Background
The infamous 2007 bylaw change
Oak Bay Watch was formed in the Spring of 2012 in response to the noticeable surge of unusually large and intrusive homes being built on small lots. These houses are mostly built by real estate developers who buy older houses, demolish them, strip the lot of trees and green space, and then build the largest house possible.
Oak Bay Watch recognizes the changes in the Zoning Bylaw in 2007 as being the root of the problem, and as property values in Oak Bay have continued to rise, it is now extremely profitable for developers to demolish old houses on small lots and build much larger houses than were previously permitted.
The changes to the Zoning Bylaw were a major mistake. What we are seeing today was not the intended outcome of the changes. Unfortunately, the Mayor and Council have failed to recognize the impact of the changes and the harm they have caused and continue to cause. (Minutes of the COtW meeting - May 22, 2007)
Oak Bay Watch wants the Oak Bay Council to address the deficiencies in the 2007 Zoning Bylaw changes that have allowed this disastrous process of demolition, green-stripping and overbuilding to get underway. This website outlines some of the main shortcomings faced by the community and describes how Oak Bay Council has reacted to residents' requests for action. At present, Council is clearly not listening; there is no good news to report as of yet, but we will be persistent. Click here to learn more...
Read more: Relevant Official Documents
The original Official Community Plan (OCP)
Oak Bay Watch was created to advocate the vision of Oak Bay as described by its original Official Community Plan (OCP). This envisioned an Oak Bay of small villages and peaceful suburban neighbourhoods, where the main use of land was for single-family houses and greenspaces. An Oak Bay of quiet streets, tree canopies, lush gardens and view corridors of trees, sea, mountains and sky.
The original OCP was time-tested and served Oak Bay residents well. Through its vision Oak Bay became one of the most attractive communities in Canada. An unintended consequence of this success has been ever-increasing pressure from non-residents and profit-motivated developers to densify Oak Bay to an extent not allowed by the original OCP. This has been achieved by the generous use of variances and spot-zoning to circumvent the intent of the OCP. In 2014 the Municipal Council chose to throw away the time-tested OCP rather than update it. It was replaced at great and continuing cost with a new, more complex OCP, with a radically different vision of the future of Oak Bay.
The 2014 OCP is weighted towards the densification desires of non-residents and developers. Its vision is for an urban rather than a suburban Oak Bay, where multi-dwelling buildings will be constructed on single-family lots. Multi-dwellings means larger buildings, with larger garages and larger driveways, which must result in fewer trees, smaller gardens, less greenspace, blocked views, more traffic, choked street parking and more strain on Oak Bay's existing service infrastructure.
Although a small number of residents may benefit, this new OCP is designed to cater to the needs of people who do not yet live in Oak Bay, and to developers' interests at the expense of the majority of existing residents. It eases the rules to allow larger buildings with little concern for property rights and well-being of neighbours, who for years have paid the taxes and have adhered to the old, more restrictive (lower density) rules, as their part in making Oak Bay such a precious place.
Since we advocate the vision and controlled growth of the old OCP and the interests and well-being of the existing residents, we find ourselves consistently in opposition to the well-funded densification Industry and to the problematic urban vision that they are importing from Vancouver and many parts of Victoria. The "shills" (those who profit from or proponents of) of that corrupting industry have predictably labelled Oak Bay Watch as "NIMBYs" and “dissenters” and so we wear that label proudly, as should every other resident who has helped to create the Oak Bay that we all love. Charming and desirable Oak Bay - which is now in dire risk of being blasted, bulldozed and over-developed as a result of Council's new direction for Oak Bay and its Community Renewal Plan.
Oak Bay Watch was formed in the Spring of 2012 in response to the noticeable surge of unusually large and intrusive homes being built on small lots. These houses are mostly built by real estate developers who buy older houses, demolish them, strip the lot of trees and green space, and then build the largest house possible.
Oak Bay Watch recognizes the changes in the Zoning Bylaw in 2007 as being the root of the problem, and as property values in Oak Bay have continued to rise, it is now extremely profitable for developers to demolish old houses on small lots and build much larger houses than were previously permitted.
The changes to the Zoning Bylaw were a major mistake. What we are seeing today was not the intended outcome of the changes. Unfortunately, the Mayor and Council have failed to recognize the impact of the changes and the harm they have caused and continue to cause. (Minutes of the COtW meeting - May 22, 2007)
Oak Bay Watch wants the Oak Bay Council to address the deficiencies in the 2007 Zoning Bylaw changes that have allowed this disastrous process of demolition, green-stripping and overbuilding to get underway. This website outlines some of the main shortcomings faced by the community and describes how Oak Bay Council has reacted to residents' requests for action. At present, Council is clearly not listening; there is no good news to report as of yet, but we will be persistent. Click here to learn more...
Read more: Relevant Official Documents
The original Official Community Plan (OCP)
Oak Bay Watch was created to advocate the vision of Oak Bay as described by its original Official Community Plan (OCP). This envisioned an Oak Bay of small villages and peaceful suburban neighbourhoods, where the main use of land was for single-family houses and greenspaces. An Oak Bay of quiet streets, tree canopies, lush gardens and view corridors of trees, sea, mountains and sky.
The original OCP was time-tested and served Oak Bay residents well. Through its vision Oak Bay became one of the most attractive communities in Canada. An unintended consequence of this success has been ever-increasing pressure from non-residents and profit-motivated developers to densify Oak Bay to an extent not allowed by the original OCP. This has been achieved by the generous use of variances and spot-zoning to circumvent the intent of the OCP. In 2014 the Municipal Council chose to throw away the time-tested OCP rather than update it. It was replaced at great and continuing cost with a new, more complex OCP, with a radically different vision of the future of Oak Bay.
The 2014 OCP is weighted towards the densification desires of non-residents and developers. Its vision is for an urban rather than a suburban Oak Bay, where multi-dwelling buildings will be constructed on single-family lots. Multi-dwellings means larger buildings, with larger garages and larger driveways, which must result in fewer trees, smaller gardens, less greenspace, blocked views, more traffic, choked street parking and more strain on Oak Bay's existing service infrastructure.
Although a small number of residents may benefit, this new OCP is designed to cater to the needs of people who do not yet live in Oak Bay, and to developers' interests at the expense of the majority of existing residents. It eases the rules to allow larger buildings with little concern for property rights and well-being of neighbours, who for years have paid the taxes and have adhered to the old, more restrictive (lower density) rules, as their part in making Oak Bay such a precious place.
Since we advocate the vision and controlled growth of the old OCP and the interests and well-being of the existing residents, we find ourselves consistently in opposition to the well-funded densification Industry and to the problematic urban vision that they are importing from Vancouver and many parts of Victoria. The "shills" (those who profit from or proponents of) of that corrupting industry have predictably labelled Oak Bay Watch as "NIMBYs" and “dissenters” and so we wear that label proudly, as should every other resident who has helped to create the Oak Bay that we all love. Charming and desirable Oak Bay - which is now in dire risk of being blasted, bulldozed and over-developed as a result of Council's new direction for Oak Bay and its Community Renewal Plan.