An Oak Bay homeowner has been forced to set aside plans to subdivide his property – for now.
Oak Bay council voted to deny a request for a zoning bylaw amendment that would have given resident Michael Parker the green light to split his Henderson Road property in two, turning the 0.35-acre lot into a pair of residential parcels.
“The whole purpose of this application is for the current owner to be able to stay in the house that he’s lived in for over 30 years and where he’s raised his family,” said Carl Peterson, who spoke to council at the April 28 meeting on Parker’s behalf.
With enough space for up to four new units, depending on the type of residential building or buildings raised on the second lot, the subdivision could have helped Oak Bay meet housing targets the province mandated in 2023, according to a staff report.
The same report notes the proposed subdivision aligns with the district’s current official community plan (OCP), which helps guide planning and land-use decisions in Oak Bay.
“The proposed zoning amendment and subdivision of the subject property align with policy objectives in the OCP supporting the gentle densification of existing neighbourhoods,” it reads.
The 14-page document adds the property has a land-use designation that supports "different forms of ground-oriented infill housing, including the subdivision of larger lots.”
On March 19, Oak Bay's Advisory Planning Commission, which advises council on matters related to land-use and community planning, recommended the zoning application be approved.
However, council opposed the subdivision on the grounds that it might not align with Oak Bay's new OCP, which it plans to finalize this fall.
“The housing within this neighbourhood – the existing lot does fit the context of all of the adjacent lots,” said Coun. Esther Paterson. “The subdivision proposed would change that and, without the guidance of the OCP in place yet, we don’t know what the context of that will be.”
Coun. Lesley Watson expressed a similar sentiment.
“Right now, with only seven months to go, it’s better to hold off,” she said. “I think it’s better to be cautious here and not approve this at the moment because we may want to take a different direction.”
Coun. Carrie Smart noted that, if approved, the subdivision could have established a precedent for other homeowners in the neighbourhood.
“To make a decision (for) a subdivision on this particular lot really could be an almost transformative gesture toward implying that the whole grain of this neighbourhood could change in the same manner,” she said.
Smart added, however, that council's decision doesn't mean Parker's plans are dead in the water.
"I do imagine it may very well, being a corner lot, be identified in the OCP ... as an excellent opportunity for this type of subdivision or, perhaps more ideally, redevelopment with a more creative solution," she said.
Two meetings will give the public a chance to learn more about Oak Bay's OCP updates. One will take place at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre’s Sports View Lounge on May 22 from 4 to 8 p.m. Another is slated for the Monterey Recreation Centre on May 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
