FAQs

OCPs need to be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain relevant, effective, and reflective of the community’s evolving needs, and to ensure housing needs are being met.  

An OCP guides how housing needs are met, where businesses and services are located, how parks are used, and how we protect the environment. It is an important tool for articulating the community’s vision and what the community would like to see in its community. 

Residents, developers, businesses, and community groups use OCPs to learn about where and how future growth may occur. Council is guided by the OCP when making decisions about zoning, development, and servicing. 

The last major update to the District’s OCP occurred in 2007, however there have been 14 revisions since that date.   

The Local Government Act requires an OCP to include statements, approximate locations, amount, type and density of residential development (new housing) required to meet anticipated housing needs for at least five years. The District must also consider the most recent Housing requirements when developing an official community plan.  The draft OCP focuses on future residential development in areas with existing infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer and active transportation), away from hazards such as sea level rise, and with access to daily needs. Using this approach, the draft OCP reflects a commitment addressing housing needs while preserving agricultural lands, park lands, and the rural character of our community. 

To ensure sustainable growth and development, the District will consider a range of policies and strategies that balance environmental, economic, and social needs. These measures include focusing any growth near transit, infrastructure planning (e.g., updates to the Water and Sewer Master Plans), development of a Development Cost Charge Bylaw (DCC), planning and investing in sustainable transportation infrastructure, preparing for climate change impacts by incorporating wildfire risk management and energy-efficient building standards.   

The major differences are summarized in the staff report, and you can also view tracked changes in the Draft 2 red line version.

These will come into effect when the OCP is approved, so that the land uses will support the ridership that is important for increased transit service.  

These fit within the new Attached Ground-Oriented designation.  In addition, the OCP Draft 1, policy 5.3.11 (5.4.11 in Draft 2) supports conversions of existing homes where there is no net loss or gain of total bedrooms, and where the conversion maintains the neighbourhood character. 

The District’s Zoning bylaw defines floor area ratio as the figure obtained when the gross floor area of all buildings on a lot is divided by the area of the lot.  Floor Area Ratios for multi-family are not specifically identified in the current OCP and are only identified in RM-3 zone in the Zoning Bylaw (at 0.89 FAR). The OCP Draft 1 (and Draft 2) proposes a maximum of 0.8 FAR for multi-family. This was determined as the density needed to meet the housing need for the lands designated in the OCP for multi-family. 

The current OCP multi-family designation, like the proposed OCP Draft 1 (and Draft 2), identifies a 3 story maximum. The OCP Draft 1 (and Draft 2) considers a 4 stories exception for seniors housing. 

This is a new designation that allows townhome-like development but includes flexibility (as asked for in engagement) for these units to be a variety of these types of form, e.g. row house, stacked townhouse, duplex.  It has been designated in areas that are within walking distance of rapid transit, are in the servicing area and are outside sea level rise hazard areas.  It provides a buffer between the multi-family designation and other land use designations. 

On lots greater than 0.7 acres, detached accessory residential dwelling units are now allowed. 

This new designation on parcels that are in close proximity to frequent transit, in the servicing area and outside of sea level rise hazard areas.  It is very similar to the General Residential designation but includes allowance for both secondary suites and accessory residential dwelling units creating “gentle infill development”.   

No, these have not been changed.  For small lot, a minimum size has been established as 299m2.  For the new Neighbourhood Residential designation has the same minimum subdivision size as the General Residential designation, of 1400m2 (~0.33 acres)  

The proposed draft allows for mixed use (including residential as an accessory use) where the location meets the growth criteria (i.e., within the servicing area, outside of hazard areas, within walking distance of daily need and potential access to existing or future rapid and frequent transit. New design criteria have been incorporated in development permit guidelines.  

Yes, we will be looking at that as we work on the tree canopy goals. 

We used the provincial Housing Needs Report methodology in this calculator - https://hart.ubc.ca/bc-hnr-calculator/ 

This will be determined during the redraft of the zoning bylaw. During engagement, we have heard an interest and need for larger units to accommodate 3 bedrooms.  

It is unlikely that all the potential units designated will be built.  However, the District will be monitoring closely in order to ensure we meet our housing targets and provide for our housing needs.  Calculations represent maximum density yield.  

Municipalities are required to ensure that their official community plans and zoning bylaws permit the number of housing units needed over 20 years as determined by use of the Housing Needs Report (HNR) Method.  Based on this method, we are required to zone for 2493 over the next 20 years, even if our designations permit more. 

As we have designated it in the OCP Draft 1 (and Draft 2), we meet our numbers required to be designated (and by Dec 31, 2025, zoned). Please see Table C on page 20 of the OCP Draft 1 (and Draft 2).  

We have focused on our requirement to designate and zone for the 20-year housing need as per our Interim Housing Needs Report. If 19% of the 2202 designated/zone multi-family and Attached Ground-Oriented Residential units get built in 5 years this will yield 419 units.  In addition, we are expecting to see at least 20 units per year from secondary suites and detached accessory dwellings like guest cottages. 

The District will be closely monitoring the housing units built, including through our requirement to report on the Housing targets. See the District Housing Targets Progress Report here https://northsaanich.ca/your-community/housing/  

While Draft 1 OCP Policy 5.3.19 (now 5.4.19 in Draft 2) allows short term rentals for up to 90 days, Draft 2 prohibits them.

Yes.  However, it will be updated in the Zoning Bylaw. 

Development Permit Areas (DPAs) require permits under certain circumstances. Local governments have the authority to designate development permit areas in an official community plan. These identify locations that need special treatment for certain purposes including the protection of development from hazards, establishing objectives for form and character in specified circumstances, or revitalization of a commercial use area. This authority can also be used to achieve climate action goals for energy conservation, water conservation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Unless a development permit is obtained, development in such areas is restricted.  

The requirement to apply for a Development Permit is determined by the conditions set in each development permit and if the project is captured by those conditions, it will need a development permit.  

Currently, the fee is $1,000.00 for environmental and hazardous permit areas. There are additional costs for complex development (commercial, industrial multi-family). The permit fee structure will need to be revisited in light of the higher workload associated with multi-family development.  

The existing DPAs have been reviewed and enhanced to consider community feedback. District Planning Staff have also provided recommendations based off their experiences processing applications under the current DPA Structure of the existing OCP.   

This DPA has been updated to reflect updates to provincial riparian protection regulations.   

No significant changes have been made due to the lack of recent environmental studies. OCP policies speak to undertaking more environmental studies at which time this DPA can be modernized based on current conditions.  

This DPA was amended to acknowledge the environmental values associated with steep slopes.   The guidelines were revised with the purpose of limiting/prohibiting any unnecessary disturbance of steep slope environments such as grading/filling, landscaping, and densification.   

This DPA was amended and replaces the previous Form and Character Development Permit Areas. It is intended to help address environmental protection and form and character of new commercial, industrial, and multi-family development.  

The proposed DPAs do not currently include any consideration of sea level rise. The OCP does include policy that would enable Council and Staff to establish a DPA or bylaw to address Sea Level Rise.  Previous work was undertaken in 2018 on this subject matter and will be considered for the future.   

Designation of land in a Development Permit Area requires that landowners/developers obtain a Development Permit before any site alteration permits (tree removal, demolition, construction, landscaping, subdivision) can proceed to ensure that the project is compliant with the specific Development Permit Area Guidelines.  

The District has concluded it will incorporate wildfire considerations into policy and work on education of residents prior to implementing any alternate solutions including a DPA.   

 This is common in OCPs.  The tool used for this is Development Cost Charges. 

Input can continue to be received after that date, and is requested to be directed to planning@northsaanich.ca

We use a variety of mechanisms to advertise events and activities including: the District website, and social media, physical notices, emails and print media. 

Yes, we will be looking to include this. Also, staff reports outline the major changes to the document. 

Feedback on Draft 2 is requested by May 14, so that staff can incorporate any input into a Draft 3 that is scheduled to come before Council at the end of May. Input can continue to be received after that date, and is requested to be directed to planning@northsaanich.ca. The District is aiming to have the OCP go for final approval in June 2025. 

An update to the Zoning Bylaw will follow the OCP review.