SSMUH Opportunities in Brentwood Bay
Brentwood Bay sits within Central Saanich's urban containment boundary and is covered by the province's Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH) framework. Most residential lots in the village and village-adjacent areas qualify for up to four units without rezoning. The combination of SSMUH entitlements and Brentwood Bay's tourism-driven short-term rental demand creates a development case that is distinct from any other Peninsula community.
What SSMUH Allows in Brentwood Bay
Brentwood Bay sits inside Central Saanich's urban containment boundary, in the Residential Neighbourhood zone that covers most land inside that boundary. That zone permits 3 units on a lot of 280 square metres or less and 4 above that, without a rezoning.
Lots on a main corridor fall in the Residential Corridor zone instead, which permits 4, 6 or 8 units depending on lot size. Check which zone your lot is in before you assume the number.
Three rules decide more projects here than the unit count does.
Units are not buildings. In the Residential Neighbourhood zone a lot of 280 square metres or less permits one residential building and a larger lot permits two, and in the Residential Corridor zone the maximum is two.
A detached unit is not automatic. Inside the urban containment boundary a secondary suite must be wholly within the principal dwelling, and the bylaw prohibits a second service connection from the municipal system to serve a detached accessory dwelling.
Servicing decides the rest. A property not connected to both municipal water and sanitary sewer is limited to one principal dwelling and one accessory dwelling unit.
Outside the urban containment boundary, where residential use is permitted and the site conditions are met, one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling unit is permitted. On Agricultural Land Reserve land, only secondary suites are permitted.
Most types of infill require a development permit.
Sources: Central Saanich infill housing, Central Saanich Zoning Bylaw 2180, consolidated
The Brentwood Bay Income Angle
Brentwood Bay has an income dynamic most Peninsula communities do not: the Butchart Gardens visitor corridor runs through it, and that supports short term rental demand from people who want to be near the gardens without paying Victoria hotel rates.
For an owner building an accessory unit, that seasonal demand sits alongside the ordinary long term rental market rather than replacing it. Demand is strongest from late spring through summer, and the Peninsula's year round tenant base, including healthcare and service workers and retirees, carries the rest of the year.
Short term rental rules are set by the Province and by Central Saanich, and both have changed in recent years. Confirm the current rules with the District before you build an income plan around short term rental revenue, because a principal residence requirement changes the model entirely.
Where the Development Case Is Strongest
- Village-adjacent residential streets (Verdier Ave, Marchant Rd, Stelly's Cross Rd perimeter): within walking distance of the marina and Butchart Gardens, on municipal water and sewer, with lot sizes that may reach the four unit tier, depending on the zone and the servicing
What to Watch For
- ALR proximity: some larger Brentwood Bay parcels on the village perimeter abut ALR land; confirm the ALR boundary for any property before assuming subdivision or multi-unit development
- Central Saanich STR bylaws: principal residence requirement for short-term rentals; confirm current bylaw status with Central Saanich before structuring an income plan around STR revenue
- Which zone applies: Residential Neighbourhood permits 3 or 4 units, Residential Corridor permits 4, 6 or 8; confirm the zone for your lot with the District
- Servicing: without a connection to both municipal water and sanitary sewer, the lot is limited to one principal dwelling and one accessory dwelling unit
- Detached units: a second municipal service connection to serve a detached accessory dwelling is prohibited, so confirm how any detached unit would be serviced before you design it
Brentwood Bay's tourism income angle works best when the financing is structured to account for seasonal STR revenue alongside standard rental income. A mortgage broker who understands Peninsula properties can help you structure the purchase so the development scenario is financed correctly from day one.
What your title might say
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.
Sources: SSMUH Provincial Policy Manual and Site Standards, Property Law Act, section 35
Related Pages
- Brentwood Bay neighbourhood profilemarket stats, waterfront access, active listings
- Central Saanich real estate overviewall subareas, zoning insights, best pockets
- Can you subdivide in Central Saanich?ALR rules, lot split conditions, where it works
- SSMUH in Greater Victoria: complete guidefull framework including Peninsula municipalities
- Talk to a Victoria mortgage brokerconstruction financing, STR income structuring
There is a dedicated guide to development potential in Central Saanich.
Before You Buy for Development in Brentwood Bay
Brentwood Bay is a small, defined market. The tourism income angle is real, but it requires owner-occupancy for the STR model to work under current bylaws, and the limited number of development-suitable lots means you need to move quickly when the right property comes available.
Confirm ALR status, servicing, and Central Saanich's current STR bylaw interpretation before committing to a development plan. A mortgage broker familiar with Peninsula properties can help you structure the purchase to account for the construction phase and the income scenario.