Why has the OCP review taken years to complete?

    It’s important the Official Community Plan is shaped by our community. To build a vision for the next 20 years, we need to hear from District residents, organizations and businesses throughout the review.

    How will other initiatives contribute to the OCP?

    In addition to public feedback, the updated OCP will align with the other plans and policies that have been adopted or are currently under development. This includes, but is not limited to the:

    The review of our OCP may identify new priorities that require us to update current policy. Until that time existing policies remain in effect.

    Why is the District planning for new housing when we are a rural community?

    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. 

    An OCP must also include policies for affordable housing, rental housing and special need housing. 

    What if there was no OCP?

    Without an OCP the District has little control over development and land use and the community may grow or change in ways that don’t meet the needs of the community. The OCP guides development and coordination of District services, which supports planning of new infrastructure and amenities. Essentially, the growth of the District would be poorly planned and managed and the District would not be able to strategically address emerging issues such as climate change, an ageing population or protection of the environment. An OCP allows the community to determine how and where change may be considered, and how it will preserve and enhance other areas.

General Questions about OCPs

    What is an Official Community Plan?

    What is an Official Community Plan? 

    The Official Community Plan (OCP) guides decisions on how we use and manage land and reflects our shared values and vision for the next 20 years. The OCP sets out land use categories and approximate locations and densities of land uses. It is adopted as a Bylaw and serves as an overarching vision and framework to assist Council in its decision-making process. 

    It provides direction on: 

    • Land use  

    • Growth management  

    • Design of the built environment  

    • Protection of the environment  

    • Climate action  

    • Transportation and mobility  

    • Marine policy and management  

    • Economic development  

    • Infrastructure  

    • Community amenities and greenspace  

    • Community and social wellness 

    Why do local governments review their OCPs every few years?

    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 

    How does the OCP affect me?

    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. 

    How does an OCP help us reach community goals?

    OCPs guide decisions on planning and land use management within the areas covered by the plan. After its adoption, all bylaws and initiatives should work towards consistency with the OCP. 

    Public, stakeholder, and indigenous engagement occurs throughout the development of an OCP to identify key issues and priorities. This input helps to formulate the goals and policies within the Plan. The OCP is a “living document” and does not preclude change to the Plan based on evolving circumstances, community needs, or interpretation of policies by Council and staff. 

    Who uses an OCP?

    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. 

    What is the difference between the Official Community Plan and the Zoning Bylaw?

    An OCP is a high-level visionary document. It is more strategic and less prescriptive. It defines policies for future land use and development rather than specific sites. An OCP designates what land uses (i.e., residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) go where.  

    The Zoning Bylaw is a regulatory tool that is very specific about land use and creates zones which describes what kind of building already exists or what a landowner is entitled to build. A zone typically contains regulations related to uses, density (lot coverage), height, building siting (where it is located on a lot) and other issues such as parking.  

    How do other regional and municipal plans relate to the District's OCP?

    A Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is co-created with municipalities and, in our case, the Capital Regional District and provides a framework for guiding decisions on regional issues such as transportation, growth and settlement patterns.  

    OCPs play a dual role in the context of the RGS - they are both a tool to achieve the regional vision and objectives set out in the RGS (as captured in the Regional Context Statement (RCS) within an OCP) and are a critical input to the RGS as they set out how a municipality plans to meet its community’s housing, commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural, recreational and public utility needs (as updated through regular OCP review processes). 

    The RCS addresses how the OCP’s local planning and land use policy will work towards the objectives, policies and targets identified in the RGS. 

    Within the jurisdiction of the District, the OCP provides the highest level of direction for managing land use and development. All bylaws and initiatives must work towards consistency with the OCP and municipal policies and plans should align with the overall goals, objectives, and policies in the Plan. 

    Why is public input needed?

    The Local Government Act requires municipalities to consult with the public, stakeholders, government agencies and First Nations when an OCP is developed or revised.  

    Municipalities must provide one or more opportunities for consultation with the community, organizations, and authorities that will be affected. This required consultation effort is in addition to the requirements for a formal public hearing, and many municipalities go beyond the minimum level of engagement when completing an OCP review because of its importance to citizens and stakeholders. 

The District's OCP Review

    Why does the OCP need to be reviewed?

    OCPs need to be reviewed regularly to ensure they remain relevant, effective, and reflective of the community’s evolving needs. The District’s OCP was adopted 18 years ago and doesn’t address many of the challenges and opportunities facing the municipality today.  

    The OCP review allows the District to integrate new policies on sustainability, local food production, reconciliation with Indigenous partner communities, climate resilience, and housing needs into the plan. The review also ensures alignment with updated provincial legislation that requires communities to update their OCPs every 5 years to reflect 20-year housing needs. Additionally, community engagement during these reviews helps maintain public trust and ensures that the plan continues to reflect residents’ priorities and aspirations.  

    In short, reviewing an OCP is essential for responsible, forward-thinking planning that supports long-term community well-being and sustainability.  

    When was the District's OCP last updated?

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

    How has the public been involved?

    The aim of the OCP Review process has been to engage residents of all ages and walks of life to participate as part of an ongoing community dialogue that will carry on through the implementation of the OCP. 

    The OCP plays an important role in the community and as a result significant effort has been made to engage with the community during the development of the plan. There have been a variety of ways to participate online or in-person, including open houses, over the years that it has been under review.    

    How does the OCP balance development and preservation of rural community character?

    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. 

    What measures is the District taking to ensure sustainable growth?

    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 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.   

    How will other District initiatives contribute to the OCP?

    In addition to public feedback, during the review of the OCP efforts have been made to align with the other plans and policies that have been adopted or are currently under development. This includes, but is not limited to the: 

    The review of our OCP may identify new priorities that require us to update current policy within these documentUntil that time existing policies remain in effect. 

Specific Questions about Draft One

    Can you clarify what the differences between the versions of Draft 1 that have been released and are on the Connect North Saanich website?

    • First Draft of OCP, Version 1_24March2025 - which went to Council on March 24, had only two maps (Schedule A: Municipal Boundary; Schedule B: Land Use Designations) and incomplete definition 

    • First Draft of OCP, Version 2_26March2025 - had two updates from what went to Council, as follows: 

    • New vision which replaces vision from Version 1 

    • Neighbourhood residential designation change- added the requirement for parcels to be at least 0.7acres to be able to have both a secondary suite and an accessory residential dwelling unit 

    • First Draft of OCP, Version 2.1_26March2025 - has all the maps included and updated definitions otherwise it is the same as Version 2   

    Note - the next time Council and the public will see a new 'version' will be Draft 2, and it will incorporate the input received through engagement 

Land Use Section

    Several land use designations are based on frequent transit which currently does not exist, will these designations only come into effect only once the frequent transit is in place? 

    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.  

    Do duplexes and triplexes fit within the single-family dwelling designation? 

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

    What are the significant changes being proposed in the Multi-Family designation from what is in the existing OCP?

    Multi-family has been designated where it meets the following criteria: 1) within walking distance of current or planned for rapid transit (by BC Transit) and daily needs; 2) in the North Saanich Servicing Area (NSSA);and 3) outside of sea level rise hazard lands. 

    The proposed multi-family designation would increase the allowable units per acre from 30 units/acre to 40 units/acre.  The requirement for all units to be affordable has been removedrather a % will be determined in implementation.  

    In some areas, the designation has been changed (down-designatedfrom multi-family to Rural or General Residentialincluding if a parcel no longer meets the criteria for used to focus future growth, i.e., in areas with existing infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer, and active transportation), away from hazards, and with access to daily needs   

    Has the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for multi-family decreased from the current OCP/zoning bylaw and if so, why? 

    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 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. 

    What is the rationale for reducing Multifamily Residential from 4 stories to 3? 

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

    What is the new “Attached Ground-Oriented Residential” designation and why is it called that? 

    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. 

    What are the significant changes being proposed in the Country Residential and General Residential designations from what is in the existing OCP? 

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

    What is this new Neighbourhood Residential designation? 

    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.   

    Has the minimum sizes for subdivision changed?

    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)  

    What are the significant changes being proposed in the OCP Draft 1 to the Commercial, Industrial and Institutional designations from what is in the existing OCP? 

    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 has been incorporated in development permit guidelines. 

Environment and Climate Change Section

    Are you looking at aligning with Tree Canada/FCM funding opportunities to support tree canopy goals?

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

Residential Section

    How do you calculate your Housing Needs?

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

    Do you plan to change the size of detached Attached Dwelling Units (ADUs)? 

    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.  

    Why do we have so many housing units designated (even more than required, if you account for all the secondary suites and ADUs that could built)? 

    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. 

    How many housing units are we required to zone for? 

    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, ware required to zone for 2493 over the next 20 years, even if our designations permit more. 

    Given the new land use designations how close do those get us to our five and 20 year housing target numbers? 

    As we have designated it in the OCP Draft 1, 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. 

    What is presumptive percentage of buildout of the housing targets and housing needs?

    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. 

    What is the methodology you have used to calculate the number of net new units from the new OCP land designations?

    The methodology assumes the average square meters required for each type of unit (studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom etc), calculates the Floor Area required to deliver these units, then calculates the TOTAL constructed Floor Area required in the buildings to provide these units (including lobbies, elevators , stairways, hallways, etc.).  

    Using this total building Floor Area value and the assumed maximum Floor Area Ratio, the total land area required to deliver the required units is determined. Using the now established land area value, the Floor Area Ratio and establishing the maximum number of units per acre, staff are able to designate the appropriate amount of land as Muti-Family Residential and as Attached Ground Oriented Residential (Townhouses etc.) to meet the long-range needs of the community in a development form consistent with the community's values. 

    What will the District do if the OCP and Zoning do not yield the number and type of units required in our housing targets order and housing needs reports?

    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/  

    Short term rentals - OCP Policy 5.3.19 references allowing short term rentals for up to 90 days. How would the 90 days be applied and will the BC primary residence requirements apply?

    We will update our processes to align with Provincial rules which include Provincial registration that ensures that all short-term rental hosts in B.C. follow the rules: 

    • In North Saanich (due to its population), the principal residence requirement applies as well, which limits short-term rentals to: 

    • The home where the host lives for a longer period of time in a year than any other place 

    North Saanich will be updating any of its local business license requirements and bylaws if the policy is approved as part of the OCP review. 

Agriculture

    ALC now allows two homes, but the district has not yet aligned - will that be updated in the OCP?

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

Development Permit Areas  

    What is a Development Permit Area? 

    Development Permit Areas (DPAs) require permits under certain circumstances. Local governments have the authority to designate development permit areas in anofficial 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.  

    When are development permits required? 

    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.  

    What is the District's current Development Permit Application Fee? 

    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 higher workload associated with multi-family development.  

    What has changed from the existing DPAs to the updated DPAs? 

    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.   

    What are the key changes to DPA-1 Marine and Foreshore?

    The DPA now also extends 15-metres seaward to capture alteration and improvements on the foreshore (such as docks or other improvements) which will help create a stronger permit process and record to avoid unauthorized construction on the foreshore (docks, boathouses, decks, etc.) and all of the challenges that result from that.  

    The DPA permits sea walls/retaining walls only where they are necessary to address erosion/slope failure and focusing on environmental alternatives.  

    The DPA establishes an expectation of environmental enhancement when activities interact with lands in the Development Permit Area.   

    What are the key changes to DPA-2 Creeks, Wetlands, Riparian Areas and Significant Water Resources?

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

    Key changes to DPA-3 Sensitive Ecosystems?

    No significant changes have been made due to 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.  

    Key changes to DPA-4 Steep Slopes?

    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.   

    Key changes to DPA-5 Commercial, Industrial and Multi-Family?

    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.  

    Do the Development Permit Areas address Sea Level Rise? 

    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 future.   

    How do Development Permit Areas impact landowners/land development? 

    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.  

    Why is there no Wildfire DPA? 

    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.   

Implementation

    The OCP Draft 1 talks about ensuring that any new development incurs any costs associated with any upgrades or servicing requirements. Does this include road, water, stormwater management? Is this common in OCPs?

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

Engagement on the OCP

    Will there be more public engagement on the OCP after the Draft 1 engagement?

    Feedback on Draft 1 is requested by April 22, so that staff and incorporate any input into a Draft 2 that is scheduled to come to Council in mid-May.  Input can continue to be received after that date, and is requested to be directed to planning@northsaanich.ca 

    How will engagement events and activities be advertised/communicated by the District?

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

OCP Structure & Format

    Have you considered providing an Executive Summary for those who aren't able to read it's entirety, or an overview of the changes?

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

Next Steps for the OCP and beyond

    What is the timeline for the OCP approval in the District?

    Feedback on Draft 1 is requested by April 22, so that staff and incorporate any input into a Draft 2 that is scheduled to come to Council in mid-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. 

    What happens after the OCP is approved?

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