District of Central Saanich

Context

Farming and farm culture are fundamental elements of Central Saanich’s rural and small-town character. Central Saanich is home to 152 farms, across more than 2,679 acres of crop land. In Central Saanich, the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) covers the majority of the land base, and farming is undertaken in both small and large operations. Food and agriculture support the health and well-being of Peninsula residents, and locally produced food is recognized for its environmental and economic benefits. At the same time, Indigenous food systems and traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering have been impacted by current forms of land ownership.

While the agriculture sector is largely regulated by Provincial and Federal governments and influenced by market forces, local governments can regulate some aspects of farming, such as building setbacks and how they respond to non-farm use applications. Furthermore, recent changes in provincial legislation mean that private landowners are no longer able to apply to the Agricultural Land Commission to exclude land, only the Provincial Government, local or First Nation governments or prescribed public bodies may make such applications.

The District has a role to play and is committed to supporting agriculture and food security for current and future generations through advocacy, local initiatives, and reducing barriers to farming in local bylaws. This includes advancing efforts that respect W̱SÁNEĆ Nations’ food systems and move toward more sustainable and equitable models of agriculture.

Objectives

A. Abundant Food Production

Preserve lands with potential for agricultural production. Protect these areas from incompatible and detrimental land uses, and support efforts to increase the productivity of farmlands to improve food security to support a healthy community.

B. Thriving Farming Community

Support the farming community and efforts to improve the sustainability and economic viability of farming on the Saanich Peninsula for future generations, including farm-related business and infrastructure, and encouraging a supportive farm network.

C. Integrate First Nations Food Systems

Recognize that Indigenous food systems and land ethics that view humans as part of nature have not been historically valued and that modern agriculture and land ownership has impacted Indigenous food sovereignty by limiting access to land for hunting, fishing and gathering. Support collaborative efforts that respect Indigenous food systems and advance more sustainable and equitable models of agriculture.

D. Environmental Stewardship

Encourage and support the implementation of environmentally considerate farm practices while undertaking efforts to minimize negative impacts on agricultural lands resulting from adjacent land uses, roadways, and the built environment.

E. Climate Action

Recognize that the working landscape of agricultural lands can play a significant role in climate action by improving resiliency, carbon sequestration, capturing rainwater for ground and surface water recharge, and supporting natural habitats and biodiversity.

F. Protect Community Character

Recognize the contribution the agricultural landscape plays in creating the rural and small-town character that is valued by the community and prioritize farm activities over non-farm uses.

General Policies

1. Retain areas designated as Agriculture on Schedule F: Land Use Plan for agricultural purposes regardless of any changes that may be made by the Provincial government with respect to the Agricultural Land Reserve. Prioritize farming activity, including Indigenous food systems, above any non-farm uses.

2. Encourage diversification and innovation in the agricultural economy and support measures to improve the economic viability of farming where they would not negatively impact the agricultural capability of farmland or the environment. This may include valueadded processing, vertical integrated farming, farm-gate marketing, and agritourism.

3. Support public events, such as local farmer’s markets and the annual Saanich Fair, that promote local farm sales and increase awareness of farming operations on the peninsula.

4. Encourage proposals that would improve regional food security and recognize the role of farm-related businesses in supporting local food production, such as feed companies, cold storage facilities or produce processing plants, which should be centrally located and may be better suited for industrial lands.

5. Support initiatives that advance valueadded farm processing particularly where facilities would be available to serve the broader farm community, such as foodhubs, processing facilities, community kitchens, and food processing training opportunities. Some of these valueadded facilities may be best suited for industrial lands.

6. Explore and encourage alternative models of farm ownership and access to agricultural lands that support farming, specifically through community farmland trusts and land matching programs.

7. Support efforts by W̱SÁNEĆ Nations to revitalize Indigenous food systems and encourage landowners to grant access to private land for traditional harvesting and gathering of plants for food, medicinal, or cultural purposes, including marine based activities.

8. Support normal farm practices as defined by the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act and recognize that at times undesirable side effects such as odours, noises and dust are to be expected in an agricultural area. In the case of conflict with adjacent development, the agricultural use following normal farm practices will be favoured.

9. Support local farmers in pursuing more sustainable and climate adaptive forms of agricultural practices and products, including retaining important environmental features that support farming such as hedgerows, properly functioning creeks, ponds, springs, riparian vegetation, and soil regenerative techniques.

10. Support and pursue opportunities for working farms to transition from fossil fuels toward more sustainable forms of energy and to incorporate on-site energy production where it would not unreasonably impact use of the land for agricultural operations.

11. Do not support applications for nonfarm uses and non-adhering residential uses on agricultural lands unless demonstrated that the proposed use would directly support and complement agriculture operations.

12. Further subdivision of agricultural lands to create new lots is not supported, including for family members pursuant to Section 514 of the Local Government Act. Boundary adjustment subdivisions that would improve farming and are consistent with provincial legislation may be considered.

13. Applications for exclusion of lands from the Agricultural Land Reserve will not be supported by the District.

14. Any new development on lands adjacent to ALR lands are required to provide fencing, berms, or landscape buffers to minimize conflicts between farmland and non-agricultural land uses. Residential development adjacent to agricultural zones have additional setback requirements and variances to reduce setbacks abutting the ALR and should only be supported where a buffer is provided and a nuisance covenant is registered.

15. Where agricultural zones abut other types of land uses, such as residential or industrial, transitional elements on the non-agricultural land are required to mitigate potential conflict. Adjacent land uses or features that can serve as transitional elements include hobby farms or small acreages, landscaping buffers, hedgerows, natural areas, planted berms, and solid fencing.

16. Stormwater run-off has been affected through years of modifying creeks and wetlands and the incremental impacts of development and climate change will exacerbate stormwater run-off. This will increase challenges for agricultural lands, particularly in the spring and fall shoulder seasons. The District supports efforts to reduce peak flows and increase rainfall capture and detention capacity in, or adjacent to, agricultural areas through constructed wetlands, restoration of riparian areas, filter strips along field edges, restoring creeks to proper functioning condition, and other measures.

17. Support regional efforts to improve coordination of farm related initiatives, such as promoting opportunities for farm development, improving communications, applying for funding grants, and undertaking public awareness campaigns.

Implementation Policies

18. Continue to support and seek input from the Peninsula and Area Agricultural Commission (PAAC) on farm related matters and efforts to strengthen the local farm network through sharing of information, and to facilitate annual or biannual meetings with representatives of the District and farming community.

19. Support existing farm marketing programs and consider developing and implementing a Central Saanich specific farm-marketing program. The farm-marketing program would promote local producers and their value-added products, attract visitors to explore and learn about farm and equestrian operations, and increase public awareness of the importance in protecting agricultural lands for local food security.

20. Utilize a Temporary Use Permit process for approving additional housing for farm worker accommodation with clear guidelines and criteria for approval.

21. Consider implementing a Development Permit Area for the protection of farming to mitigate long-term impacts on farmland through the placement of non-agricultural buildings or structures, impacts from non-farm uses including hosting of events and agri-tourism, and enhanced setbacks, screening, and landscaping on adjacent non-farm properties.

22. Consider increasing the minimum lot area requirements in the Land Use Bylaw for agricultural zones to 20 hectares or larger.

23. Continue to work with the farm community to further enhance municipal operations that address ditch clearing and drainage issues, wildlife control measures, and invasive species removal to protect agricultural lands and farm operations.

24. Update the Sustainable Purchasing Policy to ensure that District purchasing of food products and catering for events prioritizes locally grown products, valueadded local products, and supports local employment and businesses.

25. Continue to implement the recommendations included in the Central Saanich Agricultural Area Plan (2011) in accordance with the level of relative priority and budget considerations. The Agricultural Area Plan completed in 2011 helped to inform policies in this OCP and shall continue to provide guidance for farm-related initiatives. The plan identified the following priority actions: reducing non-agricultural demand for farmland, enhancing the viability of agriculture locally and promoting agriculture regionally, improving communication between local farmers, local government, and the public, and increasing farming access to farmland and agricultural resources.