TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: December 8, 2025 Report No. DEV-25-062
TO: Committee of the Whole
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT: Impact Assessment - Major Review of the Official Community Plan
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Committee of the Whole recommends to Council that staff be directed to initiate a major review of the Official Community Plan based on the Impact Assessment attached as Schedule “A” to staff report DEV-25-062, subject to funding approvals in the 2026 budget process.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Council’s 2023-2026 Priority Plan includes a project to prepare a “project scope document” for the “Official Community Plan Major Review”. There has not been a major review of Esquimalt’s Official Community Plan for almost 20 years. Between 2015-2018 Council did a major recalibration, however, there were no significant changes to heights and densities for lands designated Commercial/Commercial Mixed-Use, or High Density Residential. In 2025 Council updated the Official Community Plan to bring it into conformity with recent amendments to the Local Government Act. In addition, there were new policies and guidelines related to small scale multi-unit dwellings added along with updates to statistical data based on the 2021 Federal Census as well as significant editing of various design guidelines. Details of all the amendments made in the 2025 recalibration can be found in Staff Report DEV-25-060 and its attachments (from December 1, 2025). Notwithstanding these two recalibrations, the Township and the many factors that govern planning in Esquimalt have changed significantly over the past 20 years, warranting a major review of the Plan.
BACKGROUND:
Council’s 2023-2026 Priority Plan includes a project to prepare a “project scope document” for the “Official Community Plan Major Review”. The attached “Impact Assessment” (Appendix “A”) contains a broad-based scope of the project along with an assessment of potential impacts on the organization including its budget, a proposed timeline for the project, and impact on staffing. Because the project will take a minimum of two years to complete, the proposed budget does not have to be allocated in a single budget year, but rather, can be smoothed out over two or three budgets depending on timing.
Prior to work starting on the actual major review of the Official Community Plan, three studies need to be completed. These are:
1) Development Capacity Study - already underway and funded. A draft of the study is scheduled to be presented to Council before the 2026 summer break with the final study presented right after the 2026 summer break.
2) Fiscal Impact Analysis Model - to determine minimum building heights and densities to allow financially feasible development as well as to determine the point at which density bonusing can be triggered. This model will be able to be updated for each proposed development as required by the Local Government Act when density bonusing is requested.
3) Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines - As one of the most important public spaces in Esquimalt from a planning and urban design perspective, it is imperative that Council, residents, developers, and staff, have a well-defined framework to support decision making on projects that impact Esquimalt Road. This includes everything from making sure sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate the myriad of uses associated with sidewalks, to ensuring future buildings are designed so that they are integrated into the Esquimalt Road in a manner that supports the many functions of Esquimalt Road. The guidelines will also examine the issue of on-street parking vs bike lanes in the core area. Furthermore, the guidelines will use the results of the Fiscal Impact Analysis Model to determine appropriate heights and densities for new development along Esquimalt Road.
ANALYSIS:
The current Official Community Plan is based on a foundational Official Community Plan adopted by Council in 2007. Since that time Esquimalt has undergone significant development. In addition, the systems that impact this development and future development such as the global economy, global climate, global geo-political tensions, technological ecosystems, and the psycho-social environment impacting people’s lives have all changed. A major update of the Official Community Plan would provide Council with a modernized decision-making framework that is responsive to the current times. It is critical that the residents and business owners in Esquimalt have a say in shaping the development of that framework. A detailed analysis of the project’s scope and potential impacts is found in the Impact Assessment attached as Appendix “A” of this staff report.
Given that the major timeline objective is to have the major Official Community Plan review completed before 2030, Council has some flexibility related to when the project is initiated. Starting in 2026 will allow the project to be completed by Q4 in 2028 while starting in 2027 will allow for completion by Q4 in 2029. Because this is a multi-year series of projects, all the funding does not need to be allocated in a single year. If Council wished to start the project in 2026, $75,000 would need to be allocated in the 2026 budget ($50,000 for the Financial Impact Analysis Model and $25,000 for the Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines). The balance of the budget would be allocated in the 2027 and 2028 budgets through the Five-Year Financial Plan. The proposed timeline is aggressive and contingent upon guaranteed budget allocations in the Five-Year Financial Plan over the time periods involved; the addition of a Senior Planner to the Development Services Team; and no other significant projects being assigned to Development Services in Council’s Priorities Plan until the major review of the Official Community Plan has been completed.
OPTIONS:
• That the Committee of the Whole recommends to Council that staff be directed to initiate a major review of the Official Community Plan based on the Impact Assessment attached as Schedule “A” to staff report DEV-25-062, subject to funding approvals in the 2026 budget process.
• That the Committee of the Whole asks staff prepare an alternative proposal based on the comments from the Committee of the Whole.
COUNCIL PRIORITY:
The Council Priorities Plan 2023 - 2026 contains a project that requires the presentation of a Project Scope for the Official Community Plan Major Review by Q1 of 2026. The attached Impact Assessment (Appendix “A”) provides Council with an initial project scope along with potential impacts.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The following budget requests are associated with this project:
- Fiscal Impact Analysis Model including assessment of viable height and density - $50,000 (2026) and $200,000 (2027)
- Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines - $25,000 (2026) and $175,000 (2027).
- Official Community Plan Review $200,000 (2027), $50,000 (2028).
In addition, the proposed timelines are contingent on the hiring of a Planner 3 whose job it will be, in part, to oversee this project daily.
COMMUNICATIONS/ENGAGEMENT:
There will be a specific communications plan prepared for this project that will feature a robust consultation process.
TIMELINES & NEXT STEPS:
Timelines are found in the Impact Assessment attached as Appendix “A” to staff report DEV-25-062.
REPORT REVIEWED BY:
1. Sarah Holloway, Manager of Corporate Services, Reviewed
2. Ian Irvine, Director of Finance, Reviewed
3. Dan Horan, Chief Administrative Officer, Concurrence
LIST OF ATTACHMENTS:
1. Appendix “A” Impact Assessment - Major Review of the Official Community Plan 2026 - 2028