Wednesday, January 17, 2023 – The province is legislating changes, per Bill 44, Local Government Act (LGA), that impacts when municipalities, including Sooke, can conduct public hearings.
The revised legislation specifies that public hearings cannot be held when:
- The zoning bylaw amendment aligns with the official community plan;
- The zoning bylaw amendment is intended to facilitate residential development; and
- At least half of all structures in the development are designated for housing.
Why the Change?
The province is making these changes to streamline the building process and respond to the housing crisis. The intent is to encourage public engagement earlier in the planning and development phase of projects. This is a part of the provincial “Home for People” Action Plan.
Keeping Informed
Before Council considers the bylaw amendment, there’s a 10-day notice period for the public so that you are aware of the change happening in your neighbourhood. Notice will be published at sooke.ca/publicnotices and in the local newspaper. This will inform residents about the prospective change and confirm when we cannot hold a public hearing.
Then, at Council meetings, Council discusses the application. This discussion happens at public meetings, so you can attend in person or watch the recordings on the District’s YouTube channel.
Staying Engaged
As these changes take shape, involvement from the public will be invited earlier in development and land use processes.
Once the Official Community Plan (OCP) review starts up again, be sure to participate! With this updated legislation, OCP updates will be happening every five years from now on.
Also, don’t miss out on developer-hosted public info sessions—they’re your chance to share your thoughts on the prospective development.
Learn more:
Please note: As we learn more about these legislative changes, processes are subject to change.