To help you keep up-to-date with City of Victoria documents and initiatives, here are direct links to information that you’ve told me is important to you.
Official Community Plan. Victoria’s current Official Community Plan was created in 2012, with updates over the past decade. The plan is to “guide land development, provide alignment with regional plans, and respond to current issues”. The OCP provides objectives and policies for decision making. The document guides more than the build out of developments, it includes policies of public participation in decision making, obligations to encourage a safe and thriving city, and the Five-Pillars approach to substance abuse (Section 15).
City of Victoria Governance Review (pdf).The City of Victoria contracted MNP LLP to carry out an independent third party governance review. The review had been identified as a strategic objective in Council’s 2019 plan. The MNP Governance Review was presented at Committee of the whole in July, 2022. See additional information on the City’s website.
A Rapid Investigation into Repeat Offending and Random Stranger Violence in British Columbia (pdf). In response to public safety challenges, the BC Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing and Public Safety and the BC Solicitor General created an Investigative Panel to provide information and recommendations as to how BC could better respond to challenges. The report, released in September, 2022, calls for a structured and mandated coordination between health and justice agencies.
City of Victoria Missing Middle Housing Initiative (MMHI). The Missing Middle Housing Initiative proposes significant changes to the zoning within the City and to the zoning approval process. The final report(s) and bylaw recommendations were discussed at a Public Hearing held over 3 days (August 4, September 1 and 2). On September 8, Council voted to refer the policy to the new Council which would be convened in early November. Actual MMHI Bylaw no. 22-045 (pdf).
City of Victoria Climate Leadership Plan (2018). The City of Victoria Climate Leadership Plan (2018) is Victoria’s initiative directed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewable energy by 2050. Goals and actions are targeted for buildings, mobility, waste, city operations and adaptation sectors.
Off-Street Parking Bylaw: Schedule C (pdf). Off-street parking is often raised as an issue during discussions on development proposals. Requirements are detailed in “Schedule C”. From 2016-2018 the City commissioned a review of decades old parking requirements. Revisions to Schedule C were provided in Bylaw No, 18-017, adopted during the summer of 2018.
The City’s “Development Tracker” is a tool which provides information on developments including: pre-application (CALUC), rezoning, temporary use permit, development permit, development variance permit, development permit with variance, and heritage alteration permit, and heritage alteration permit with variance.
Community Association Land Use Committees (CALUC).The City of Victoria recognizes twelve community land use consultative organizations for the City. These associations are responsible for community meetings within specific neighbourhoods or areas in the city. CALUC facilitates dialogue between developers or property owners who apply for rezoning or variances and the general public. The CALUC process includes an open Community Meeting and a CALUC report to Council.