Update to Community Planning Tools

Project state

Active

Overview

Central Saanich is shaped by our Official Community Plan (OCP) and the planning tools that support it. Updates are needed to the tools to align with the community’s Official Community Plan (OCP) and are also required by new provincial laws (Bill 44).

Why Updates Are Needed

Bill 44 Compliance: The OCP and Zoning Bylaw need to be reviewed to meet the 20-year housing needs as per the District’s Housing Needs Assessment (2024).
Alignment with Community Vision: Changes are required to ensure our Zoning Bylaw and DPA Guidelines reflect the OCP vision and priorities, incorporate recent planning initiatives, support a broader range of housing options and promote more sustainable land use.

What is Being Updated

Zoning Bylaw: Modernizing the zoning to align with the District’s OCP.
OCP Development Permit Area (DPA) Guidelines: Updating form and character and environmental design guidelines.
OCP: Administrative updates to add necessary policy language to match the Province's specific requirements.

Public Engagement

We are sharing high-level concepts and seeking community input before preparing a detailed draft Zoning Bylaw for Council’s consideration. Your feedback will help shape the direction of the bylaw.

How to Get Involved

Open Houses: Drop in to the events listed to ask questions of our team.
- Thurs, Sep 18, 2025, 4pm - 7pm, Municipal Hall, 1903 Mt Newton X Rd
- Sun, Sep 21 2025, 10am - 1pm, Cultural Centre, Room A, 1209 Clarke Rd
Village Centre Property Owners Sessions: Special sessions for residential property owners in the village centres. Watch for an invite in the mail in September.
Email/Phone: Reach out to staff via email or phone to share your feedback or ask questions.
Feedback Form: An online feedback form is available for you to submit your comments and suggestions.
Share your feedback
Public Hearing: A formal public hearing will be conducted where you can present your views to Council and hear from others in the community.

Next Steps

Following public engagement, the District will prepare a “What We Heard” Report summarizing key themes, concerns, and suggestions from the community. This report will be presented to Council and will be used to inform the development of the detailed draft bylaw. There will be additional opportunities to provide feedback once the draft bylaw is available.

This map shows draft zoning changes that are currently under review and have not yet been approved by Council.

Updates

Overview of proposed Zoning Bylaw changes

Zone: Commercial Village - CV

To align with the OCP’s vision of creating a more vibrant, walkable, and dynamic streetscape and supporting a mix of residential and commercial uses in the villages, proposed changes include:

Minor increases to building heights in the Village cores of Brentwood Bay, Saanichton Village core and Waddling Dog site (in Turgoose neighbourhood). Up to five storeys (from four) with the option for six storeys through Density Bonusing.

Improving street presence through updates to building setbacks to align with the Saanichton Village Design Guidelines and permit buildings closer to sidewalks and roadways. This change can help enhance the street presence of new buildings and foster a stronger sense of community.

Expanding mixed-use commercial zoning along Wallace Drive and East Saanich Road to align with the District’s recently updated OCP was shaped by extensive community engagement and reflects the community’s vision for focusing growth in areas close to transit and services. These changes are designed to support a vibrant, walkable streetscape with housing, shops, and services all in one place.
Zone: Commercial Neighbourhood - CN

1. Support mixed-use redevelopment
We’re proposing to increase building heights in Neighbourhood Commercial Zones from three to four storeys to encourage redevelopment and community vibrancy with housing and commercial space in one place.

2. Update zoning to match community growth
Waddling Dog Site: Change from Tourist Commercial to Village Commercial to better reflect current uses and support a thriving local hub.
Verdier area: Change from Service Commercial to Neighbourhood Commercial to encourage more small-scale, walkable businesses.
3. Encourage neighbourhood vibrancy
We’re expanding the list of permitted uses to make it easier for new businesses and services to open — improving local access to shops, cafes, and amenities close to home.
Zones: Residential Townhouse (R-T), Residential Townhouse and Apartment (R-TA), Residential Apartment (R-A)

The OCP envisions more density in Village centres and along main roads/corridors. The District is reviewing and refining the existing multi-family residential zones in those areas, including creating more specific zone, such as the following proposed new zones:

1. Introducing new zones
Residential Townhouse Zone (R-T) would allow for slightly higher density than the current Residential Neighbourhood and Corridor zones and would require rezoning. Under the OCP, most residential neighbourhoods have a maximum of eight units, so any development exceeding this limit would also require an OCP amendment.
Residential Townhouse and Apartment Zone (R-TA) would support a mix of building heights and housing forms, permitting three-storey apartment buildings alongside townhouses. This approach encourages a greater diversity of housing options within the same development, enhancing neighbourhood variety and addressing a wider range of housing needs.
Residential Apartment Zone (R-A) would accommodate four-storey apartment buildings, supporting the District’s housing targets and helping to meet local demand. Additional building height would be possible through tools such as density bonusing and inclusionary housing provisions.

2. Expanding the amount of land zoned for Apartments in Village centres to align with the District’s recently updated OCP. These changes are meant to better support housing diversity and create walkable, vibrant village communities. Areas under consideration for a zoning change from Neighbourhood and Corridor Residential zones to Residential Apartment zones include Saanichton’s Fairmeadows Place, Patterson Road and Wallace Drive, and Dignan Road in Brentwood Bay.
Zones: Residential Neighbourhood Small Lot (R-NS), Residential Neighbourhood (R-N), Residential Corridor (R-C)

Staff’s proposed changes to the Neighbourhood Residential Zone are designed to better support housing choice, neighbourhood compatibility and good design. These include:

1. A one-year review of the Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) regulations is underway. This review focuses on lot coverage, floor area ratios, and setbacks to ensure the regulations are practical for development and promote attractive, functional neighbourhood design.

2. Reintroducing a Residential Small Lot Zone (formerly R-1XS) as demand remains strong interest in small lots for single-family homes with secondary units. By reintroducing the small lot zone (which was recently removed when Bill 44 was adopted), property owners could build a single-family home or duplex with options for secondary suites, cottages, or carriage houses—up to four units total—providing more flexibility for property owners while maintaining neighbourhood character.

3. Limiting houseplexes (triplexes and fourplexes) behind single detached dwellings within the Residential Neighbourhood and Corridor zones. This change is intended to address subdivision and site layout challenges, ensuring new development remains well-designed, compatible with the surrounding area, and promotes active street frontages.

Proposed rural estate zoning updates

Zones: Rural Agriculture (R-A), Rural Forest (R-F), Rural Shoreline (R-S)

As part of the District’s ongoing review of rural estate zoning, several changes are being proposed to better align with the OCP and support environmental protection. Considerations include:

1. Streamlining the number of zones into three new designations (from the six existing rural estate zones):

Rural Agriculture Zone

Rural Forest Zone

Rural Shoreline Zone

2. Potentially removing agriculture as a permitted use in the Rural Forest and Rural Shoreline zones to help protect sensitive ecosystems and preserve tree cover. These zones are particularly important, as the District’s limited tree canopy—largely located outside the Agricultural Land Reserve—is concentrated in these areas, which together comprise only 9% of the District’s land base. Personal gardening and the keeping of farm animals would continue to be permitted. Properties currently engaged in commercial farming in the Rural Shoreline zone would be allowed to continue under a legal non-conforming use, while Rural Forest properties with farm status may be eligible for site-specific approvals to permit agricultural activities. Staff are available to provide guidance for any property-specific questions.

3. Limiting the maximum house size to 500 square metres on Rural Forest and Rural Agriculture lands to better align rural properties with agricultural lands. Because the properties vary significantly in lot size, it is difficult to create a single lot coverage requirement. To address this, we are exploring the use of a lot coverage calculation which has been commonly applied across different Rural Estate properties. While this approach may result in a slight increase in lot coverage across the District, it provides a more consistent and proportional relationship between lot size and permitted lot coverage.

Zone	Maximum Lot Coverage - >3.0 ha	Maximum Lot Coverage - 0.08 ha
Rural Forest	2%	15%
Rural Agriculture	5%	15%
Rural Shoreline	5%	15%

Zones – Agriculture (A)

As part of upcoming agricultural zone changes, the District is exploring the following:

1. Creating detailed setback guidelines for permitted farm uses, including farm retail stands, processing centres, abattoirs, riding rings, and other agricultural activities. These setbacks will be tailored to the intensity of each use and will include specific requirements for setbacks from watercourses to protect environmental health.

2. Increased buffering requirements for industrial and commercial properties located next to Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) lands. These changes are intended to reduce land use conflicts, support agricultural operations, and protect the long-term viability of farmland in Central Saanich.
Zones: Light Industrial (I-L)

The District is proposing several updates to industrial zoning to better support growth and align with Council’s 2025 direction. These include:
Floor Area Ratios would be increased to support higher building heights, enabling more efficient use of land and allowing for larger, more flexible industrial and commercial buildings.
Permitted uses would be updated to align with other zones and definitions, providing consistency and clarity for developers and property owners.
Commercial composting would be limited to existing sites to manage potential impacts on surrounding properties.
CD-1 (Gateway Park) zone would be amalgamated into the Light Industrial zone to better reflect the long-term vision for the Keating Business District and support its role as a hub for employment and industrial activity.
Zones: Tourist Commercial (C-T), Intensive Commercial (C-I), Marine Commercial (C-M)

The District is considering updates to other commercial areas, including the Service Commercial, Tourist Commercial, Marina Commercial, Brentwood Lodge, and Tourist Display Garden zones. A key initiative is
Creating an Intensive Commercial zone to bridge the gap between industrial and commercial uses in the Keating Business District. This zone would provide commercial frontages along Keating, promoting an attractive streetscape and a smooth transition from industrial areas.
Permitting uses across other commercial zones to reflect contemporary needs.
The current “Travel Accommodation” definition would be separated into distinct definitions for Hotels and Short-Term Rentals to account for their unique characteristics and regulatory requirements.
Outdated or redundant uses would be removed, such as used vehicle sales.
New uses that support community and economic development would be added—such as arts, culture, recreation, breweries, and agri-tourism.

Overview of proposed DPA Design Guidelines

As a continuation of the 2023 OCP update, the District now needs to update the OCP DPA Design Guidelines to incorporate current regulations and best practices. The goal is to make them more accessible, easier to understand, and better aligned with the community’s evolving needs.

Key updates will include:

Clarifying the overall design and functional intent of development to reflect the OCP’s vision and objectives.

Expanding guidelines to help preserve Central Saanich’s unique character and natural features.

Aligning with the comprehensive Zoning Bylaw review.
Integrating provincial regulations such as:

Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH)

Riparian Areas Protection Regulation (RAPR)

Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) policies

BC Building Code

Supporting vibrant villages, corridors, and local businesses through improving public realm, access, parking, and amenities.

Proposed changes group the updated DPAs into two main categories, Environmental Protection and Form and Character.

How does this impact my property?

A change in zoning does not automatically change your property taxes. If your property is still being used as a home, BC Assessment will keep it in Class 01 (Residential) and it will continue to be taxed as residential.

It’s important to know that property classification (how your property is taxed) is different from property value (what BC Assessment thinks your property is worth). BC Assessment is required by the Assessment Act to assess properties at their actual (market) value. If a zoning change allows for higher density or new uses, and this affects the market value of your property, BC Assessment will reflect that change in your assessed value. BC Assessment monitors the real estate market and will adjust assessed values if sales evidence shows that the market is responding to the new zoning.

If a change in zoning significantly increases your assessed value, Section 19(8) of the Assessment Act may provide relief for certain long-term property owners who are impacted by rising assessments due to changes in land use controls. For more information on this process and to determine if you qualify, please visit: Section 19(8) of the Assessment Act .
If the proposed zoning allows for a house, suite, or other development, you can build or add it in accordance with the updated rules. Any existing houses or suites that don’t meet the new zoning will continue to be allowed under legal non-conforming use provisions, meaning you can keep and maintain them.

If your plans don’t fit within the updated zoning, you would need a rezoning or site-specific approval to proceed. For questions about what the changes mean for your property, please contact District staff — we’re here to help.

Questions and Answers

Under the Local Government Act, municipalities are authorized to designate Development Permit Areas (DPAs) within their Official Community Plans (OCPs) to help implement the OCP’s vision, goals, and policies.

In Central Saanich, OCP DPA Design Guidelines have been established to manage development in specific areas, focusing on the form and function of buildings, how they integrate with the natural environment, and how they contribute to the overall livability and character of the community, and the vision, goals, and policy objectives set out in the OCP. These guidelines are tailored to support one or more of the following purposes:
Protect the natural environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity
Safeguard development from hazardous conditions
Support agricultural land protection
Guide the form and character of:
Intensive residential development
Commercial, industrial, or multi-family residential development
Support revitalization of commercial areas
Promote energy and water conservation
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
While Development Permit Area (DPA) guidelines complement Zoning Bylaws, they place greater emphasis on design quality and environmental performance rather than land use or density. These guidelines set clear expectations for development, yet allow the District some discretion in evaluating proposals – ensuring alignment with community goals while accommodating site-specific conditions.
Several important drivers are guiding this update. The Province of BC has passed a law (Bill 44) requiring all municipalities to update their zoning bylaws and OCPs by the end of 2025.

This update is also necessary to reflect significant changes in community priorities, legislative frameworks, and housing needs since the last comprehensive review, which occurred decades ago.

Additionally, the review builds off community engagement and recent planning initiatives to ensure the bylaw reflects the shared vision for Central Saanich’s future. Central Saanich has been planning to update the Zoning Bylaw and DPA Guidelines to make sure it lines up with our recently updated Official Community Plan (OCP).
Zoning provides specific regulations for land use. It sets out the permitted uses for land and regulates building height, size, and setbacks to ensure developments align with the character of the surrounding area. It is key to the growth and development of a community.

How is the Zoning Bylaw different than the Official Community Plan?

The Official Community Plan (OCP) is a high-level policy document that outlines the long-term vision and goals for how the community will grow and change over time. It includes guidance on land use, housing, transportation, parks, the environment, and more.

The Zoning Bylaw, on the other hand, is a regulatory tool that puts the OCP’s vision into action. It sets out specific rules for how land can be used and developed—such as permitted uses, building heights, setbacks, and densities—for each property in the District.

In short, the OCP sets the direction, and the Zoning Bylaw provides the detailed rules to help get there.
Small Commercial Nodes refer to smaller-scale commercial areas located outside of the main Village Centres. These nodes provide neighbourhood-scale services and retail—like convenience stores, cafés, personal services, or small offices—that are easily accessible to nearby residents and support complete, walkable communities.

The Nodes include:
Island View

Turgoose

Verdier

Several small commercial nodes in Central Saanich have the potential to better serve local residents. In 2024, research and community engagement helped identify the types of additional businesses and services people want to see—alongside growing support for modest increases in building height. These changes aim to create more complete, walkable neighbourhood hubs that offer essential goods and services close to home. By enhancing local access, reducing car dependency, and encouraging community gathering spaces, these updates support healthier and more connected neighbourhoods.
Inclusionary housing is a policy that requires a certain percentage of new housing units in a development to be affordable for low- or moderate-income households. This helps ensure that as new housing is built, it includes options for a range of incomes and supports a more inclusive community. The District currently asks for 10% affordable housing units as directed by the Official Community Plan, however this policy must be updated and formally adopted by bylaw by June 2026.

Discussion