Picture Sooke: Official Community Plan Review

The District of Sooke is restarting the Official Community Plan (OCP) update in 2025. This next phase will build on work already completed, respond to community feedback, include changes required by new provincial legislation introduced in 2023, and provide opportunities for public participation.

At its January 27, 2025 meeting, Council directed staff to move forward with the process to complete the OCP. Read the related staff report in the meeting agenda package (pp. 99-113).

Why is the Process Restarting?

The OCP update originally began in 2020 and advanced significantly by 2022. However, in 2023 the process was paused. This pause created space to:

• Review additional feedback from the community,
• Consider new housing legislation from the Province (Bill 44), and
• Reflect on how to improve the draft plan.

We heard from residents and stakeholders that the draft plan needed refinement. Staff are now reviewing the document and will be presenting suggested updates to Council. Following that, the District will invite the community to provide input on the revised version.

Get Involved

Details about public engagement opportunities are anticipated to begin late summer 2025.

At the close of 2023, the Provincial Government passed a series of legislative measures with far-reaching implications for land use planning across the province, including Sooke. These measures, designed to address the pressing housing crisis, will reshape some aspects of the District's OCP review undertaken thus far.

The provincial updates aim to provide comprehensive solutions to the housing shortage. One significant change introduced by this legislation is the requirement for Official Community Plans (OCPs) to be updated every five years, with provisions for housing based on 20-year projections.

As of March 21, 2024, the District of Sooke is eagerly awaiting guidance from the province on the House Needs Report, which is foundational for the necessary OCP revisions.

The timelines outlined by the province for implementation are as follows:

• Early 2024: Local governments will receive guidance on the Housing Needs Report.
• June/July 2024: Municipalities will be provided with instructions to update their Official Community Plans and zoning bylaws.
• January 1, 2025: Local governments must have completed their interim Housing Needs Report.
• December 31, 2025: Municipalities must finalize their first review and update of Official Community Plans and zoning bylaws, based on the interim Housing Needs Report.

As of March 21, 2024, the Housing Needs Report guidelines have not been released.

Stay tuned for further updates.

Please be advised that the October 3, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the OCP has been postponed. A new date for the meeting has not yet been scheduled and will be posted on this page, once known.

At the July 10, 2023 Council meeting, Council received a report from staff for information in follow-up to the June 19, 2023 Committee of the Whole input session. The report responds to questions received during the input session while acknowledging that further follow-up is needed. Staff intends to conduct this follow-up throughout the summer. Read the full report here.

The next public meeting to continue the OCP conversation has been tentatively scheduled for October 3, 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Many thanks to the approximate 200 attendees at the June 19th, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting. Your active involvement and participation in the Official Community Plan (OCP) development are appreciated. Please stay informed on the OCP and its development as we continue through phase four and this revision stage to progress toward adoption by following this page or subscribing to our electric mailing list if you have not already done so.

On June 19, 2023, Council resolved:
THAT Council direct staff to review the input received at the June 19, 2023 input session and report back to Council on potential amendments at the July 10, 2023 Regular Council Meeting.

The agenda for the Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the Official Community Plan (OCP) is available here.

Doors will open at 12:45 p.m. on Monday, June 19th, 2023. The meeting will begin at 1 p.m.

In addition to providing correspondence on the agenda item received through this period of consultation, thus far, the agenda package also includes a staff report to inform this consultation further. The report provides clarifying information received and responds to misinformation circulating.

An OCP Advisory Committee, comprised of citizen members and a Council representative, began work to revise the OCP in Fall 2020. On March 7, 2022 Council received a staff report and the document transitioned from the work of the Committee to the work of Council. Since March 2022, changes made to the draft OCP are:

• Section 3.14 Comprehensive Development additional direction. Replace the second bullet from “consent” to “consult.” (March 28, 2022 Regular Council Meeting)
• Whiffin Spit land use designation of Community Residential be replaced with Rural Residential. Include a Neighbourhood Area Plan boundary (similar to section 3.15 Billings/Kaltasin Neighbourhood Area Plan). (March 28, 2022 Regular Council Meeting )
• Development Permit Area guidelines for the foreshore area, replace “30 m” with “15 m”. (March 28, 2022 Regular Council Meeting )
• Lot 6, Plan VIP26066 (West Ridge Trails) land use designation of Rural Residential is replaced with Community Residential. (March 28, 2022 Regular Council Meeting )
• Change Figure 7 OCP Land Use Designation for Lot 1, Section 121, Sooke District, Plan EPP22372, from Rural Residential to Comprehensive Development. (September 8, 2022 Regular Council Meeting )

A timeline summary of this period is captured below:

The District of Sooke’s Official Community Plan (OCP) is approaching the final stages of development and we want to hear from you!

More than 2,000 persons have participated in updating Sooke’s OCP over the last two(+) years and as Council works towards adoption of this critical long-range planning document that guides decision-making, they are seeking to refine and clarify some aspects so that the plan most effectively supports the community’s vision:

Sooke is a small town with a big heart. It is a vibrant net-zero emissions community, cradled in the stunning beauty and vitality of the ocean and forest.

This conversation, where specific feedback is received as we work together to finalize the OCP, is the one we’re looking to have on June 19^th.

On June 19, 2023 at 1 pm a Committee of the Whole meeting will be held for:

• Interested partners to provide specific input on OCP Bylaw No. 800 (2022);
• District of Sooke Council to hear from partners about what works and where there are concerns with OCP Bylaw No. 800 (2022) to help realize the community’s vision; and
• District staff to respond to questions and seek further clarification from partners as the plan is revised before a new public hearing is held.

________________________________________

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Presentations Welcome

• Those attending the June 19, 2023 meeting will have the opportunity to make a 5-minute presentation (one 5-minute presentation per speaker).
• Those wishing to make a presentation must provide their presentation slides to Corporate Services by email at corp@sooke.ca no later than noon on Wednesday, June 14, 2023.
• Please reserve your presentation by contacting Corporate Services directly.

Provide Written Correspondence

• Email Corporate Services at corp@sooke.ca or deliver written correspondence to: District of Sooke Municipal Hall, Attn: Corporate Services, 2205 Otter Point Road, Sooke BC V9Z 1J2
• Written correspondence received by noon on Friday, June 16, 2023 will be included in a supplemental agenda package posted at sooke.ca/meetings by 4:30pm (on June 16^th).
• Correspondence received after this deadline and before June 19, 2023 will be provided to staff.

Additional Information

• The June 19, 2023 meeting will be live-streamed on the District’s YouTube channel for those unable to attend in person and those wishing to view the recording at a later date.
• Information received through this period (now until June 19, 2023) will be used to inform updates to the OCP before a new public hearing is held later this year.

At the March 20, 2023 Council meeting,the Director of Planning and Development presented a report about the status of the Official Community Plan (OCP) review, and next-step options available to Council.

Council's discussion included:

• The process required to reignite the OCP review.
• Additional information about the OCP has been received by the District and Council since the OCP's public hearing.
• The OCP document could be reorganized to enhance clarity.
• There are no resources currently allocated to making substantial changes to the document. However, the goal is to produce a document that will not need amendments in the future.

Decision - carried unanimously:

• THAT the Committee of the Whole recommend Council direct staff to bring a report back to the April 11, 2023, Regular Council meeting regarding a proposed schedule for adoption of the OCP, including legal advice on next steps that includes scheduling a Committee of the Whole meeting with an invite extended to local and regional builders, developers and stakeholders.

Staff have sought a legal opinion regarding the next steps for Council consideration of the Official Community Plan, and will present this information including a decision-tree on the next steps at the April 11, 2023 Council meeting.

Staff are seeking direction from Council regarding the next steps for the Official Community Plan (OCP) review which was paused on September 27, 2022 until after the October 15, 2022 general local election. This discussion will take place on Monday, March 20, 2023 Committee of the Whole meeting, scheduled for 1pm at Sooke Municipal Hall, Council Chambers.

Resources:

• Meeting agenda
• Meeting live stream link
• Meeting information page
• Subscribe to receive meeting notifications/agendas