COUNCIL REPORT: OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 1156, 2025 (November 24, 2025)

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 1156, 2025

RECOMMENDATION:

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.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to present Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 811, 2011, Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025. The proposed bylaw ensures alignment with the Town’s 5- and 20-year housing need calculated in the Town’s 2024 Interim Housing Needs Report and refines housing policies that address each of the six classes of housing need identified in the Housing Need Report. The amendments also include the addition of a policy to encourage the provision of commercial or public use space in mixed-use developments four-storeys or greater.

BACKGROUND:

On November 4, 2025, a public hearing was held on Official Community Plan Amendment Bylaw No. 1156, 2025. Following the public hearing, Council declined third reading of the bylaw and passed the following motion:

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.

FURTHER 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.

In response to Council’s motion, staff made the following changes to Bylaw No. 1156:

• retained the Residential and Large Lot Residential land use designations for all parcels not currently zoned for small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) in the Zoning Bylaw;
• amended the land use designation from Residential and Large Lot Residential to the new SSMUH land use designation for those parcels with SSMUH zoning; and
• updated the existing land use designation table and map in the OCP to reflect the changes.

At the Council meeting on November 18, 2025, Council rescinded and gave a new second reading of Bylaw No. 1156. At this meeting, staff mentioned a few adjustments that should be made to the OCP land use map prior to the public hearing. The three additional changes to the map, to be considered prior to third reading of the bylaw, are as follows:

• retain the land use designation of a property on Plowright Road from the proposed SSMUH to the existing Large Lot Residential land use designation as the parcel is not currently zoned for SSMUH;
• change the land use designation of the park at the corner of Chilco Road and Carly Lane from SSMUH to the Park land use designation as it is a dedicated park; and
• retain the existing Residential land use designation for the parcel adjacent to the Helmcken Road Park and Ride as it is currently zoned P-4, Regional Institutional. The future land use designation of this parcel can be reviewed as part of the overall OCP update to be completed next year.

ANALYSIS:

The content required or permitted to be included in the OCP is regulated under section 473.1 of the Local Government Act. The proposed Bylaw No. 1156 satisfies these requirements. The land use designation map has also been updated accordingly.

It is recommended that Bylaw No. 1156 be given third reading.

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

ALIGNMENT:

The recommended option aligns with the Town’s following core guiding documents as follows:

Strategic Plan:

• Sustainable Development
  • Goal 1: Managed Growth
  • Official Community Plan (OCP) review to align with Housing Needs Report and Zoning Bylaw, update Development Permit Area design guidelines, and other aspects of the OCP.
• Community Engagement and Good Governance
  • Goal 1: Strong and active citizen participation in community engagement in Town of View Royal meetings, open houses, surveys, budget development.

Official Community Plan:

• Goal 2: Create an inclusive community that provides housing, transportation and healthy living options, and services and facilities for families and individuals of diverse backgrounds, cultures, ages and economic means.
• Goal 9: Ensure that all citizens of View Royal have opportunities to be informed and meaningfully involved in planning and decision-making processes.

Other Policy Documents: N/A

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

☐ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
☐ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

The report is time critical as the province requires the Town’s OCP to align with the Town’s Interim Housing Needs Report by December 31, 2025.

CONCURRENCE:

REVIEWED BY:

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1: Bylaw No. 1156
Attachment 2: Council Report with attachments dated November 18, 2025.