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Oak Bay views shift in suites, duplexes, seniors housing

Oak Bay residents are open to the idea of regulating secondary suites, allowing more duplexes and encouraging more housing for seniors and young families, according to a comprehensive survey.
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Oak Bay Municipal Hall, on Oak Bay Avenue.

Oak Bay residents are open to the idea of regulating secondary suites, allowing more duplexes and encouraging more housing for seniors and young families, according to a comprehensive survey.

Almost 78 per cent of residents who participated in the Official Community Plan survey want to see it address issues such as housing for seniors, heritage and regulated secondary suites.

“It really is a great qualitative and quantitative foundation — a sounding board if you will, as the OCP renewal process goes forward,” said Coun. Pam Copley, chairwoman of the OCP committee.

With a participation rate of 33.3 per cent of households, the survey is expected to be accurate to plus or minus 1.76 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

Results include:

• 84 per cent of residents are in favour of seeing more multi-family housing options such as allowing living units above businesses;

• 73 per cent support encouraging more housing for seniors and those with disabilities;

• 78 per cent support regulating secondary suites and setting standards related to health and safety, fees, parking and owner occupancy;

• 69 per cent support regulated secondary suites in existing homes;

• 68 per cent encourage more long-term care units/beds;

• 64 per cent support inclusion of duplexes (two units in one building) in existing single-family areas;

Copley said the survey demonstrated support for some change in meeting housing needs.

“There was certainly strong support for regulating secondary suites that already exist but also regulated secondary suites in new construction. But there’s also strong support for other forms of multi-family too, particularly duplexes in certain areas,” she said.

There was also support for updated policies for home-based businesses and more neighbourhood commercial establishments.

The survey also found support for protecting and managing Oak Bay’s shoreline and expanding community facilities, programs and services for older adults, seniors and people with disabilities.

Mayor Nils Jensen called the results “interesting.”

“I think it really shows a gradual shift in peoples’ views for certain housing options. Certainly there seems to be support for council to consider duplexes and other housing options that haven’t been considered before,” Jensen said.

Copley said the results don’t reflect poorly on council’s decision early in its term to reject Island Health’s plans to replace the existing lodge with a new six-storey, $80-million building at 2251 Cadboro Bay Rd.

Island Health has now decided on the playing field behind former Blanshard Elementary School in Quadra Village as the site for a new 320-bed seniors facility to replace Oak Bay Lodge and Mount Tolmie Hospital.

“I really believe the location that’s just been announced — the Blanshard Street location —is a better location for the type of facility and the number of beds that the health authority is wanting to put in place. It’s also more central,” Copley said.

“I think that the opportunities for a location like Oak Bay Lodge, in that residential setting yet adjacent to the soon to be redeveloped Oak Bay Secondary, present different opportunities for a different kind of facility,” she said.

All input will now be compiled and be available at the next OCP open house early in the new year.

bcleverley@timescolonist.com