A rezoning application for 939 Klahanie Drive in south Langford seeks to shift the property from Rural Residential 2 (RR2) to Rural Residential 5 (RR5), enabling subdivision into two 1-acre lots. The applicant, owners Jesse and Cindy Harris, have alternatively requested a variance to increase the maximum gross floor area of a carriage house from 90 m² to 325 m² (3,500 ft²) should the rezoning fail. Council is currently being asked whether to refer the application to the Sustainable Development Advisory Committee, with that referral made conditional on resolving an unpermitted building on the property.
This application returns after council narrowly rejected a prior attempt in September 2024, when the Harrises sought approval for a 3,500 ft² carriage home on the same parcel. The Times Colonist reported that rejection as a close vote (https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/langford-narrowly-rejects-familys-request-to-subdivide-property-for-grandparents-9583117). The unpermitted building now flagged by staff introduces an enforcement complication that will need to be cleared before any planning review advances. The RR5 rezoning, if supported, would effectively provide the subdivision path that the earlier variance alone did not, while the carriage house alternative functions as a fallback.
The immediate matter is procedural: whether council sends the file to advisory committee review. That step would trigger a staff report, first reading, and the standard rezoning sequence, but the unpermitted structure remains a gating item. If council declines the referral, the application stalls at the starting line. The prior close vote suggests the potential for shifting council sentiment if the enforcement issue is resolved, but the RR2-to-RR5 rezoning involves a zone change that could attract broader scrutiny given the property’s location in south Langford. The staff report to the advisory committee (https://langford.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SDAC-Report-Z23-0028-939-Klahanie.pdf) should detail the zoning implications and the enforcement status. The advisory committee recommendation, if the referral proceeds, would be the next substantive indicator.
A rezoning application has been submitted for 939 Klahanie Drive in Langford by applicants Jesse and Cindy Harris. The proposal will be considered at a public meeting on May 19, 2026. No decision has been announced.