The island

Denman housing bylaws draw questions at public meeting

Residents questioned proposed changes to secondary dwellings and the island’s density bank at a March 18 information meeting.

The Denman Firestarter · reporting 2025-03-20 · compiled 2026-10-01

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A public information meeting on proposed housing bylaws drew about 43 people to the Denman Activity Centre on March 18, according to the Local Trust Committee minutes.^[1]

The proposals would remove the density bank from the Official Community Plan and allow secondary dwellings in rural residential, forestry and resource zones without a Temporary Use Permit. The minutes describe the changes as proposals, not decisions.^[1]

Questions included how many homes could be built and how the changes might affect density. The planner said a build-out analysis was complete, but information about existing covenants and specific restrictions still needed to be reviewed before it could be finalized and presented to the public.^[1]

The minutes say the density bank held seven densities, while a member of the public said 16 had been used to build affordable housing. A trustee said the committee was looking at redefining density as part of a broader housing review.^[1]

A trustee also reported that K’ómoks First Nation had requested that consideration of advancing the bylaws be deferred until July 2025 to allow more time for an environmental review.^[1]

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