Overview
Bill 44, Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act, 2023 (Bill 44) is legislation to facilitate an increase in housing supply in communities throughout BC by increasing housing density.
Among other requirements related to housing, Bill 44 specifies that local governments must amend residential zoning designations to permit four dwelling units per parcel for land within the Urban Containment Boundary (some exceptions apply) by June 30, 2024.
The Town has taken a proactive approach to address the requirements of Bill 44, so that the increased residential development potential required by Bill 44 can be achieved without compromising environmental protection or quality of life for existing residents in Qualicum Beach.
The short-term impacts are anticipated to will be relatively minor and include benefits:
- The density prescribed by the Province (four units per parcel) is compatible with many of the housing typologies preferred by Town residents.
- Qualicum Beach residents stated a preference for alternative forms of small-scale residential infill in the 2018 Quality of Life Survey, most of which are currently not permitted on most residential properties.
Highlights of Changes Made
- Zoning Bylaw No. 900 will replace Zoning Bylaw No. 580 and meet the requirements of Bill 44, including improvements for overall clarity and consistency. A summary of specific changes is listed below:
- Updated the Residential 1 (R1) zone to be the default residential zone outside of the Village Neighbourhood as identified in the OCP.
- Updated the Residential 2 (R2) to be the default residential zone inside the Village Neighbourhood.
- Deleted unused residential zones.
- Updated “Definitions” section.
- Moved regulations into the “Regulations” section of the Bylaw.
- Deleted antiquated definitions and updating other definitions to align with modern zoning practice.
- Zoning Bylaw No. 900 was modernized by moving some content into other bylaws for clarity and ease of future updates, such as regulations and procedures for the Board of Variance and Advisory Planning Commission.
- Interim Residential Design Guidelines have been incorporated into Zoning Bylaw No. 900 to address potential concerns about neighbourhood character and compatibility. These Guidelines will be reviewed in 2025 during the Official Community Plan (OCP) Review