OCP & Zoning Amendments

What is an Official Community Plan?

An Official Community Plan is a general statement of the long-term vision for an area and the broad objectives and policies of the local government respecting the character of existing and proposed land use and servicing requirements in the area covered by the Plan.

What is Zoning?

If legal controls are required to govern growth or manage activities, a community would have to set up regulatory bylaws.  This is called zoning. Zoning bylaws establish specific frameworks for development, such as permitted uses of land, as well as guidelines to development, such as height restrictions, setbacks from property lines, and appropriate lot sizes for subdivision purposes. A zoning  bylaw must be consistent with the policy framework as adopted in an Official Community Plan (OCP). Other regulatory bylaws may include noise bylaws, unsightly premises bylaws and or specific plans for transportation, infrastructure, or park development.

If your proposal does not conform to regional district zoning, you may make application to change or amend your zoning at the Planning Department of the RDCK. Be prepared to wait four months or more for a final decision on your application. A zoning amendment requires a public hearing and approval from the Regional District Board and the Province in specific circumstances.

If an Official Community Plan is in effect in the area of the proposed zoning amendment, the proposal must conform with the requirements of the Plan. If the proposal does not conform with the Plan, an amendment will also have to be approved prior to approval of the zoning amendment bylaw. In some instances, an Official Community Plan may require amendment where there is proposed change to policy direction or land use designations contained within the Plan.

Plan amendment bylaws must follow the same basic steps towards approval as those described for a zoning amendment bylaw. If a zoning amendment proposal also requires a Plan amendment, both amending bylaws usually proceed simultaneously through the various steps towards approval.

Helpful Documents

                                           Bylaw Amendment Information Package

                                           Bylaw Amendment Application

Additional Helpful Documents can be downloaded from the Land Use and Planning page.

The content on this page was last updated August 16 2023 at 6:50 AM