Align Zoning with the Official Community Plan

A new Official Community Plan Bylaw 2500 was adopted June 5, 2018 following a two-year public engagement process. The OCP contains numerous policies which either directly or indirectly relate to zoning regulations. Amendments to the Zoning Bylaw are therefore an important aspect of OCP implementation. 

The following areas will be considered as part of the 2020 Zoning Bylaw Update:

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Align zoning with the Official Community Plan

• Industrial Use Clarification

  Zoning for light industrial, medium industrial and heavy industrial uses require clarification and differentiation in order to support employment generating activity within the District. Permitted uses in these zones are intended to match the industrial intent without encompassing commercial uses.

• Business Park Zoning Update

  Specific areas of the Business Park will be considered for non-commercial light industrial, while other areas will be considered for zoning to support the current range of permitted uses. This will help to maximize the use of the Business Park, and ensure adequate land supply for a range of employment-generating land uses.

• Develop and Align Agriculture-Specific Zoning

  Updates are needed for municipal zoning of lands designated as Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), in order to align regulations for agriculture and related uses in accordance with the provincial Agricultural Land Commission Act (ALCA) and Regulation. Development of agriculture-specific zoning will be informed by the Squamish Valley Agriculture Plan that is underway concurrently, which is expected to be complete by early 2020.

• Develop Marine Zoning

  Zoning for marine conservation, marine mixed-use, marine industrial and port uses will be developed in order to identify and secure locations for current and future marine infrastructure and facilities.

• Facilitate Affordable Housing

  Support for additional affordable housing options will be considered through amendments to the zoning that:

  • Enable fee simple row housing;
  • Enable duplexes in the RS-1 zones, or in specific areas of the RS-1 zones along transit or near neighbourhood nodes;
  • Encourage development of accessory dwelling units while minimizing impacts of those units on neighboring properties.

• Implement Sub Area Planning

  Achieving the vision outlined in established sub area plan will be considered through the following zoning amendments:

  • Clarify permitted uses in the in the Quest University campus area;
  • Add missing basic zoning regulations in the Quest University campus area;
  • Allocate unbuilt housing units in the Quest University housing area;
  • Implement Wilson Crescent Micro Plan zoning amendments.

• Rezone to match land use designation

  The OCP identifies land use designations that represent the long range vision for land use throughout the community. In some areas, the existing zoning is not aligned with the OCP land use designations. New zoning that aligns with the OCP will be considered for these properties. Examples include:

  • Rezoning of transportation corridors to a transportation zone;
  • Rezoning of School District sites to institutional zones;
  • Rezoning of areas designed park in the OCP to a compatible zone;
  • Rezoning of areas to align with OCP policies.

• Support environmental sustainability

  Review permeable surface requirements for residential, multi-family zones and potentially other zones.
  

• Specific amendments under consideration:

  Category	Description
  Clarify Industrial Zones and Uses	Clarify that liquor retail and tasting are accessory to manufacturing in industrial zones.
  	Clarify that accessory lounge are defined as liquor primary locations with conditions.
  	Clarify and differentiate light industrial, medium industrial and heavy industrial uses, and ensure permitted uses match the industrial intent without encompassing commercial uses.
  	Clarify provisions around Accessory Retail Sales in industrial zones.
  Update Business Park Zoning	Specify areas of Business Park for non-commercial light industrial and a more commercial version of light industrial such as business commercial as per current zoning.
  	Consider more intensive use of lands in Business Park through increased Floor Area Ratios and building heights, while balancing impacts to the economic viability of light industrial activities.
  Develop Marine Zoning	Create marine conservation zone.
  	Create marine recreation zone.
  	Create mixed-use marine zone.
  	Create marine fueling zone.
  Facilitate Affordable Housing Forms and Tenures	Enable Fee Simple Row Housing in Multiple Unit Residential (RM) zones.
  	Consider duplexes is the RS-1 zone, or in specific areas of the RS-1 zones along transit or near neighbourhood nodes.
  	Consider options to address accessory dwelling unit height and massing to improve compatibility with the existing neighbourhood.
  	Restrict Cottage Clusters in RS-2 Cheekeye Fan area
  	Enable accessory dwelling units to be two stories regardless of whether they contain a garage.
  	Clarify that accessory dwelling units count as the one large accessory building permitted in zones such as RS-1
  	Increase max lot coverage for properties with an accessory dwelling unit.
  	Rezone existing rental apartments to rental only residential zoning as per new provincial legislation.
  	Provide higher floor area ratio to RS-1 and RS-1A properties with suites or ADUs.
  	Establish maximum lot sizes for single detached dwellings.
  Implement Sub Area Planning (Former Business Park)	Prohibit outdoor storage in specified areas of the business park.
  Implement Sub Area Planning (University)	Create system so University campus commercial can be phased in the University Village Centre.
  	Consider minimum parcel sizes for specific uses in the University Housing (UH) zone.
  	Is liquor primary included in commercial uses in University Campus (UC) zone?
  	Clarify relationship between University Campus Commercial and Neighbourhood Commercial in UC-1 zone.
  	Allocate remaining unbuilt UH-1 dwelling units across the remaining development land available
  	Add maximum floor area ratio for individual residential parcels and multi family development in UH1.
  	Clarify maximum floor area ratio for Student & Faculty Housing in UC-1 so that the regulation is not campus wide and can accommodate subdivision of housing lots.
  	Clarify minimum lot dimensions and lot area for one-unit and two-unit dwellings.
  Implement Sub Area Planning (Wilson Crescent)	Implement Wilson Crescent Micro Plan zoning amendments.
  Align Zoning with agricultural land commission [RB1]	Create agriculture zone aligned with agricultural land commission regulations and apply to agricultural land reserve properties.
  Rezone to Match Land Use Designations	Change I-1 zoning in downtown south to a more appropriate zone aligned with OCP designations and intent.
  	Rezone 1221 and 1311 Pioneer Way to align with OCP designations which support industrial and mixed use.
  	Rezone Downtown Squamish SD-48 School Board site to institutional.
  	Consider aligning Upper Mamquam Blind Channel zoning with OCP land use designation.
  	Rezone RE public land along Highway 99 (west and south of Brennan Park) to P-3.
  	Rezone large RS-1 parcels designated for sub area planning to a zone reflecting current use.
  	Create zone for transportation infrastructure (i.e. future key transportation corridors).
  	Analyze OCP land use designations and Zoning. Rezone specific properties to reflect land use designations and align with OCP policies.
  	Consider rezoning Paco area C-5 property to an industrial zone.
  	Consider rezoning C-3 land at the Cheekeye-Cheakamus confluence to a zone reflective of the OCP land use designations and current land uses.
  	Ensure all properties owned by SD48 are zoned for school use
  Support Environmental Sustainability	Prohibit commercial sale, disposition or water extraction within the District of Squamish.
  	Clarify  swimming pools are considered not permeable.
  	Review permeable surface requirements for residential,  multi-family zones and potentially other zones.