Picture Sooke: The Final Frame – Completing our Official Community Plan

Thank you for your comments. The draft OCP does not expand the Community Growth Area because it is required to remain consistent with the Capital Regional District’s Regional Growth Strategy. The growth boundary was deliberately kept unchanged to focus development within serviced areas of Sooke and to prevent sprawl into agricultural, rural, and Crown lands beyond the District boundary. While access to Crown and agricultural lands is important for recreation, emergency management, and resource use, those matters are typically managed through provincial jurisdiction and do not fall within the scope of the OCP.

Regarding infrastructure, the CRD’s water main extension is a regional project and does not, on its own, change Sooke’s growth boundary or servicing plans. The District’s wastewater planning is focused on managing flows from within our boundary, in line with capacity at our wastewater treatment plant and capital planning priorities. Broader integration of water supply and wastewater management across jurisdictions would need to be considered at the CRD level.

The OCP does not include a stand-alone housing plan, but it does integrate housing directions from the provincially required Housing Needs Report. That report identified the need for thousands of new homes in Sooke over the next 20 years, across a range of types and affordability levels. The OCP responds by managing where and how that growth should occur. By focusing density in the Town Centre and within the Community Growth Area, the District can make more efficient use of existing roads, utilities, and services.

Compact growth also helps limit sprawl, which means fewer kilometres of road to build and maintain, and more cost-effective investments in sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit. In this way, growth management provides efficiencies in infrastructure upkeep and creates safer, more connected neighbourhoods, while also helping to meet the community’s identified housing needs.

Thank you for raising this question. The draft OCP draws directly from the Transportation Master Plan and Parks and Trails Master Plan, which both identify the need for expanded sidewalks, bike lanes, and trail connections, including west of the Town Centre and toward Whiffin Spit. The OCP also emphasizes equitable access to parks, green space, and the waterfront by prioritizing new park acquisition, trail linkages, and protection of natural areas, especially as growth occurs in underrepresented parts of the community. On the waterfront, the plan recognizes that access is limited today and highlights the waterfront as the “soul of Sooke,” with policies to improve public access and amenities over time. While the OCP sets this direction, the specific improvements, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, and park acquisition, will be advanced through capital planning, partnerships, and future budgets.

Thank you for your comments and for drawing attention to the property at 6605 Sooke Road.

You are correct that the draft OCP emphasizes the importance of protecting and connecting with the waterfront as a defining feature of Sooke, and identifies opportunities for new gathering spaces, parks, and community amenities. Properties such as the one you referenced can present opportunities, but the OCP itself does not commit the District to purchasing specific lands. Acquisition decisions are typically considered through the Parks and Trails Master Plan (which identifies long-term priorities and needs), as well as through Council’s annual Financial Plan process where budget and funding sources are reviewed.

Thank you for your question. The Community Residential designation in the draft OCP does include the full range of housing forms now required under Bill 44. The description highlights single-family homes, townhouses, rowhouses, and duplexes as the most common forms, and is written to be consistent with provincial legislation that permits small-scale multi-unit housing of up to 4 units per lot in all serviced areas. The OCP provides the policy framework, while the Zoning Bylaw (which has already been updated) reflects the specific housing forms and densities permitted under Bill 44.

Thank you for your questions. The draft OCP is not against personal transportation devices; in fact, it supports a multi-modal system that includes walking, cycling, e-bikes, and other personal mobility options, alongside vehicles and transit. This aligns with the District’s Transportation Master Plan, Parks and Trails Master Plan, and Climate Action Plan, which emphasize improving safe, connected travel choices. Regarding a second crossing of the Sooke River, the OCP is a high-level policy document and does not plan or fund specific infrastructure projects. Because Highway 14 and the existing bridge are under provincial jurisdiction, any new crossing would require provincial leadership, detailed engineering, and environmental review. The District continues to advocate for transportation improvements with the Province, while the OCP provides the broader framework to guide growth and connectivity to 2050.

Thank you for this important question. Achieving a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 (from 2007 levels) is ambitious, and we acknowledge that recent CRD inventories have shown increases in emissions. The draft OCP supports the Climate Action Plan through several policy directions:

• Compact Growth: Focusing most new housing and employment in the Town Centre and serviced areas reduces reliance on cars, supports transit, and makes the best use of infrastructure.
• Sustainable Transportation: OCP policies reinforce the Transportation Master Plan, requiring new development to deliver connected sidewalks, bike lanes, and road improvements that make active travel and transit more viable.
• Green Buildings (limited scope): Development Permit guidelines encourage higher efficiency and low-carbon design primarily for apartments and multi-family buildings of 5 or more units, and for commercial development. This approach is meant to complement the BC Energy Step Code and provide flexibility for single-family housing.
• Natural Systems Protection: Safeguards for steep slopes, riparian areas, and forests help retain carbon sinks and support climate resilience.

It’s important to note that while the OCP and the District's Climate Action Plan (CAP) establish the local framework, achieving the legislated reductions will also depend on provincial regulations (e.g., Step Code), regional transit improvements, and partnerships with the CRD and utilities.

Together, the CAP and OCP ensure that local land use and infrastructure decisions move us toward Sooke’s climate targets while balancing practicality and community needs.

Thank you for your comments and for raising these concerns. To clarify the process, the change to designate the Mountain Heights property from Rural Residential to Community Residential was recommended at a Committee of the Whole meeting on March 21, 2022. Council then directed staff to make the change to the draft land use map at its March 28^th meeting, resulting in the change being reflected in the draft OCP when it was given first reading by Council on April 11, 2022, alongside several other amendments. The video and minutes of those discussions remain available on the District’s website for public review.

While this change was not part of the original draft prepared by staff and the OCP Advisory Committee, it became part of the working document through Council direction at that time. Since then, the draft OCP has continued to emphasize a compact growth strategy, with the highest levels of density directed to the Town Centre and limited expansion of the Urban Containment Boundary. This aligns with the District’s Climate Action Plan, Housing Needs Report, Transportation Master Plan, and Parks and Trails Master Plan, all of which prioritize reducing sprawl and focusing development where infrastructure and services can best support it.

We recognize that the Mountain Heights property has been the subject of significant community discussion. Your question, along with other input received in this round of engagement, will be included in a summary report that is provided to Council. Ultimately, decisions on land use designations rest with Council through the OCP bylaw process. Final adoption of the OCP will require further readings of the bylaw and a Public Hearing, which will provide another opportunity for public input to be formally considered by Council.

Thank you for your thoughtful review of the draft Official Community Plan (OCP) and for sharing concerns from the Billings Spit / Kaltasin / Glenidle neighbourhood. I will address each of your three points below.

1. Neighbourhood Zoning and Land Use Designation
In the draft OCP, the land use designation for your area is proposed as Rural Residential, with adjacency to Employment Lands. This reflects current servicing and infrastructure limitations, but importantly, the neighbourhood also falls within a designated Neighbourhood Planning Area. This means that as sewer connections become available, further planning and consultation will take place to refine land use designations and consider greater development potential. In the future, that process would be the opportunity to explore more tailored residential designations that better reflect the built-out, waterfront character of the neighbourhood.

2. Limitations, Equity, and Neighbourhood Improvements
The OCP’s growth management strategy focuses most new density and servicing into the Town Centre and sewer service area, in line with regional growth management and climate goals. For built-out neighbourhoods like yours, this does mean limited change in land use intensity. However, the OCP also ties into other District plans that address livability and infrastructure improvements. For example:

• The Transportation Master Plan identifies needs for improved road safety and connectivity.
• The Parks and Trails Master Plan highlights priorities for new and improved waterfront access points, amenities, and green spaces.
• The Climate Action Plan emphasizes equity and resilience, including upgrades to stormwater and drainage systems.

While the OCP itself does not fund projects, it provides the policy framework for Council to prioritize these improvements through the Financial Plan and partnerships. We recognize the importance of equity across neighbourhoods and will continue to look for opportunities to support reinvestment in established areas.

3. Recycling Depots and the Gateway to Neighbourhoods
Your point about access through waste-handling lands is well taken. The draft OCP continues to designate lands near Idlemore as Employment Lands, recognizing their industrial and employment role. At the same time, we have heard community feedback about the visual and functional impacts of industrial uses near residential gateways. The draft OCP includes policies supporting improved buffering, screening, and long-term transition planning for employment lands, while maintaining compatibility with residential areas. Traffic management concerns along Idlemore and Highway 14 are being considered in coordination with the Transportation Master Plan and Ministry of Transportation and Transit projects.

Thank you for raising these concerns. To clarify, the Community Growth Boundary was not expanded and remains consistent with the Regional Growth Strategy boundary established by the CRD. However, On March 21, 2022, the Committee of the Whole recommended, and on April 11, 2022, Council confirmed through first reading of the draft OCP, a change in land use designation for the Mountain Heights property (Lot 6, Plan VIP26066, West Ridge Trails) from Rural Residential to Community Residential. This amendment was made by Council direction and is documented in the minutes and video available on the District’s website.

The draft OCP continues to emphasize compact growth focused in the Town Centre, supported by the Housing Needs Report, Transportation Master Plan, and Parks and Trails Master Plan, and the Climate Action Plan. While Mountain Heights is now designated for Community Residential, both in the existing and the draft OCP, development of this site must still comply with the OCP’s policies and Development Permit Area requirements, including:

• Environmental safeguards for steep slopes, riparian areas, and sensitive ecosystems, with geotechnical and environmental studies required at the rezoning and subdivision stages.
• Transportation improvements guided by the Transportation Master Plan, including safe walking and cycling connections and requirements for road and infrastructure upgrades to address traffic impacts.
• Community well-being policies requiring parks, trails, and amenities to be integrated into new neighbourhoods, and ongoing prioritization of higher density growth in the Town Centre to support services and reduce sprawl.

In short, while Council’s 2022 amendment shifted the land use designation of Mountain Heights, the draft OCP and supporting master plans still provide the framework to ensure that any development aligns with community values and mitigates environmental, transportation, and livability impacts.