Petition to Stop the Rezoning of the Former Yount School Site

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The Issue

Petition to Stop the Rezoning of the Former Yount School Site


Do you oppose changing the zoning of the former Yount School site at 8545 Hemlock Street in Youbou?

What is this petition about?
We are asking the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD) to deny the application to change the zoning of the former Yount School site.

The property is currently zoned P-2 Institutional. This zoning is intended for community uses such as schools, churches, community halls and senior facilities.

The owner is requesting a change to a new Comprehensive Development (CD) Zone, which would establish special zoning rules for this property and could allow development beyond what is currently permitted.

We oppose this rezoning because of the potential impact on Youbou and the future of our community.

Why are we concerned?
The former Yount School site is one of the few remaining P-2 Institutional properties in Youbou. Changing its zoning could allow more housing or a larger development than the current zoning permits.

We are concerned about:

More homes being built on the site.Increased traffic on local roads.
Greater demand on our volunteer fire department, ambulance and other emergency services.
Increased pressure on water, sewer and other local services.
Changes to the look, feel and character of our community.
The potential for more high-density development in Youbou in the future.
The long-term loss of land designated for institutional and community uses.


What has happened so far?
The owners of 8545 Hemlock Street submitted an application to the CVRD on June 1, 2023, requesting a zoning change. The application is File #RZ23102.

In May 2026, a public meeting was held at the Youbou Community Hall.

At the meeting, the developer and CVRD staff presented a possible development plan showing 45 units.

It is important to understand that the 45-unit plan was only an example of what the site could look like. It was not a final development plan.

CVRD staff also indicated that the proposed new zoning could permit more than 45 units.

The meeting raised concerns about the scale of development that could be allowed under the proposed zoning and its potential impacts on the community.

What are we asking for?
We are asking the CVRD to deny the current application to rezone 8545 Hemlock Street.

We oppose changing the zoning of this property from P-2 Institutional to a Comprehensive Development Zone.

This is about more than a single development proposal. It is about the future of Youbou, the preservation of community-designated land and the impacts that increased development could have on local infrastructure, emergency services and the character of our community.

We believe this rezoning could have lasting consequences for Youbou and its residents.

We urge the CVRD to deny the rezoning application and protect the interests of our community.

Petition
I support the request to deny the current application to change the zoning of 8545 Hemlock Street, Youbou, BC (former Yount School site).

Name: ____________________________________

Address: __________________________________

Signature: ________________________________

Date: _____________________________________

Please share this petition with your neighbours and other Youbou community members who may have concerns about changing the zoning of the former Yount School site.

Petition Updates