Victoria 2025, Draft OCP info
PPT Slides from AGM on March 17th, 2025
The most important land use issue for the RNA is the new Official Community Plan (OCP), Victoria 2050, which was released mid-February, this extensive 627-page document is set to advance rapidly toward final approval later this year with a public hearing this summer. This plan is the product of a revised planning process. In the past various neighbourhoods had Local Area Plans that outlined a unique vision for each area, while the OCP described the long-term vision of communities. Now there is a single, one-city plan that focuses not so much on neighbourhoods but on key intersections and nodes, and the surrounding buildings and land. It consists of a general overview, followed by a series of schedules that delve into various specific planning issues, such as zoning, design, heritage conservation and tenant protection.
This OCP proposes a significantly different direction for housing and development policy for the next 25 years. This includes a mix of four to six storey apartment construction throughout the city, in all neighbourhoods. Heights of up to 18 storeys may be considered at certain nodes, such as intersections, core areas as Town Centres, and Local Villages which propose buildings of six to twelve storeys, both residential and commercial. With respect to Rockland, these nodes include Fort St and Linden Ave, Fort St at Moss, The Oak Bay Junction at Fort Street down Oak Bay Ave to Richmond, Richardson at St. Charles, Richardson at Moss, and Richmond Road from Oak Bay Ave to Richardson.
Even at first glance, we have noted some significant gaps. The period of canopy cover measurement was performed (2013-2019) before the supercharging of targeted housing production. The City has not performed or released another measurement for 2023 so we don’t yet understand if City of Victoria’s urban forest is growing, whether the City’s development practices are sustainable, or understand the relationship between the loss of plantable space and changes with the loss. For example, Missing Middle Housing (MMH) regulations require only a minimum of 6.5% contiguous plantable space with no incentives for planting native species. In addition, even though the MMH only regulations were just recently passed, there is no clarity if these bylaws will continue, or on the requirements for contiguous plantable space in new developments.
What we can say with confidence that if the building footprint and height provide no physical possibility where a 15% canopy cover can ever be realized to maintain or grow the urban forest over 30 years (Tree Preservation Bylaw 21-035), the City is proposing a built environment that physically restricts that canopy from ever being provided, and is a contradiction.
The LUC is reviewing the draft OCP in detail and will provide some initial comments to Council later this month. The apparent intention of Council is to approve it in stages over the coming weeks, passing bylaws to address issues covered in the various attachments. There will also be a public hearing anticipated for summer 2025, timing to be determined. The BC government requires all revised Community Plans to be finalized by December 2025 (with a 120-day review prior).
This draft OCP proposes profound changes to housing in Victoria. We urge Rockland residents to review the draft OCP and its attachments and provide comments and concerns:
City Council at councillors@victoria.ca
DRAFT OCP at ocp@victoria.ca
Letters to the Times Colonist letters@timescolonist.com
Where to Find the Draft OCP
The Draft OCP can be found by going on the link to the February 27, 2025, Committee of the Whole Agenda https://pub-victoria.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=1d209737-cfe3-4d07-829a-92951d762f82&Agenda=Merged&lang=English&Item=23&Tab=attachments
You will find the draft OCP and its various attachments—and the attachments contain the key information of importance to Rockland residents. You can also watch a video of City’s staffs presentation on the OCP and the Council discussion, which starts about 3 hours into the meeting.
Reminder: Development Tracker through the following link: https://www.victoria.ca/building-business/permits-development-construction/development-tracker
PPT Slides from AGM on March 17th, 2025
Presentation: Thursday, March 13, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. Council Chambers
E. Request to Address Council
E.7 Carollyne Yardley: Urban Forest and Natural Assets (LiDAR) update for Draft OCP “Victoria 2050”
Documents:
Presentation Notes – Urban Tree Canopy (.pdf)
Presentation Slides (.pdf)
