Development Potential in Central Saanich

Central Saanich adopted two bylaws on 24 June 2024, one for land inside the Urban Containment Boundary and one for land outside it. A further bylaw in January 2025 covers agricultural and rural accessory units.

In the Residential Corridor zone, floor area ratio runs to 0.75 and each unit is capped at 200 square metres of gross floor area. A density bonus adds one unit for a covenanted, fully accessible unit.

In the Residential Neighbourhood zone, floor area ratio is 0.50 for one to two units and 0.65 for three to four.

The bylaw says it plainly: any property that is not connected to municipal water and sanitary sewer services is limited to one principal dwelling and one accessory dwelling unit.

Outside the Urban Containment Boundary, a lot under 1 hectare gets one accessory unit, and a lot of 1 hectare or more can have both a suite and a detached unit. Inside the boundary, a secondary suite must sit wholly within the principal dwelling, and secondary service connections from municipal systems to serve a detached accessory dwelling are prohibited.

The District's infill page states that agricultural land reserve properties get secondary suites only.

Height is 8 metres and 2 storeys for one to two units, and 11 metres and 3 storeys for three or more.

Setbacks are 6 metres front, 7 metres rear and 4.5 metres exterior side, with the interior side setback scaling with building height.

Lot coverage on lots up to 280 square metres is 40 percent for one to two units and 50 percent for three to four. Above 280 square metres it is 35 and 45 percent. Soft landscaping runs 15 to 20 percent.

The minimum subdivision lot is 750 square metres. Parking is one space per unit for three or more units, with 100 percent of spaces energized for electric vehicles. The Tree Management Bylaw applies.

Zoning is only half the answer. The provincial policy manual states that existing section 219 covenants are not affected by the small scale multi unit housing legislation, and that a valid statutory building scheme registered on title limiting a property to one dwelling unit takes precedence over the density the zoning permits. Order a title search on the PID before you price density into an offer.

There is a full post on what a covenant or building scheme does to your density.