Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw Update

The District of Sooke is inviting builders, developers, contractors, and residents to share their feedback on the updated Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw, which received third reading by Council on May 26, 2025.

This bylaw outlines the technical design and infrastructure requirements for subdivision and development—such as roads, sidewalks, lighting, and stormwater management—and directly shapes how neighbourhoods in Sooke are built and serviced.

“This updated bylaw is the result of over 18 months of work, with a foundation shaped by input from the building and development community,” says Mayor Maja Tait. “We’re now checking in to ensure that the bylaw delivers on its goal: providing clarity for those building in our community, while supporting long-term livability for residents.”

The updated bylaw reflects best practices while also responding to Sooke’s unique needs. Key highlights include:

• Transparent, consistent standards that improve clarity and expectations for developers
• Clear road classifications to guide infrastructure requirements based on road type and corresponding service levels (local, collector, or arterial)
• Simplified requirements for small subdivisions (creation of three lots or fewer) to reduce development costs and support housing affordability
• A balanced approach to advancing complete streets—walkable, connected neighbourhoods with sidewalks, street trees, lighting, and effective stormwater management—while recognizing the financial realities of small-scale development

“This bylaw gives everyone a clearer understanding of what’s required, where, and why,” says Jeff Carter, Director of Operations. “It responds directly to industry feedback, helps reduce delays, improves consistency, and supports smarter infrastructure planning across the District.”

While feedback is especially welcomed from those working in construction and land development—builders, developers, engineers, and contractors—residents are also encouraged to share their thoughts, particularly around the form and function of Sooke’s growing neighbourhoods.

A short online feedback survey is open until Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Responses will be presented to Council to inform any final refinements before the bylaw is considered for adoption. Minor adjustments may still be made to support implementation.

To further support engagement, two stakeholder sessions are being held with the building and development community to explore the updated bylaw in greater detail and answer questions:

• Tuesday, June 24 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Online via Microsoft Teams – sign up when completing the online survey)
• Wednesday, June 25 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM (In person at Municipal Hall, Council Chambers)

RECOMMENDATION:

• THAT Council give first, second, and third reading to Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw No. 925, 2025.
• AND THAT Council directs staff to proceed with a public consultation, including local developers and consultants.

Report Summary:

District staff have worked in unison with the District's legal solicitors at Young Anderson to develop a revised Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw (SDSB). The purpose of the District's SDSB is to regulate and require the provision of Works and Services with respect to the subdivision and development of land in the District of Sooke. Under Part 14 of the Local Government Act, Council may, by bylaw, regulate and require the provision of works and services that may require infrastructure connections to community water, sewer, drainage collection systems, and transportation networks. Moreover, excess and extended works and services may be required, as well as frontage improvements immediately adjacent to a property up to the road's centerline.

District staff have received direction from Council to revise the SDSB based on concerns from the Development Community in the District of Sooke.

The key elements included in the revised SDSB are intended to:

• Ensure Bylaw requirements are aligned and follow relevant legislative authorities under the Community Charter & Local Government Act.
• Present Bylaw sections and schedules in a clear and concise format to ensure consistent interpretation.
• Provide consistent requirements to the development community for subdivision and development in the District of Sooke.
• Ensure that the developer provides sustainable infrastructure requirements for subdivision and development.
• Present exemptions to frontage improvements for consideration based on realized granted variances to date.
• Identify the criteria under which cash-in-lieu of completing frontage improvements would be considered.

There are two parts to the SDSB:

1. Front End = Administrative general standards and requirements for works and services directly related to infrastructure requirements for development and subdivision.

1. Back End = Schedules including level of service area mapping, applicable road cross-sections, as well as design guidelines, and technical design construction specification requirements for all constructed municipal infrastructure (aligned with Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) for all civil infrastructure and Canadian Landscape Standards (CLS) for landscaping works).

Subdivision and development are required to provide necessary servicing infrastructure related to water, stormwater, wastewater, and roads. Additionally, Local Governments can require subdivision and development to provide frontage improvement works to the centerline of the road aligned with applicable road cross-section elements for the level of service area. These frontage improvement works and services are secured before development (building permit issuance) or subdivision approval.

The proposed exemptions for frontage improvement requirements are intended to facilitate reduced costs for small-scale developments, which may result in more affordable single-family housing and rental stock; however, if these improvements are not secured and funded by subdivision or development, taxation or other means of funding will be required to complete improvements in the future.

This report will provide an overview of the front end of the SDSB including proposed exemptions for Council consideration, and a summary of each of the schedules in the back end of the SDSB.

Report:

SDSB Front End

The front end of the District's SDSB provides definitions and general standards for works and services directly related to infrastructure requirements for water service, sewer service capacity assessments, traffic impact assessments, and stormwater management assessments. All water, sanitary, storm, and road infrastructure to service a subdivision or development is required. Accordingly, the primary purpose of the front end of the Bylaw is to set the criteria and requirements to appropriately determine these requirements, ensuring District infrastructure and the public are not negatively impacted. Additionally, the front end of this Bylaw sets criteria for works and services agreements, while providing construction requirements for the acceptance of works and services.

Municipalities have authority under the Local Government Act to require frontage improvements that are secured at the time of development or subdivision. Additionally, the front end of the SDSB sets exemptions for frontage improvement requirements and provides criteria for when cash-in-lieu of frontage improvements may be considered. Development is defined as any improvement that requires the issuance of a building permit. The following exemptions for Works and Services, and frontage improvements are proposed in the SDSB.

Proposed exemptions from providing Works and Services, and Frontage Improvements:

Development that comprises:

• Accessory Uses, including a secondary Suite and a small Suite.
• Alterations or extensions that do not otherwise result in a change of use.
• A Single-Family Dwelling.
• Subdivision for a lot line adjustment

Note: All Multi-family developments, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, or duplexes with suites will be required to provide Works and Services and Frontage Improvements.

Proposed exemptions from providing Frontage Improvements:

Development that comprises:

• Commercial or industrial, or institutional use with a construction value less than $500,000 as confirmed by the District's Chief Building Official.
• Subdivision that results in no more than a total of three parcels unless the parcel being subdivided was created within the previous ten (10) years.

Note: Best practices require all subdivisions to complete frontage improvements ensuring the cost is provided by the development and not put onto residents in the future; however, based on recent approved variences and concerns from the small scale development community, Council may desire to consider exemptions for subdivisions that are creating a total of 3 or less lots as proposed.

SDSB Back End

The back end of the SDSB identifies all service areas and corresponding road cross-section requirements for frontage improvements for subdivision and development. All works and services for civil infrastructure servicing requirements and frontage improvements must be designed and certified by a professional engineer and follow all SDSB Bylaw requirements, as well as the Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD), design guidelines, and construction specifications. All works and services for landscaping, parks, boulevards, and trails must be designed and certified by a professional landscape architect. These are standard practices for the construction of municipal civil infrastructure and municipal landscaping works for local governments in British Columbia.

The following Schedules are included in the back end of the SDSB:

Schedule 1 - Highway and Transportation Infrastructure Works and Services

• Includes maps identifying the District's Service Areas - Town Center, Suburban, and Rural.
• Identifies Highway, Arterial, Collector, Town Center, Local, and Laneway Road Cross sections corresponding to each of the service areas.

Schedule 2 - Supplementary Design Guidelines

• Includes design guidelines to be applied in conjunction with the design guidelines in the Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) to be completed by a professional engineer.

Schedule 3 - Supplementary Construction Specifications

• Includes construction specifications to be applied in conjunction with the construction specifications in the Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) to be certified by a professional engineer.

Schedule 4 - Landscaping and Trail Design Guidelines and Standards

• Includes landscaping and trail design guidelines and construction standards to be applied in conjunction with MMCD and the Canadian Landscape Standards to be completed by a Landscape Architect or a qualified professional.

Schedule 5 - Irrigation Design Guidelines and Standards

• Includes landscaping, park, and trail irrigation design guidelines and construction standards to be applied in conjunction with MMCD and the Canadian Landscape Standards to be completed by a certified designer by the Irrigation Industry Association of BC (IIABC).

Schedule 6 - Supplementary Standard Detail Drawings

• Includes supplementary standard detail drawings to be applied in conjunction with the standard detailed drawings in the Master Municipal Construction Documents (MMCD) and the Canadian Landscape Standards (CLS) Documents.

Public consultation to date and proposed

The SDSB 925, 2025 reflects a multi-year effort to modernize and clarify the District's infrastructure requirements for subdivision and development. This work began in response to observed gaps in the SDSB Bylaw 2014, including outdated specifications, inconsistent application, and insufficient provisions for active transportation, climate adaptation, and neighborhood livability.

District staff reviewed best practices, consulted MMCD guidelines, and worked collaboratively across departments to ensure alignment with the Official Community Plan, Transportation Master Plan, and the District's strategic priorities supporting sustainable growth, environmental stewardship, and safe multi-modal transportation.

Dialog with the local development and building community has been ongoing, though primarily informal, apart from stakeholder consultation workshops on December 3 & 4, 2023, as staff navigated the complexity and administrative depth of updating the Bylaw. The questions, comments, and responses for the 2023 consultation workshops are attached to this report for reference. While dedicated engagement workshops were hosted nearly 18 months ago around proposed standards, meaningful dialogue informing this work continued by applying operational learnings through day-to-day referrals.

With a complete draft Bylaw in hand, and should Council support the recommended direction, staff are looking to formally re-engage with the public, including local developers, builders, and consultants. The next phase of public consultation will confirm that the bylaw offers practical clarity, aligns with community expectations, and is responsive to both immediate and future needs. Staff are proposing to host an online consultation meeting to provide the opportunity for questions and answers, as well as comments and feedback on the revised SDSB 925, 2025. Staff will provide a summary of this consultation when the Bylaw is brought forward to Council for consideration of adoption.

Alternate Resolution

1. Direct Staff to amend the proposed exemptions for frontage improvements in the SDSB, give initial readings to the Bylaw, and direct staff to proceed with public consultation.

Attachments

1. Subdivision and Development Standards Bylaw No. 925, 2025
2. Young Anderson Memo
3. Preliminary SDSB Consultation
4. Road Map of Changes from the Current to the Revised SDSB
5. Road Atlas - Identifies Extents of Service Areas as well as the applicable Road Cross-Sections for all Roads in the District

Legal Impacts:

The front end of this Bylaw has been developed by District staff working in unison with District Solicitors at Young Anderson and strictly abides by authorities under the Local Government Act. The front end of the Bylaw is legally sound, and the back end of the Bylaw is in accordance with technical municipal construction practices that are required in local governments in British Columbia.

There are no statutory requirements for any public consultation for an SDSB; however, Staff are proposing to provide an online consultation with the public, including local developers and consultants.