Based upon public and stakeholder input received in late 2013 and early 2014, the Regional District is proposing a number of amendments to the regulations applied to signs advertising the "sale of agricultural produce, livestock or product grown, raised or produced on [a] farm" in the various Electoral Area Zoning Bylaws.

Some of the concerns that have been expressed to the Regional District is that the current signage regulations do not provide for enough signage for  agricultural businesses, fruit stands, U-pick and wineries and that other agricultural businesses that do not front on Highway 97 are not currently permitted a third party sign.

The Zoning Bylaws currently restrict agricultural signage to advertising "the sale of agricultural products, livestock or product grown, raised or produced on the farm"  and limits these to one (1) per parcel which must not exceed a total sign area of 3.0 m² nor a height of 3.0 metres.

The Zoning Bylaws also generally define a "farm" as meaning an area of land, which may include more than one parcel, and its buildings used under one management for farm products. 

Draft Amendment Bylaw No. 2663, 2014, is proposing to introduce the following changes:

• introduce new definitions of "sign" and "sign area";

• clarify restrictions on signage in the "site triangle" of intersections (traffic safety issue);

• introduce fascia signs on the front and side of farm building walls to a maximum combined sign area of 6.0m²;

• amend the regulation for freestanding signage to offer a choice of either:

1. two (2) freestanding signs, maximum area of 2.0m² each and 3.0m high; or
2. one (1) freestanding sign, maximum area of 4.0m² and 4.5m high

At its meeting of October 18, 2012, the P&D Committee of the Regional District Board resolved to establish signage enforcement priorities and "request, in writing to the Minister and local MLAs, that the Ministry Of Transportation and Infrastructure enforce Highway right-of-way encroachments" and "that the costs of priority actions be established and included in the 2013 Budget."

Throughout 2013 and early 2014 the Regional District along with staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) prepared an enforcement strategy, carried out an inventory of all signs south of Oliver to the USA border and sent out letters to sign and property owners.

A Public Information Meeting was held on March 11, 2014 in Oliver in order to provide an update to residents on the status of the signage enforcement plan.

Based upon feedback received at this meeting, the Regional District Board, at its meeting of April 3, 2014, accepted a Director's Motion directing "staff to bring forward amendments to the agricultural signage regulations (Section 7.20) in Zoning Bylaws for Areas A, C, D-1, D-2, E, F and H to address input received at public consultations during the ongoing Highway Signage Enforcement Project."

In mid-April, MoTI advised that enforcement of highway signage was postponed until the fall of 2014 but that highway signage safety issues would be addressed on a case-by-case basis.

At its meeting of May 8, 2014, the Board directed staff to formally prepare an amendment bylaw related to agricultural signage provisions, to circulate these amendments to the applicable Electoral Area Advisory Planning Commissions (APCs); and to schedule two Public Meetings.

At its meeting of June 19, 2014, the Board resolved to defer first reading of Amendment Bylaw No. 2663, 2014, until such time as all of the Electoral Area APCs had been able to provide comment.

Draft Amendment Bylaw No. 2663, 2014, was considered by the Electoral Area Advisory Planning Commissions (APC) at their meetings held between June and September of 2014, the minutes of which can be found at the following links:

Electoral Area "A": 2014-07-28;

Electoral Area "C": 2014-06-17;

Electoral Area "D": 2014-07-08 & 2014-08-12;

Electoral Area "E": 2014-07-14 & 2014-09-08;

Electoral Area "F": 2014-07-03; and

Electoral Area "H": 2014-07-15.

A formal referral to external agencies was also distributed on June 6, 2014, with all responses received to be considered by the Board prior to first reading of the amendment bylaws at a future meeting.

Public Information Meetings originally planned for October 21st & 23rd have been re-scheduled and will now occur in early 2015.  Check back for more details soon:

The Regional District welcomes input from residents and encourages the public to offer feedback on the proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaws.  All feedback received will be considered by the Regional District Board prior to third reading of the amendment bylaws. 

Feedback forms should be completed and returned to the Regional District no later than November 7, 2014.

Enforcement of Sign Regulations - Report to RDOS Planning & Development Committee (2010-06-17)

Signage Bylaw - Report to RDOS Planning & Development Committee (2011-09-15)

Enforcement of Signage Regulations - Report to the RDOS Planning & Development Committee (2012-10-18)

Amendments to Agricultural Signage Provisions - Report to the RDOS Planning & Development Committee (2014-05-08)

Regional Signage Action Plan - Report to the RDOS Planning & Development Committee (2014-05-08)

Zoning Bylaw Amendments: Agricultural Signage Provisions - Report to the RDOS Board of Directors (2014-06-19)