2025 Zoning and Parking Project

2025 Zoning and Parking Bylaw Workshops

We're hosting a series of workshops to dive deeper into key community topics. Join us to help develop solutions to improve the zoning and parking bylaws!

Workshop Dates:

  • Business Workshops – October 27 at 1:00 PM & 6:00 PM
  • Residential Workshops – November 5 at 6:00 PM & November 8 at 1:00 PM

A big thank you to everyone who completed the Zoning and Parking Survey — we received 228 responses full of valuable insights! An analysis of the results is available in the Survey and Engagement Summary.

Topics we'll explore in the workshops include:

  • Increasing density in single-family zones
  • Criteria for larger accessory buildings
  • Manufactured homes in more neighbourhoods
  • Commercial & industrial zoning
  • Off-street parking regulations

Stay informed and get involved — sign up using the form at the bottom of the page to receive updates!

Project Timeline

On May 20, 2025, Committee of the Whole approved an engagement plan for the project with the following general steps:

  1. Summary of Previous Engagement: staff propose to start with a summary of the previous engagement. There is a summary of the 2019 engagement process available online. 

  2. Community Wide Survey: to check whether those results remain valid while at the same time asking people to identify issues or challenges they have found with the current bylaws. You can read about the results in the Survey and Engagement Summary.

  3.   Workshops: Business and residential workshops will be held to dive into details and have participants propose solutions.

    Workshop Dates:
    • Business Workshops – October 27 at 1:00 PM & 6:00 PM
    • Residential Workshops – November 5 at 6:00 PM & November 8 at 1:00 PM
     
  4. What we heard: will be put together to confirm that staff have properly understood the feedback . That document will be presented to the Committee of the Whole for information and feedback before rolling it out to the community.

  5. Draft Bylaw: After that a draft bylaw will be prepared and presented to the Committee of the Whole before a final draft is prepared and sent for legal review.

  6. Legal Review: Once a refined document is assembled it will be sent for legal review.

  7. Final Draft Bylaw: presented to Council for consideration.

The 2025 Zoning and Parking Bylaw Update

 

Sign up on the form at the bottom of the page to get more information on the Zoning Bylaw Re-Write. 

The purpose of a Zoning Bylaw is to control the use of land in accordance with the District's Official Community Plan (OCP). This bylaw sets out the rules and regulations respecting how land can be used within the community and includes what can be built, where it can be built, and how it can be used. Zoning is typically intended to create compatibility between different land uses. The Zoning Bylaw can be amended as a Council-led initiative, or by application. 

Growth and change in the community can be managed effectively through policies related to the provision of infrastructure, services, and amenities and through the regulation of land use and development. Promoting compact, mixed-use, and high quality development will help protect our natural areas by reducing urban sprawl, eliminating unnecessary infrastructure spending, and fostering a convenient, walkable, and livable community. Two of the District’s main land use regulations are the Official Community Plan and the Zoning Bylaw, which are described below. You can review the applicable zoning of properties in Sparwood by viewing our interactive map. 

The District of Sparwood is in the process of updating its Zoning Bylaw. This document sets out the rules and regulations respecting land uses within the community, such as setbacks, building size and property uses. The current Zoning Bylaw which was adopted in 1981 has seen many amendments without a comprehensive review.  

The purpose of this update is to modernize the bylaw, check-in with the community and business owners on any potential changes they may like to see, and to ensure consistency with the District’s Official Community Plan which was adopted in 2015. 

For any questions or comments pertaining to this project, please contact Planning at planning@sparwood.ca or 250-425-6271. 

Previous Zoning and Parking Bylaw Engagement

In 2019, The District undertook community-wide engagement work to help identify issues and potential changes that should be made to the Zoning and Parking Bylaws. This included a community survey, workshop and direct stakeholder engagement. The 2019 project was not completed; however, the work done by the community has been saved and is a starting point for the 2025 project.  

Below are links to the summary documents of the work completed in 2019: 

Why are we doing this project?

The District's Zoning and Parking Bylaws are old. The Zoning Bylaw was adopted in 1981 and the Off Street Parking and Loading Bylaw was adopted in 1988. Typically these Bylaws would be re-written every 10 to 20 years. Over time these bylaws have been amended to try to keep them current; however, amendment after amendment can lead to conflicts within a bylaw. These bylaws are due for a significant update and the District will be seeking input and suggestions from the community to help develop these new bylaws. 

Sign Up For Zoning Bylaw Re-Write Information

Sign up to receive information and engagement opportunities for updating Sparwood's Zoning Bylaw. 

Personal information you provide on this form is being collected for the purposes of providing updates on the Zoning Bylaw Re-write.  The information is collected under the authority of Section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Questions about the collection of your personal information may be referred to the Manager of Corporate Services, District of Sparwood, 136 Spruce Avenue, Sparwood, B.C., via phone at 250.425.6271, or via email at corporate@sparwood.ca

 

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