Council is being asked to reaffirm its commitment to OCP pol…

Council is being asked to reaffirm its commitment to OCP policies supporting farming, agricultural land protection, rural character, and food security, and to direct staff, in preparing the new zoning bylaw, to prohibit approving OCP amendments that would allow new residential projects outside the Urban Containment Boundary. The item is a policy direction, not a site-specific application. The practical effect is a hardening of the containment boundary: no rezoning or OCP amendment that permits residential development on agricultural or rural land outside the line will proceed while this direction stands. No project-specific details accompany this policy direction in the available materials.

A rezoning application for an undisclosed address in North Cowichan, BC, submitted by an applicant, will be reviewed at a meeting on May 20, 2026. The application seeks to change the property's zoning designation. No outcome is available at this time.