Council heard sharply different views on a proposed tenant-protection area: rental owners warned that the rules and costs were still unknown, while tenants said the proposed coverage would leave many renters exposed. Council removed that part of the Official Community Plan changes, passed the remaining amendments, and directed staff to bring back a proposal covering all purpose-built rental buildings when a draft tenant-protection bylaw comes forward. Council also advanced speed-limit changes, including a new 30 km/h zone at Green Glade Community Centre, and approved steps on transit planning, accessibility, traffic calming and a Legion centennial memorial. The broad rental-coverage direction passed, but not unanimously.
Generated from the recording's captions and the official minutes.
A resident raised concerns about the High Street Ventures proposal, including the traffic study, street parking enforcement, possible road costs, housing affordability and the risk to Monterey cypress trees. The resident asked Council to reconsider the layout and seek an independent engineering review. The Mayor said correspondence on the proposal would be forwarded when the matter came to Council.
A representative of the Royal Canadian Legion’s Saanich Peninsula Branch 37 asked Council to support a centennial memorial, potentially a plaque, tree and bench in a public place. The Legion has budgeted up to $7,500 and is seeking federal funding for the plaque; the grant requires installation by July 31. Possible locations included Beacon Park and Tulista Park, but the Legion was open to staff advice. Staff expected to report back for the June 22 meeting, leaving time to meet the grant deadline.
Send the Legion’s request for a commemorative plaque, bench and trees to Town staff to review and report back to Council.
At the public hearing, six people spoke about the proposed tenant-protection development permit area. A rental-property owner objected to adding the area before Council had published the tenant-protection bylaw’s rules, costs and obligations. Another owner said the plan would put a financial burden on a small landlord and described pausing planned repairs while waiting for clarity. A representative of Waterfront Apartments tenants said residents, many of them seniors, feared displacement and wanted stronger, enforceable protection; the representative argued that excluding their building created unequal treatment. A former tenant of a demolished building also urged Council to protect renters more broadly and said the proposal excluded many rental buildings. Another rental owner opposed the area on similar process and cost grounds.
After the hearing, staff explained that the proposed Official Community Plan (OCP) area would enable a later tenant-protection bylaw but would not itself set enforceable protections. Council removed the tenant-protection sections from this bylaw and proceeded with the other changes, including expanded locations for temporary use permits and aligned residential height limits. Council then directed staff to prepare another OCP amendment and public hearing to cover all purpose-built rentals when a draft tenant-protection bylaw comes to Council. One councillor opposed applying the future area to all purpose-built rentals, arguing that the priority should be renters most at risk and that the town has limited staff capacity; supporters said broader coverage would be fairer and include renters in buildings left out of the original proposal. The amended direction passed with one councillor opposed.
Cancel the earlier second-reading approval so Council can reconsider the amendment in revised form.
Separate sections 11 through 14 from the proposed Official Community Plan amendment so they can be dealt with apart from the rest.
Give the revised Official Community Plan amendment its second reading, with sections 11 through 14 severed.
Give the Official Community Plan amendment its third reading.
Make the amended Official Community Plan changes final and in force.
Make the proposal to add all purpose-built rental buildings to the tenant-protection area take effect only when a draft Tenant Protection Bylaw comes before Council.
Have staff prepare a plan amendment and hold a public hearing to include all purpose-built rental buildings in the tenant-protection area, timed for when Council receives a draft tenant-protection bylaw.
The bylaw updates procedures to match the OCP changes by removing the restriction that temporary use permits apply only to commercial and industrial areas. It also removes the application form from the bylaw so staff can make routine formatting and information updates without another bylaw amendment. Council gave the bylaw all three readings.
Give the proposed changes to the Town’s land-use application procedures their first reading.
Give the proposed changes to the Town’s land-use application procedures their second reading.
Give the proposed changes to the Town’s land-use application procedures their third reading.
The bylaw sets out roads with 20 km/h and 30 km/h limits, lanes with 20 km/h limits, and gives the Municipal Engineer authority to designate school and playground zones. Staff added Corser Drive and Linda Place at 30 km/h, several missed cul-de-sacs, and a formal playground zone at Green Glade Community Centre on Land and Way. Council approved the bylaw’s three readings and directed staff to install the necessary signs after adoption. One councillor opposed the readings, preferring a broader 30 km/h rule for neighbourhood streets rather than a selected list.
Give the proposed changes to street and lane speed limits, and the authority to establish school and playground zones, their first reading.
Give the proposed changes to street and lane speed limits, and school and playground zones, their second reading.
Give the proposed changes to street and lane speed limits, and school and playground zones, their third reading.
Have staff put up the required signs and carry out related measures once the amended street and traffic rules are adopted.
The update reported 69,130 visitors to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea between June 2025 and March 2026 and $46,000 in net income to March 31. The centre had spent $91,000 on capital work, mostly for its wheelchair lift, and raised $40,000 at its fundraiser. The report also covered a new giant Pacific octopus, salmon releases and a planned basking-shark exhibit beginning in October.
The committee had asked staff to review intersection tactile-marking guidelines and report back. Staff said the Town follows the Master Municipal Construction Documents standard and could provide it to the committee. Council received the recommendation for information rather than directing a further review.
Routine: receive the committee’s recommendation about guidelines for tactile markings at intersections for information.
The accessibility committee raised concerns about parking and the dimensions of an accessible room at TownPlace Suites by Marriott, a project associated with the Victoria Airport Authority. Council directed the Town to communicate the concerns to the Authority and share information about accessibility requirements in Sidney. The motion was not a direction to require the Authority to change the project.
Have the Town contact the Victoria Airport Authority about the accessibility concerns raised by the accessibility advisory committee.
Council directed staff to run an information campaign for local businesses during Accessible Parking Awareness Month in November, outlining good practices for accessible parking.
Have Town staff share information with local businesses in November about good practices for accessible parking.
Council approved in principle the revised transit-hub concept shown on slide 5 of BC Transit’s presentation and reaffirmed support for further design and cost-estimating work. The work is intended to support a business case and a future funding application; this was not a final construction approval.
Support the revised transit hub concept in principle and let planning and design continue, including preparing designs and cost estimates for a future business case and funding application.
Council approved notifying owners and tenants within 75 metres of the proposed subdivision variance at 9522 Lochside Drive. The variance would extend the preliminary subdivision approval and defer off-site improvements for proposed Lot 2 until it is developed. Before subdivision approval, the owner must register a covenant barring construction on Lot 2 until payment is confirmed for underground electrical and telecommunications service.
Notify nearby owners and tenants about the proposed variance and forward their written comments to Council. If Council approves it, require the owner to register a title restriction preventing construction on Lot 2 until the Town receives proof that underground electrical and telecommunications service has been paid for.
Council approved a separate $4,000 dedication fee for benches on Bevan Fishing Pier, while keeping the existing $3,000 fee for other locations. The new fee applies to both new applications and renewals on the pier. Staff will bring forward a Fees and Charges Bylaw amendment when appropriate.
Set the fee for a dedicated bench on Bevan Fishing Pier at $4,000, keep the $3,000 fee for other bench locations, and apply the new pier fee to both new requests and renewals. Have staff bring forward the related fee-bylaw change when appropriate.
After staff considered wording changes requested by the Committee of the Whole, Council approved the amended resident-initiated traffic-calming policy. Staff must also propose a dedicated traffic-calming capital budget for the next annual budget cycle. A councillor thanked staff for bringing the changes back promptly.
Approve the revised policy for resident-requested traffic calming and have staff propose a dedicated traffic-calming budget for Council to consider in the next annual budget process.
Council approved the design of a four-unit residential development at 9616 Sixth Street. Before a building permit is issued, the owner must address guidance on private outdoor space and weather protection at main entrances, and pay a landscaping deposit equal to 115% of the estimated landscaping cost. Discussion focused on separating the outdoor areas and adding cover near entrances to rear units. Staff said Sidney did not yet have specific design guidelines for this type of small-scale multi-unit housing.
Approve the design of the four-home development, provided the owner addresses the private outdoor-space and entrance-weather-protection guidelines and pays a landscaping deposit before getting a building permit.
Council directed staff to reply to a business owner concerned that scaffolding for roofing work would obstruct a Beacon Avenue business during the busy summer season. Staff said the Town had asked the property manager about delaying the work but could not require a different schedule. The Town would allow signs on the scaffolding to direct customers to businesses behind it.
Have staff reply to the Scoop and Waffle email about concerns over scaffolding on Beacon Avenue during the busy summer season.
Routine: approve the agenda, adding 13 public-hearing submissions, moving the Legion presentation, and adding the Mayor’s report on Access Awareness Day.
Routine: approve the minutes of the May 25, 2026, Council meeting.
Routine: adjourn the meeting at 8:41 p.m.