April 24, 2024
Town of Sidney Council Meeting Highlights: April 22, 2024
Sidney BC
Highlights from regular Council meetings provide a brief summary of some items of broad public interest. The summary is not inclusive of all agenda items. Please refer to https://sidney.civicweb.net/Portal for the full agenda, minutes, and webcast.
Town of Sidney launches community engagement period for Zoning Bylaw update
Council have directed staff to begin community engagement on an updated Zoning Bylaw, which provides regulatory guidance for building and development. The Zoning Bylaw is being updated to align with the Official Community Plan, which was adopted in 2022 following extensive community engagement. It is also being updated to reflect new Provincial housing legislation, which requires that properties currently limited to single-family and duplex homes be permitted to accommodate up to three or four dwelling units, depending on lot size.
Beginning April 26th, members of the public are invited to learn about the draft Zoning Bylaw and provide feedback in writing to Council. The document is technical, so community members are encouraged to take advantage of one of six opportunities to attend in-person events on the bylaw.
Dates are as follows:
INFORMATION SESSION
Tuesday May 7th
5pm to 7pm (Presentation to begin at 5:15pm)
Mary Winspear Centre
OPEN HOUSES
Monday to Friday (May 6th – 10th)
9am to noon
Sidney Town Hall
Many resources, including display boards from the in-person events, are also available online at www.sidney.ca/zoningbylaw.
Draft Updated Zoning Bylaw Video (1:34:56)
Town of Sidney general tax increase for 2024 declines from 6.04% to 5.94% during finalization of Financial Plan due to growth in tax base
Council gave final approval to the Town of Sidney’s 2024-2028 Financial Plan with a general tax increase of 5.94% – lower than the expected increase of 6.04%. Since the Town undertakes its budgeting process before property assessments are finalized in late March, the general tax rate Council initially approved is based on estimated tax revenue. This year, the Town’s conservative tax revenue estimate turned out to be slightly low; the additional revenue generated from growth in the community reduced the tax impact on existing residents.
The 2024 tax rate increase for the average commercial property will be 5.68%. To support Sidney’s businesses community, the Town has one of the lowest tax rate differentials between commercial versus residential tax rates in the Capital Region. This gap continues to get smaller, as the Town is in the second year of a 10-year-plan to bring the commercial property tax rate into even closer alignment with the rates paid by residential properties.
Staff Report Video (1:12:48)