Council approved a three-year extreme-weather shelter at St. Andrew Anglican Church after a long, sharply divided debate over safety, neighborhood impacts and the need to keep people warm; one councillor opposed it. Council also advanced a 75-apartment project at 9972 Third Street, adding a covenant that requires the homes to remain rentals, while a separate 30-unit proposal on Fifth Street was sent back for redesign after council rejected referring it for further review. A request to cover all the windows of a Beacon Avenue vape shop with signs was denied. With the meeting running late, council approved several time-sensitive contracts and permits, but postponed other staff reports to a future meeting.
Generated from the recording's captions and the official minutes.
What was discussed
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7.A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD (maximum 20 minutes)
Residents spoke on several agenda topics, with the proposed extreme-weather shelter drawing the most discussion. Supporters pointed to the library warming centre’s record of operating without incident and argued that local people need a safe place on the coldest nights. Opponents feared more drug use, crime and pressure on nearby residents, and asked council to consider other locations or delay a decision. Speakers also raised concerns about the 9972 Third Street project, supported Radio Sidney’s bid for an FM licence, and objected to the window signs at 2306 Beacon Avenue. Council extended the usual 20-minute limit so more people could speak.
Agreement
Speakers on both sides acknowledged that people without housing need support, while disagreeing about whether the proposed church site was suitable.
Several speakers called for senior levels of government to do more to address homelessness.
Disagreement
Supporters said the previous warming centre had little impact on nearby areas and that a warm place could prevent people from suffering in extreme weather; opponents predicted safety and nuisance problems for the neighborhood.
Speakers differed on whether 9972 Third Street should proceed, citing unresolved concerns about density, traffic, trees and public notice.
7.D.3 Radio Sidney Application for FM Broadcast License
community services1 public speaker1:19:20 Watch · Read
Radio Sidney asked council for a letter supporting its application for a low-power FM licence at 92.7 FM. Its president described seven years of local reporting and programming, and said the station could also broadcast emergency information from the community safety building if other communications failed. The proposed 50-watt signal would reach roughly two to five kilometres; wider coverage could require repeaters or a later request for more power. Council chose to ask staff for a report before deciding whether to provide a letter.
Agreement
Councillors voiced support for local news and saw potential value in the station’s emergency-broadcast role.
The presenter said the application could wait for council’s next meeting while staff considered the request.
9.A Temporary Use Permit Application No. TEM00003 (9691 Fourth Street, St. Andrew Anglican Church)
community services15 public speakers1:41:24 Watch · Read
Council approved a temporary use permit for an extreme-weather response shelter at St. Andrew Anglican Church, to be operated by Beacon Community Services. Supporters emphasized that the previous warming centre at the library opened seven times, served 15 people, and had no reported incidents or complaints. The proposed shelter would offer mats, sleeping bags and hot food in a space familiar to people already using church services. Opponents worried about crime, discarded needles, loitering and the long-term effect on nearby residents. Council heard that the permit lasts three years and that activation depends on specified extreme-weather conditions; the number of nights will vary with the weather.
Agreement
Council members thanked the church and Beacon Community Services for offering space and operating the service.
Council members recognized that the shelter is intended for people already living in the community and that there is a need for support during extreme weather.
Disagreement
Most councillors supported approving the shelter, citing the library’s incident-free operation and the need to protect vulnerable people; one councillor opposed the permit and favoured continuing a warming-centre approach instead.
Supporters expected limited neighborhood impacts under the activation rules; opponents said the service could worsen safety and nuisance concerns.
Carried 6 to 12026.18.315Item 9.a2:30:01 Watch · Read
Allow St. Andrew Anglican Church to operate an extreme-weather shelter at the site, subject to the conditions Council set previously.
Official wording: That Temporary Use Permit Application No. TEM00003 (9691 Fourth Street, St Andrew Anglican Church - to allow operation of an Extreme Weather Response Shelter) be approved, subject to conditions as per Council Resolution No. 2026.17.302.
The applicant presented a redesigned four-storey, 30-unit condominium proposal, after removing the fifth floor and dropping the earlier rezoning request. The design still sought exceptions for front and rear setbacks, parking supply and small-car spaces, tree planting, and the number of qualifying three-bedroom homes. Councillors questioned the lack of balconies, the limited green space, the building’s appearance, parking demand and whether the design squeezed too much onto the site. Council defeated a motion to refer the proposal to the Advisory Planning Commission and instead directed the applicant to revise it to further address variances and comply with zoning and parking requirements.
Agreement
Councillors recognized that the revised proposal was a change from the earlier five-storey design.
Several councillors said the design needed further consideration, including its appearance, livability and fit with the site.
Disagreement
Some councillors wanted the proposal sent to the Advisory Planning Commission for further review; others felt the number and nature of the requested exceptions made that step inappropriate.
Councillors differed on whether the project’s proposed parking reduction and density were acceptable for the site.
Defeated 0 to 82026.18.317Item 9.b3:24:06 Watch · Read
Send the proposed four-storey apartment development and its requested design, planting, and parking exceptions to the Advisory Planning Commission for review and comments.
Official wording: That Development Permit Application No. DP100852 and Development Variance Permit Application No. DV100372 (to relax Zoning Bylaw requirements for front and rear setbacks, three-bedroom units, and unobstructed tree planting area; and to relax Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw requirements for number of parking spaces and percentage of small car parking spaces; in order to permit the form and character of a four-storey multi-unit residential development) for the properties at 9989 and 9991 Fifth Street be forwarded to the Advisory Planning Commission for further review and comment.
Require the applicant to revise the Fifth Street development design so it meets the Town’s zoning and parking rules.
Official wording: That the applicant for Development Permit Application No. DP100852 and Development Variance Permit Application No. DV100372 (9989 and 9991 Fifth Street) revise the design to comply with the Zoning Bylaw and parking requirements.
Council considered rezoning the eastern part of 9972 Third Street from RM6-R to RM7, allowing a four-storey building with 75 apartments. The applicant said the project would provide purpose-built rental housing, the reason the site had previously been partly placed in a rental zone. Residents had raised concerns about traffic, parking access, trees, building scale and the visibility of the public notice sign. Council added a requirement for a restrictive covenant on the property title so the apartments must remain rentals in perpetuity. It then gave the bylaw three readings, despite opposition from two councillors at third reading; the zoning change still requires the remaining approval steps before taking effect.
Agreement
Council agreed to add a title covenant requiring the homes to remain rentals in perpetuity.
Councillors recognized that the zoning decision was separate from the later decision on the development permit and variances.
Disagreement
Some councillors supported aligning the site’s zoning to let the rental project proceed; others opposed the change because of public concerns and unresolved questions about the design and protected trees.
Councillors differed on whether the zoning should proceed before the development permit and variance details were resolved.
Carried 6 to 12026.18.319Item 8.a3:28:14 Watch · Read
Give the proposed rezoning for 9972 Third Street its first formal reading, starting Council’s consideration of allowing a four-storey, 75-unit apartment building on the eastern part of the property.
Official wording: That Bylaw No. 2317 - Zoning Amendment No. 5 (9972 Third Street) be given first reading.
Add a requirement to the proposed rezoning that the homes in the building remain rentals permanently, secured by a restriction registered on the property title.
Official wording: That Bylaw No. 2317 be amended by adding the following as a new item - 1.f.v: Register a restrictive covenant on the title of the property requiring that residential units in the building be restricted to rental tenure in perpetuity.
Council awarded the paving and concrete contract to the low bidder, Island Asphalt Company. The work covers four projects, including McDonald Park Road north of Mills Road, Ocean Avenue West near Philip Brethour Park, Rossy Avenue resurfacing, and repairs at Beacon Avenue and Resthaven Drive. Staff said the bid was within the available budgets.
Agreement
Council approved awarding the contract to the low bidder.
Award the paving, curb, and sidewalk work to Island Asphalt Company, the lowest bidder.
Official wording: That the Contract for the 2026 Paving, Concrete Curb and Sidewalk Program, Contract No. 2026-014, be awarded to the low bidder, Island Asphalt Company.
Council allowed Beacon Community Services to make a six-month arrangement with Truffles Catering to provide food services at the SHOAL Centre and operate a catering service. Staff said the current operating agreement did not specifically allow the catering use, so council approval was needed.
Allow Beacon Community Services to make a six-month agreement with Truffles Catering to provide food at the SHOAL Centre and run a catering service.
Official wording: That Beacon Community Services be permitted to enter into a 6-month arrangement with Truffles Catering for the provision of food services at the SHOAL Centre, as well as the operation of a catering service.
13.C Request for Street Vending Approval – 9429 Canora Road (Wheelin Krust Pizza)
community services1 public speaker4:38:02 Watch · Read
Council approved a mobile pizza trailer in the public boulevard beside 9429 Canora Road on Friday evenings, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., for the rest of 2026. Staff supported the trial as a way to bring food service to the area, subject to the town’s street-vending rules and the trailer facing east toward private property. A councillor also asked that the accessible parking space nearby remain unobstructed.
Agreement
Council supported a limited trial with conditions under the street-vending policy.
Allow a mobile pizza trailer to operate on the boulevard beside 9429 Canora Road on Friday evenings from 4 to 8 p.m. during 2026, provided it meets Town vending rules and serves customers facing the private property.
Official wording: That the property owner of 9429 Canora Road be granted approval to operate a mobile vending trailer on Friday evenings in 2026 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the public boulevard on the west frontage of their property, subject to the following conditions:
1. That the property owner and vending operator meet all requirements of Street Vending Policy DV-010; and
2. That the vending operator be oriented to vend eastward toward private property.
Council denied a request to let window signs cover up to 100% of the windows at 2306 Beacon Avenue, where the signs were already installed. Staff said the town’s sign rules limit coverage to 50% and that the applicant could keep vaping products out of view of minors in other ways. Councillors said the existing signs did not fit the downtown streetscape and directed the applicant to bring the signage into compliance.
Agreement
Council agreed with staff that the signage should comply with the 50% window-coverage limit.
Council noted that there are other ways to prevent vaping products from being visible to minors.
Do not allow the window signs at 2306 Beacon Avenue to cover the entire window; require the applicant to change them to meet the Town’s sign rules.
Official wording: That Development Variance Permit Application No. DV100394 (to retroactively allow the window sign to cover up to 100% of the window area at 2306 Beacon Avenue) be denied and that the applicant be required to revise the window signage to comply with the Sign Bylaw.
Council approved five-year renewals for the town’s licence of occupation with the Capital Regional District and its sublease to the Sidney Lawn Bowling Club. The club will continue to operate its lawn-bowling facility on the Fifth Street lands. The sublease is subject to a notice being published in the newspaper.
Agreement
Council approved both five-year agreements without material changes.
Approve a five-year land-use agreement with the Capital Regional District and a five-year sublease to the Sidney Lawn Bowling Club so the club can operate its lawn-bowling facility, with public notice to be published.
Official wording: That the Licence of Occupation with the Capital Regional District (5-year term: August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2031) for 9576 Fifth Street (Areas 1, 2, 4 & 5) be approved; and
2. That the Sub-Lease with the Sidney Lawn Bowling Club (5-year term: August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2031) for 9580 Fifth Street (Areas 1, 2 & 5) to operate a lawn bowling facility be approved, subject to a notice being published in the newspaper.
Council extended the meeting to 11:00 p.m. to continue business. Because the meeting was running late, council referred the remaining reports to a future meeting, including the study and stakeholder consultation on density-bonus fees, the housing-target progress report, and the June building-permit report. The mayor said the correspondence listed for information had been received; the notice of motion to go in camera was also deferred.
Agreement
Council agreed to postpone the remaining staff reports rather than consider them that evening.
Carried 6 to 22026.18.328Item 134:42:00 Watch · Read
Allow the meeting to continue until 11:00 p.m.
Official wording: That the meeting be extended to 11:00 p.m.
Put the listed density-bonusing analysis, housing-target report, building-permit report, correspondence, and closed meeting on the agenda for a future Council meeting instead of dealing with them at this meeting.
Official wording: That the following items be referred to a future Council meeting:
1. Item 13e - Financial Feasibility Analysis and Stakeholder Consultation on Zoning Bylaw No. 2275 Density Bonusing Provisions;
2. Item 13f - Housing Target Order Report for Second Reporting Period: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026;
3. Item 13g - June Monthly Building Permit Report;
4. Item 14a - Email from B. Peart, regarding Saanich Peninsula Environmental Coalition (SPEC) Check Up! final report, dated June 17, 2026; and
5. In-Camera closed meeting.
Routine: approve the agenda with the listed additions, replacement, and changes to the order of business.
Official wording: That the agenda be approved with the following amendments:
1. addition to item 7D1 - email from A. Stevenson, dated July 13, 2026;
2. addition to item 8a - Bylaw 2317;
3. addition to item 8a - 6 public submissions;
4. addition to item 9a - 50 public submissions;
5. replace item 9b - Appendix B - Letter of Rationale;
6. move item 8a to after item 9b; and
7. raise item 15.2 to Correspondence as item 14a.