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Official Community Plan Amendment - Ocean Interface Designation
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The District of Tofino has received two separate zoning amendment applications for 1211 Pacific Rim Highway and 1141 Pacific Rim Highway to allow for the development of staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface Official Community Plan (OCP) designation. Before these applications can be considered by Council, an amendment to the policy language of the OCP is required.
Why is an Official Community Plan Amendment Required?
The Official Community Plan is the District of Tofino's primary policy document, guiding land use and development decisions. The OCP contains general policies that are not area-specific, as well as policies that apply to specific areas (land use designations). These broad and area-specific policies must be considered together to inform development decisions.
As a general approach to future development, the OCP limits new development to the Future Homes, Village and Industrial land use designations located within the Village Containment Area (VCA) to achieve sustainable development goals. However, limited development outside the VCA may be supported in line with area-specific policies, like those contained in the Ocean Interface designation that support staff accommodation.
Under provincial legislation, zoning amendments must be “consistent” with the OCP. During the initial review of the associated zoning amendment applications, staff identified some competing policy language in the OCP that made it difficult to conclusively demonstrate the applications were consistent.
Currently, the Ocean Interface land use designation supports staff accommodation development. However, additional language within the Ocean Interface section and elsewhere in the OCP negates this support. The OCP amendment aims to clarify some competing policy language so that staff accommodation development in the Ocean Interface may be confidently considered.
The proposed OCP amendment is not intended to shift the District’s approach to development outside of the Village Containment Area. It is meant to be an administrative update to improve the OCP's legibility and interpretation. This amendment would have been addressed during a routine review of the OCP (typically every five years). However, it is being considered now due to the receipt of specific development applications proposing priority land uses (e.g., staff accommodation) that have the potential to address critical housing needs.
Proposed Changes
This amendment aims to clarify competing policy language to enable improved legibility and interpretation. The proposed policy amendments are shown in the table below in bold italics.
Area of Influence
Policy Section
Proposed Change
Rationale/Considerations
District Wide
Core Approaches to Future Land Use
3.9.1.1
Limit residential development to the Village and Future Homes areas. Notwithstanding this limitation, staff accommodation may be considered within the Ocean Interface designation.
Current policy wording prohibits residential development outside the Village and Future Homes area. This could be interpreted to apply to staff accommodation as well (a form of residential development). The suggested change would enable staff accommodation to be considered in line with existing Ocean Interface policies.
3.9.1.5
Curtail development outside of the Village, Future Homes and Industrial Way areas (Village Containment Area). Except, limited development may be considered in accordance with area-specific land use designation policies (e.g. staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface).
Current policy wording prohibits any development outside of the Village Containment Area, which conflicts with area-specific policies that support limited development outside this area. The proposed amendment addresses this prohibition in a limited way, provided the policies of area-specific land designations are followed. In addition to staff accommodation, the Ocean Interface explicitly supports resort development under certain conditions. The Peninsula designation also supports limited retail and service commercial. The proposed amendment would enable these uses to be considered as well.
Core Policies (Homes and Neighbourhoods)
4.1.2.5
Only permit development within the Village, Future Homes, and Industrial Way designations as identified in Schedule A. Except, limited development may be considered in accordance with area-specific land use designation policies (e.g. staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface).
Current policy wording prohibits any development outside of the village core. The proposed amendment addresses this prohibition in a limited way, provided the policies of area-specific land designations are followed.
Core Policies (Infrastructure)
4.5.2.15
Limit the development of municipal infrastructure outside of the Village, Future Homes, and Industrial Way areas (Village Containment Area), except where supporting a development supported by area-specific policies.
Without the proposed change, no development could be considered outside of the village core.
Area-Specific
Ocean Interface
5.1.2.1
Limit development in the Ocean Interface to reduce exposure to natural hazards such as sea level rise, coastal flooding, and tsunami inundation; to preserve natural features and landscapes; and to ensure the capacity of the current water system is not oversubscribed. Except, staff accommodation development may be considered where exposure to natural hazards, impacts to the environment and servicing capacity can be minimized.
Without the proposed change, no development could be considered within the Ocean Interface.
5.1.2.3
Support resort development and the provision of staff housing in the Ocean Interface that
does not negatively impact the capacity of the water system and community character, and
that does not increase exposure to natural hazards. Where development must be located within tsunami inundation areas, appropriate mitigation measures (e.g. evacuation plans, site design, etc.) must be considered.
All lands currently within the Ocean Interface are located within tsunami inundation areas. Where development can be considered (e.g. staff accommodation), additional mitigation measures should be required. ;
5.1.2.4
Ensure any future residential development is directed to spaces outside tsunami inundation areas.
According to District mapping, all areas within the Ocean Interface are within tsunami inundation areas, making adherence to this policy impossible.
The District of Tofino has received two separate zoning amendment applications for 1211 Pacific Rim Highway and 1141 Pacific Rim Highway to allow for the development of staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface Official Community Plan (OCP) designation. Before these applications can be considered by Council, an amendment to the policy language of the OCP is required.
Why is an Official Community Plan Amendment Required?
The Official Community Plan is the District of Tofino's primary policy document, guiding land use and development decisions. The OCP contains general policies that are not area-specific, as well as policies that apply to specific areas (land use designations). These broad and area-specific policies must be considered together to inform development decisions.
As a general approach to future development, the OCP limits new development to the Future Homes, Village and Industrial land use designations located within the Village Containment Area (VCA) to achieve sustainable development goals. However, limited development outside the VCA may be supported in line with area-specific policies, like those contained in the Ocean Interface designation that support staff accommodation.
Under provincial legislation, zoning amendments must be “consistent” with the OCP. During the initial review of the associated zoning amendment applications, staff identified some competing policy language in the OCP that made it difficult to conclusively demonstrate the applications were consistent.
Currently, the Ocean Interface land use designation supports staff accommodation development. However, additional language within the Ocean Interface section and elsewhere in the OCP negates this support. The OCP amendment aims to clarify some competing policy language so that staff accommodation development in the Ocean Interface may be confidently considered.
The proposed OCP amendment is not intended to shift the District’s approach to development outside of the Village Containment Area. It is meant to be an administrative update to improve the OCP's legibility and interpretation. This amendment would have been addressed during a routine review of the OCP (typically every five years). However, it is being considered now due to the receipt of specific development applications proposing priority land uses (e.g., staff accommodation) that have the potential to address critical housing needs.
Proposed Changes
This amendment aims to clarify competing policy language to enable improved legibility and interpretation. The proposed policy amendments are shown in the table below in bold italics.
Area of Influence
Policy Section
Proposed Change
Rationale/Considerations
District Wide
Core Approaches to Future Land Use
3.9.1.1
Limit residential development to the Village and Future Homes areas. Notwithstanding this limitation, staff accommodation may be considered within the Ocean Interface designation.
Current policy wording prohibits residential development outside the Village and Future Homes area. This could be interpreted to apply to staff accommodation as well (a form of residential development). The suggested change would enable staff accommodation to be considered in line with existing Ocean Interface policies.
3.9.1.5
Curtail development outside of the Village, Future Homes and Industrial Way areas (Village Containment Area). Except, limited development may be considered in accordance with area-specific land use designation policies (e.g. staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface).
Current policy wording prohibits any development outside of the Village Containment Area, which conflicts with area-specific policies that support limited development outside this area. The proposed amendment addresses this prohibition in a limited way, provided the policies of area-specific land designations are followed. In addition to staff accommodation, the Ocean Interface explicitly supports resort development under certain conditions. The Peninsula designation also supports limited retail and service commercial. The proposed amendment would enable these uses to be considered as well.
Core Policies (Homes and Neighbourhoods)
4.1.2.5
Only permit development within the Village, Future Homes, and Industrial Way designations as identified in Schedule A. Except, limited development may be considered in accordance with area-specific land use designation policies (e.g. staff accommodation in the Ocean Interface).
Current policy wording prohibits any development outside of the village core. The proposed amendment addresses this prohibition in a limited way, provided the policies of area-specific land designations are followed.
Core Policies (Infrastructure)
4.5.2.15
Limit the development of municipal infrastructure outside of the Village, Future Homes, and Industrial Way areas (Village Containment Area), except where supporting a development supported by area-specific policies.
Without the proposed change, no development could be considered outside of the village core.
Area-Specific
Ocean Interface
5.1.2.1
Limit development in the Ocean Interface to reduce exposure to natural hazards such as sea level rise, coastal flooding, and tsunami inundation; to preserve natural features and landscapes; and to ensure the capacity of the current water system is not oversubscribed. Except, staff accommodation development may be considered where exposure to natural hazards, impacts to the environment and servicing capacity can be minimized.
Without the proposed change, no development could be considered within the Ocean Interface.
5.1.2.3
Support resort development and the provision of staff housing in the Ocean Interface that
does not negatively impact the capacity of the water system and community character, and
that does not increase exposure to natural hazards. Where development must be located within tsunami inundation areas, appropriate mitigation measures (e.g. evacuation plans, site design, etc.) must be considered.
All lands currently within the Ocean Interface are located within tsunami inundation areas. Where development can be considered (e.g. staff accommodation), additional mitigation measures should be required. ;
5.1.2.4
Ensure any future residential development is directed to spaces outside tsunami inundation areas.
According to District mapping, all areas within the Ocean Interface are within tsunami inundation areas, making adherence to this policy impossible.
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