2024 Zoning Bylaw Update
Housing (Bill 44 Legislative changes), Short Term Rentals (Bill 35), and Parking
The District of Summerland is completing an zoning bylaw update in 2024 to address the following three areas of focus:
Conformance with Bill 44 - Housing Legislative changes
Review of the Section 6.0 Parking and Loading Section
Consistency with new Bill 35 - Short Term Rental Accommodations Act
The District of Summerland will be hosting two public open houses to learn more about what is changing with the District's Zoning Bylaw in 2024 to conform with provincial legislation changes on housing, short term rentals, and a review of the District's parking regulations. The open houses were held on April 16 and 23, 2024. Following the April open houses, and receiving of any final public feedback, the proposed zoning bylaw changes are tentatively scheduled to be provided to Council for the first three readings on May 21, 2024. Please submit your feedback soon to be included in the draft amendments!
Access the Public Comment Feedback Form to provide your feedback after review of the draft materials. Completed forms can be submitted at the Development Services counter at Municipal Hall or emailed to bdollevoet@summerland.ca.
Below is a background overview, including a presentation by Brad Dollevoet, Director of Development Services of what is proposed to change as part of the 2024 Zoning Bylaw Update.
Bill 44 - Housing Statutes (Residential Development)
Bill 44 – Legislative Amendments (Housing Statutes) came into effect on
November 29, 2023. Most of the Bill 44 amendments deal with encouraging construction of new “small-scale multi-unit” housing (SSMUH), often referred to as "missing middle" housing, in existing single family and duplex zoned areas of the province. To that affect, Bill 44 requires that all local governments in BC, with populations greater than 5,000, allow for the minimum prescribed density in "Restricted" zones of the Act. Restricted Zones are those existing zones that only allow for single family or duplex housing. Specifically, all restricted zones are required to have the minimum density requirements prescribed if a parcel of land meets the following 4 criteria:
Within an urban containment boundary;
Land connected to municipal-owned utility systems (water and sanitary sewer);
Land zones for lot size less than 4,050m2;
Parcel of land less than 4050m2
The District of Summerland's restricted zones under these parameters include the following: RSD1, RSD1(i), RSD2, RSD3, RDH, and RSH, and only if located within the District's urban containment boundary. These zones must be amended by June 30, 2024 to allow for a minimum density of 4 (four) residential dwelling units.
Bill 35 - Short Term Rental Accommodations Act
Bill 35 has introduced new legislation that all operators of short term rentals (short term stays advertised on electronic platforms, less than 90 days) must follow. This legislation will now require principal residency to be confirmed before an advertisement for a short term rental can be posted.
The District of Summerland already had a principal residency requirement for operators of Short Term Rentals in it's zoning bylaw, but a few tweaks are recommended to align with Bill 35.
Section 6.0 - Parking and Loading
At District of Summerland Council's evening meeting of November 7, 2023, Council provided direction to staff to review the cash-in-lieu if of parking fee in the Downtown core, as well as initiate a review of the minimum parking requirements in the downtown core.
Staff have reviewed the minimum parking requirements of Table 6.1 and is proposing a number of changes to encourage new mixed-use development in the Downtown core. As well, a fee increase is proposed for those developer's wanting to provide cash in lieu of parking.
Draft Documents