Council approved a three-year permit for Oak Bay Police and Fire training at 1538 Monterey Avenue after nearby residents described poor upkeep, blocked access and little notice; the permit now requires a public information session and better site maintenance. Council also approved a regional recycling depot at Cadboro Bay and Cranmore roads, despite concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, with staff to monitor how the site works. A development-process improvement project will move ahead, with staff to return later on key outcome measures. Council adopted a zoning change for 2630 Margate Avenue and advanced the amended 310 King George Terrace proposal, while requiring sprinklers and an accessible washroom to be secured by covenant before adoption.
Generated from the recording's captions and the official minutes.
Council approved the meeting agenda.
Routine: approve the agenda for this meeting.
Council adopted the minutes of its two July 13 meetings. No corrections were raised.
Routine: adopt the minutes of the two July 13, 2026 Council meetings.
Council received the Heritage Commission’s June 3 minutes.
Routine: receive the Heritage Commission meeting minutes for information.
Three members of the public spoke. A resident asked the District to tidy signs and remove a chain at the foot of Baler Avenue to make it easier to wheel kayaks and mobility devices to the beach, and suggested an accessible parking space. Another asked for a foot wash and washroom near the beach access. A nearby resident raised concerns about the condition and use of 1538 Monterey Avenue; that permit came up later on the agenda.
Council directed staff to engage with the Community Green Map and report back on the organization’s proposed partnership model.
Staff are to talk with the Community Green Map about its proposed partnership and bring Council a report on the proposed arrangement.
Staff sought approval to proceed with 11 projects intended to improve the development and building-permit process, from early applicant questions through approvals and construction. Proposed work includes applicant resources, digital tools and more suitable review paths for smaller applications. Council asked how the work would coordinate with engineering, parks and fire permits; how performance measures would be tailored and reported; and whether digital tools would create ongoing costs. Staff said the measures would be tailored to Oak Bay, that existing software would be used, and that council would return to the question of top-level outcomes as the work is scoped. Staff expect to establish initial measures in the third quarter of 2026, with further measures to follow.
Approve the revised plan for the second part of the project to improve the development process, as set out in the staff report attachment.
The owners sought a variance to allow a pergola on an existing rear patio. It would slightly increase lot coverage and sit closer than the required three-metre separation from another building or structure. Staff supported the request. A council question about fire separation was answered with the explanation that building officials would review it through the building-permit process; the owner said the pergola would remain open.
Approve the requested development variance permit for the property at 2088 Hampshire.
Council approved a three-year permit for temporary municipal storage and emergency backup office use, and for Police and Fire training at the District-owned house. Residents described neglected grounds, garbage, poor communication and training that can block access or take up street parking. Staff said training could occur frequently, generally during the day, and that fire apparatus may occupy about two parking spaces. The Fire Chief said the site is one of few local options for interior, multi-floor training needed to meet provincial requirements. Council added conditions for a joint public information session on training plans, parking and site upkeep, and for staff to explore reallocating District funds to improve maintenance. A proposal to keep the two lots separate did not receive a seconder, so it was not put to a vote.
Approve temporary use of the property for emergency services training, with a public information session about the training schedule and feedback on parking and upkeep. Staff are also to explore shifting District funds to expand property maintenance and create a maintenance schedule.
Council approved a three-year permit for a Capital Regional District recycling drop-off depot at the District-owned parking lot. The proposed service would operate on weekends from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with no permanent site changes and no cost to Oak Bay. Staff said they would monitor traffic and could adjust parking or vehicle access if needed. A resident supported the depot and suggested clothing collection; another opposed it, citing traffic, noise, the nearby school and an existing depot; a third supported trying the service. Staff clarified that the program was for drop-off and donations, not cash refunds for beverage containers.
Approve temporary use of the property at the corner of Cadboro Bay Road and Cranmore Road under the requested permit.
Council approved the updated policy clarifying how councillors handle public correspondence, including correspondence related to bylaws with public hearings. Councillors asked why certain messages should be disregarded and deleted and sought clearer wording in a flowchart. Staff explained that messages sent directly to individual councillors are not automatically part of the public record, and agreed to clarify the flowchart’s wording.
Approve the updated policy for how the District manages correspondence.
The amendment allows a new single-family home and raised rear patio. The house position was designed to protect the roots of a mature boulevard cedar on the sloping site. Because a patio raised more than eight inches counts toward floor area, the project needed a zoning change for a modest increase in floor area and lot coverage. Council gave the bylaw first and second reading, third reading, and adopted it at the meeting.
Give the proposed zoning change for 2630 Margate Avenue its first two readings, moving it through the early stages of Council consideration.
Give the proposed zoning change for 2630 Margate Avenue its third reading.
Adopt the zoning change for 2630 Margate Avenue, bringing it into effect.
Updated survey information changed the proposed lot layout, so council rescinded the previous third reading and amended the minimum lot area to 286 square metres and minimum lot width to 5.5 metres. It then gave the amended bylaw third reading. A covenant must be registered before adoption to secure an accessible washroom for the secondary suite on one of three lots and residential sprinklers in all units. A councillor who had opposed the project previously said their concerns about density and neighbourhood fit remained and voted against third reading and the covenant. The applicant said a wider driveway would affect trees and exceed the project’s limit for paved area.
Withdraw the earlier third reading of the proposed zoning change for 310 King George Terrace.
Change the proposed zoning rules to set the minimum lot area at 286 square metres and the minimum lot width at 5.5 metres.
Give the proposed zoning change, with the revised lot-size and lot-width requirements, its third reading.
Have staff work with the applicant on a legal commitment to provide an accessible washroom for the secondary suite on one of the specified strata lots and fire sprinklers in every unit, meeting the applicable codes and District requirements, before the zoning change is adopted.
Council adopted the new blasting and rock-breaking bylaw. Staff said the rules followed a review begun in 2020 in response to residents’ concerns, with technical work and public and industry consultation. Staff will monitor the rules and report back on significant issues. A councillor asked how a project needing more than one blasting phase could proceed under the limit of one permit every 12 months; staff said an extension might be possible but were unsure whether another permit would require a council decision.
Adopt the District's bylaw regulating blasting and rock breaking.
Council adopted the anti-noise bylaw amendment as part of the package of changes governing blasting and rock breaking.
Adopt changes to the District's noise bylaw as part of the blasting regulation changes.
Council adopted the Building and Plumbing Bylaw amendment included in the blasting-regulation package.
Adopt changes to the District's building and plumbing bylaw as part of the blasting regulation changes.
Council adopted the fees and charges amendment for blasting-related permits as the final bylaw in the regulation package.
Adopt the related changes to planning, building and development fees and charges for blasting.
Council adjourned the meeting just before 9:30 p.m.
Routine: adjourn the meeting at 9:29 PM.
All 21 decisions from the minutes appear under the agenda items above.