Zoning Bylaw Update

Overview

A zoning bylaw is a regulatory bylaw that controls the use of land (e.g. residential vs. commercial) and regulates other aspects of development, including minimum parking requirements, building heights, setbacks from property lines, and density.

The last major update to the City's zoning bylaw was initiated in 2016 and adopted in 2018. The current zoning bylaw and zoning map are available here:

Current Zoning Map

Current Zoning Bylaw No. 3166, 2017

Since then, the City adopted the Cairnsmore Sustainable Neighbourhood Plan in 2021 and a new Official Community Plan (OCP) in 2024. In order to ensure consistency between the zoning bylaw and the OCP and to address a number of other administrative and housekeeping amendments, the City will be undertaking a comprehensive update to replace the current zoning bylaw with a new zoning bylaw later in 2025 and into 2026. More information on that process and engagement and input opportunities will be posted to this page.

Interim Updates to Zoning and Parking to Support Housing

Building on the small-scale, multi-unit housing updates to the Low Density Residential zone that the City was mandated by the province to implement last year, the City is considering a number of interim, strategic updates to the zoning bylaw in March and April 2025 to implement the OCP policies, support and facilitate new investments in housing, and fulfil the City's commitments under the Housing Accelerator Fund Program. The objective of the interim amendments is to reduce parking requirements, pre-zone more land for housing and mixed use developments, and remove barriers to housing developments. The proposed interim amendments are as follows:

PROPOSED AMENDMENT BYLAW

PROPOSED NEW ZONING MAP

CURRENT ZONING BYLAW WITH TRACK CHANGES AND COMMENTS

CURRENT ZONING MAP WITH CHANGES