City of Abbotsford. Community consultation regarding draft revised Bylaw will take place June 25, 2014 from 4-8pm in the MCA Foyer at Abbotsford City Hall.
The Zoning Bylaw update is currently underway with a target completion date for summer 2014. This comprehensive update will improve the City’s regulations, provide a legally resilient accessible document, decrease staff time needed for each development application, and advance the vision of the Official Community Plan while providing better service to our customers.
The consolidated bylaw has not had a comprehensive review in nearly eighteen years, and has given significant challenges to property and business owners proposing to make simple property improvements, including, but not limited to:
- An increased number of Variances on development applications; and
- An increased requirement for Comprehensive Development Zones (site specific customized zones).
The additional workload created by the existing Zoning Bylaw costs the City considerable staffing costs annually as well as increases the complexity of each development application that Council must consider and causes unnecessary complexities for a property owner.
These updates are intended to simplify and clearly articulate the Zoning regulations for properties within the City of Abbotsford, with the exception of the former Area H lands, which remain regulated by the Sumas Mountain Rural Land Use Bylaw (500-1992).
Completed Steps:
- Progress update to Council by Planning Staff – June 9, 2014
- Council Report PDS 82-2014
- PowerPoint presentation by Urban Systems
- The preliminary directions approved by Council on February 17, 2014 are outlined in the Council Report PDS 017-2014, (with the exception of item 4.2 which was deferred following public consultation).
Next Steps:
- Community consultation regarding draft revised Bylaw – June 25, 2014 from 4-8pm in the MCA Foyer at Abbotsford City Hall
- Review feedback received from public – early July 2014
- Consideration of final revised Zoning Bylaw by Council – late July 2014
Target completion – August 2014
If you have any questions or feedback regarding the Zoning Bylaw update, please feel free to contact us by using the form available here.