The Regional District is undertaking an update of the Electoral Area G Zoning Bylaw, which will be the first comprehensive review of this bylaw since the introduction of zoning to the area in 1977.

Many of the provisions contained within the Electoral Area G Zoning Bylaw have been in place for between 30 to 40 years and have not been the subject of a comprehensive review.  This is seen to present challenges in that the language found in the bylaw is outdated, may not reflect directions adopted by the Regional District in other Electoral Areas thereby creating inequalities between zoned parcels in Electoral Area G and other parts of the Regional District, an potentially complicated the introduction of amendments.

Importantly, the Zoning Bylaw Update is not proposing to adversely impact any permitted uses and densities and may result in potentially greater development opportunities on zoned parcels (i.e. through the possible introduction of secondary suites as a permitted use).

The first zoning bylaw applied to Electoral Area G was Zoning Bylaw No. 325, 1977, which was adopted by the Regional District Board at its meeting of March 24, 1977.  According to local media reports from the period, the purpose of this bylaw was to control building in the Apex Mountain Resort area, which was (then) in Electoral Area G.  Zoning Bylaw No. 325 sought to achieve this through the introduction of a “Resort Cottage (RC-1) District” that sought to regulate density at Apex so that “development will not destroy the rural character or amenities of the area”.

The scope of Bylaw 325 was expanded on August 18, 1977, when the Regional District Board adopted an amendment bylaw (No. 350) which introduced a “Forestry-Grazing (F-G) District” to three (3) parcels on Grand Oro Road.

At its meeting of July 22, 1980, when the Regional District Board adopted an amendment bylaw (No. 564) which extended the F-G Zone to an approximately 145 ha parcel adjacent to Liddicoat Road.  The purpose of the zoning was to ensure that the subdivision of the property would not result in parcels less than 4.0 ha (10 acres) in area by the (then) owner; Sparkford Estates Limited.

In 1981, the boundaries between Electoral Areas G and D were adjusted so that Apex Mountain would, henceforward, be governed by the land use bylaws in Electoral Area D (Okanagan Falls / Kaleden).  The principal reason for the transfer were that property owners in Apex wanted building regulations to control development whereas the residents elsewhere in Electoral Area G did not (NOTE: the proposed introduction of building inspection services to Electoral Area G was defeated by the Board in 1980, prompting Apex property owners to seek the transfer to Electoral Area D).

At its meeting of June 17, 1982, the Regional District Board introduced detailed floodplain regulations to all of its Electoral Area zoning bylaws, including Bylaw No. 325.

At its meeting of November 5, 2005, the Regional District Board adopted an amendment bylaw (No. 325.01) which introduced a Small Holdings (SH) Zone to an area of land adjacent River Road at its intersection with Copperhead Road.

The purpose of this zoning amendment was “to ensure greater overall consistency for development” of the subject property after it was subdivided and to ensure that any changes to permitted uses of the land would be the subject of a formal public consultation process.

In 2008, the Regional District undertook a formal Repeal and Re-enactment (R&R) of all of its land use bylaws in order to address a number of administrative deficiencies related to the adoption and amendment of these bylaws.  This resulted in Zoning Bylaw No. 325 being replaced with the current Electoral Area G Zoning Bylaw No. 2462, 2008.

Despite the R&R Process renaming zones (i.e. Forestry-Grazing became Resource Area) and changing the layout, the bylaw itself was not subject to a comprehensive review.

Current Electoral Area “G” Zoning Bylaw No. 2462, 2008 / Schedule '2' (Zoning Map)

For additional information, or to submit comments, please contact:
Christopher Garrish 
Planning Supervisor
cgarrish@rdos.bc.ca
250-490-4101