, 2025 from the Chief Administrative Officer
MOVED BY: Councillor Mattson SECONDED: Councillor Lemon
THAT the report dated September 4, 2025 from the Chief Administrative Officer titled "Departmental Update" be received for information. CARRIED
g) Building Department Reports for July and August 2025
- Building Reports - July and August 2025
MOVED BY: Councillor Tobias SECONDED: Councillor Lemon
THAT the report titled "Building Department Reports – July and August 2025" be received for information. CARRIED
6.2 PORTFOLIO REPORTS
6.2.1 FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION – Mayor Tobias Mayor Tobias reported on the status of the housing market and the West Shore RCMP building expansion project, including consideration of potential cost offsetting opportunities.
6.2.2 PROTECTIVE SERVICES & YOUTH – Councillor Brown
6.2.3 ENGAGEMENT – Councillor Kowalewich
6.2.4 ARTS & LIBRARY – Councillor Lemon
6.2.5 ENVIRONMENT, PARKS & RECREATION – Councillor MacKenzie Councillor MacKenzie discussed the draft West Shore Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan and reported on her attendance at the Capital Regional District Climate Action Group meeting, which included a review of progress on the Climate Action strategy.
6.2.6 PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT – Councillor Mattson
6.2.7 PUBLIC WORKS & TRANSPORTATION – Councillor Rogers Councillor Rogers thanked staff for the addition of two new bus shelters and discussed the use of the Helmcken Road Park and Ride, as well as the Highway 1 Bus on Shoulder project, including the installation of the pedestrian bridge on the Galloping Goose Trail over Craigflower Creek. He noted concerns regarding public safety and pollution, and discussed measures to manage pollution.
7. NEW BUSINESS
8. QUESTION PERIOD
a) C. McDougald, Resident, inquired about the requirement for developers to notify Council when hosting an open house for a local development.
9. ADJOURNMENT
MOVED BY: Councillor Lemon SECONDED: Councillor MacKenzie
THAT this meeting terminate. Time: 8:54 p.m. CARRIED
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