Zoning Bylaw Hearing Sparks Concern

Some residents worried about speed, focus of changes

A public hearing scheduled to address changes to the zoning bylaw that addresses lot size is being met with concern from a number of local residents.

As noted by staff in the May 22 Village Update, the proposed amendments to the bylaw in question, Zoning and Development Bylaw No.520, 2017, would revise three sections of the zone governing all single-family properties in the Village in order to establish a minimum parcel area of 700 square metres, as well as removing any references to Community Amenity Contributions (CACs).

CACs are generally contributions negotiated with a developer that represent a benefit to the area, however Lions Bay does not currently have a CAC policy, so those references must be removed until a policy is established.

The Village is currently accepting written submissions from any property owners who want to share their opinion on these changes, and will continue to accept these submissions until the end of the hearing, which is set to be held in Council Chambers on June 2 at 8 p.m.

Anyone who writes a letter or speaks at the hearing will have their opinion included as part of the public record. As with any public hearing, residents will be invited to share their thoughts, but no questions will be entertained, as members of Council attend in order to listen to public opinion.

Chief Administrative Officer Ross Blackwell's report, which can be found on page 155 of the January 20 Council meeting agenda package HERE, sums up the proposed amendments to the bylaw. In brief, Blackwell noted that minimum lot size standards must be grounded in legitimate land use planning considerations, including the feasibility of building on the site, septic and sewage disposal constraints, water supply and access, as well as accessibility to emergency vehicles.

"In Lions Bay, steep slopes and irregular parcel configurations significantly limit developable area," wrote Blackwell. "Even at 700 square metres, many parcels cannot practically support subdivision once these constraints are applied."

Also in play are the elements of maintaining neighbourhood character and alignment with the Official Community Plan (OCP).

It is here that many local residents' objections to these amendments arise.

Amendment process rushed?

A large group of residents has signed a letter asking Council to defer any amendments to the Zoning bylaw until after the community consultation expected in the upcoming OCP review. 

The letter, penned by former Councillor Marcus Reuter, states that there are no pressing reasons to rush into amendments now, "especially in light of the Battani Creek landslide and the need for careful consideration of how development occurs in hazardous areas."

Reuter asks why Zoning Bylaw amendments are being pushed through now with the upcoming OCP review still pending. "It would seem there is only one potential subdivision in the Village at this time, the Rundle Creek property that has recently been logged into utter devastation," Reuters said. "Are these changes being rushed through just to green-light this project?"

Another former councillor, Norm Barmeier, has also written to Council on the subject. Barmeier says that while he "supports a thoughtful and open conversation about housing flexibility, density, subdivision, infrastructure capacity, and the future look and feel of Lions Bay", he is concerned about the timing and scope of the proposed amendments.

"In my view, questions about minimum lot size, density, secondary suites, cottages, laneway houses, infrastructure capacity, parking, septic suitability, water demand, and growth-related costs should be considered together as part of that broader community conversation," Barmeier writes. "Making an isolated decision now on a uniform minimum lot size feels premature and risks pre-empting the OCP process before residents have had a fair opportunity to discuss what kind of growth Lions Bay can reasonably support."

The current OCP can be found as Bylaw 48 on the Village website. In 2022, it was given an updated Regional Context statement, which can be found HERE.

OCP 'refresh' underway

On May 8, Blackwell announced the upcoming "refresh" of the OCP in the Village Update. "The Village has embarked on a process to update our OCP that sets the long-term direction for land use and development in our community. At the same time, we will update our Zoning Bylaw which establishes the site-specific regulations for what and how landowners can build on their property. We’ve hired MODUS, an experienced, local consulting firm to help us with the process and the drafting of these important documents."

The statement from MODUS noted that while the update of the OCP is not intended to be a complete re-write, it "is likely to focus on key areas like environmental and climate resilience, safe and accessible infrastructure, community amenities, and housing choice."

MODUS outlined what they anticipate will be a three-step process, with a goal of completion sometime near the end of 2026. Those steps include:

• Discovery (Summer 2026): explore the local context, key challenges and opportunities, and policy options. Community engagement is anticipated over the summer months.

• Planning (Fall 2026): integrate this information into a draft OCP and Zoning Bylaw, for community and Council review. Community engagement is anticipated in the fall.

• Bylaw Adoption (Winter 2027): refine the documents based on input, and support Village staff through the formal adoption process.

The statement does not acknowledge the municipal elections slated for this fall, nor the campaign period leading up to the elections.  

Written comments with regard to the upcoming Public Hearing on the Zoning and Development bylaw can be sent to office@lionsbay.ca and will be accepted until the end of the hearing on Tuesday evening.

Hearing Date: 8:00 p.m., Tuesday June 2, 2026

Hearing Location: Council Chambers, 400 Centre Road, Lions Bay, BC

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