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Oak Bay Council Narrowly Rejects Six-Unit Uplands Development at 2830/2850 Lansdowne Rd.

Photo: A Garry Oak Meadow in Uplands Park


CRD Watch
Nov 25, 2025


Oak Bay, BC — In a close and highly watched vote, Oak Bay Council have denied an approval for the proposed six-unit development at 2830/2850 Lansdowne Road in the historic Uplands neighbourhood. The decision came after weeks of intense public attention, growing community mobilization, and concerns over the removal of 30 protected mature trees to accommodate the project.

The application sought approval to build three homes on each of the two large Uplands lots, an uncommon level of density for the neighbourhood, which is designated a National Historic Site. The Uplands was designed by John Olmsted, a son of Friedrich Law Olmsted a designer of New York City’s Central Park. The Uplands is known for its naturalized landscape, large lots, and mature Garry oak canopy/eco-system.

Although formal public input was not permitted during the Council meeting, councillors acknowledged receiving an unusually high volume of correspondence from residents. Nearly 600 residents signed a community petition opposing the project, with many expressing concerns about tree loss, precedent, neighbourhood character, and the cumulative effect of development pressures under new provincial housing legislation.

The vote was close, reflecting what several councillors described as a “difficult balance” between respecting the province’s density expectations and upholding Oak Bay’s long-standing tree protection and heritage policies. Ultimately, a majority concluded the proposal did not adequately protect the mature canopy or reflect the Uplands’ unique planning context.

Murdoch, Watson and Smart voted in favour of the approval.

All three of those that voted in favour of the proposal were supported by the development-oriented pressure group Homes For Living for the 2022 Local Government Election. See: Homes for Living Oak Bay Candidate Rankings (2022)

Green, Braithwaite, Appleton, and Paterson voted against the project.

Of the four that voted in opposition to the proposal, only one of them, Appleton had been supported by Homes For Living in the 2022 Local Government election.

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The developer is expected to revisit the application and potentially bring forward a revised concept. Residents who opposed the development say they will remain engaged.

Community organizer Evan Brown, who spearheaded the petition effort, noted that while the vote was a significant win for tree protection, the broader policy questions remain unresolved.

“This decision signals that Oak Bay’s mature trees matter, and that large developments need to respect the character of the Uplands,” Brown said. “But future proposals will continue to test that balance. We need clarity in the Official Community Plan about how development in the Uplands should be approached.”

With Oak Bay in the midst of updating its Official Community Plan, several residents and councillors have suggested that the Uplands requires clearer, more explicit guidance around density, subdivision, and tree retention. Without that clarity, they warn that similar conflicts will likely re-emerge.

For now, residents who opposed the project say they are relieved but also determined to stay involved, as future proposals or policy changes come forward.

CRDWatch will continue to monitor this issue as it evolves.

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See also earlier article on this development proposal:

Will Oak Bay Council Allow 30 Protected Trees to Be Cut for Townhomes in the Uplands? Residents Urge Council to Reject Proposed Development – CRD Watch Homepage

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See also:

Index of CRD Watch articles concerning the environment/ecology. – CRD Watch Homepage