Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

Housing Statutes

Vernon’s development application process changing to conform with new provincial rules

Mar 25, 2024 | 5:30 PM

The City of Vernon is changing its process for development application file management, and will have a new regulation in place during that transition.

A report to city council stated the Zoning Bylaw 5000 will transition to Zoning Bylaw 6000 in an effort to provide guidance, transparency and consistency in the file management processes for staff, applicants and the public.

The change comes as the provincial governments Housing Statutes Bills, 44 and 47 are expected to result in fewer rezoning applications and development variance permits during the proposal stage to construction and completion, which will reduce the time and regulatory process required to build more housing in Vernon. This change is expected to impact zoning amendments, development variance permits, development permits, subdivisions and building permits.

While the bylaw is being changed, a new process, deemed the Delegated Minor Development Variance Permit process, will be launched to provide staff with the ability to process a variety select technical bylaw provisions such as constructing on slopes, lot width, site coverage, building heights, setbacks, landscaping and signage without needing approval by council.

“The Delegated Minor DVP process marks a significant advancement in our efforts to foster efficient and responsible development in Vernon,” Terry Barton, Director, Planning & Community Services, stated.

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“We are committed to providing residents and developers with a streamlined pathway that balances regulatory compliance with community needs.”

Criteria for the Delegated Minor DVP process has been established to evaluate proposed variances on specific conditions including land configuration, topography, property dimensions and legal restrictions. The variances must also not compromise site development appropriateness, have a negative environmental impact, go against bylaw regulations, or create a safety risk.

Any active Zoning Bylaw 5000 applications in the works will be given a year to be approved or rejected under that framework. Submissions made after the new bylaw comes into effect must meet the new requirements.

“Basically [Bylaw 6000] sets up a process where if you’ve already applied and you’re in the process of the 5000, we’ll give you a year to complete that,” Mayor Victor Cumming told Vernon Matters.

“So even though the new one will come in, if you were in stream in the old one, you can fulfill everything in the old one so you don’t get caught in the middle of a project switching from one to another.”

Council endorsed the proposed application processing methodology at the regular meeting Monday, March 25.

A full report on what Zoning Bylaw 6000 covers will be released in the coming months.