TOWNSHIP OF ESQUIMALT STAFF REPORT
MEETING DATE: December 15, 2025 Report No. DEV-25-061
TO: Council
FROM: Jakub Lisowski, Planner
SUBJECT: Official Community Plan Project - Adoption of Bylaw
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council adopt Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922, Amendment Bylaw, 2025, No. 3176.
Body
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Recent amendments to the Local Government Act require that the Official Community Plan (OCP) be amended by December 31, 2025. In addition, Council directed staff to amend the Official Community Plan Bylaw based on comments provided by the Committee of the Whole at the September 15, 2025, workshop. Finally, Council made three amendments at second reading on November 3, 2025. The proposed Amendment Bylaw No. 3176 is attached as Appendix "A". A table summarizing the proposed amendments is attached as Appendix "D".
BACKGROUND:
The following key amendments are being made to the OCP:
* Making necessary amendments to be compliant with recent amendments to the Local Government Act related to the most recent Housing Needs Report.
* Amending the Commercial/Commercial Mixed-use policies related to height.
* Making housekeeping amendments as outlined in Appendix "D" of this report.
In addition, the Committee of the Whole recommended at their September 15, 2025, meeting that Council amend the Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922, as follows:
* Restrict the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) of townhomes to 0.7 with no density bonusing provisions.
* Allow commercial development in all residential areas throughout the Township, with appropriate guidelines.
Council gave 1st reading and 2nd reading as amended to the amending Bylaw at the November 3rd Council meeting. The amendments at 2nd reading were as follows:
* Delete the word "Average" and remove the brackets around the word "Median", so that the title of Figure 3 of the Bylaw reads, "Esquimalt Population by Median Age".
* Replace the words "Commercial/Commerci...
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