Regulation Redesign: simplifying rules for city building

Updated and simplified land use regulations and policies will result in more streamlined review processes.

Regulation Redesign is a comprehensive review of our land use regulations and related policy documents. The aim of this work is to:

Simplify and clarify land use regulations and policies to improve ease of use and clarity in order to reduce permit processing times
Modernize and update the rules, language, and format or land use documents; and the processes to create/amend them
Improve consistency among land use policies and regulations
Improve external and internal communication on the land use planning framework and its systems
Establish a robust and enduring land use framework (including regulations, policies, protocols, and procedures) that is able to adapt well into the future

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regredesign@
vancouver.ca

Outcomes of Regulation Redesign will be:

An updated Zoning and Development By-law with a user-friendly format
More consistent regulations across district schedules
More clarity on the purpose of various land use documents (for example, guidelines, bulletins) and how they relate to each other and land use regulations

What's happening

Thanks for sharing your feedback

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback in March as part of our work to simplify and clarify land use regulations to make them easier to use and understand.

Comments will be summarized in a staff report for Council, which will be made public. At that time, submit any additional comments on the proposed amendments to simplify and update height regulations.

Watch for updates

Recent updates

New bulletin: Balconies, Decks, Entries, Porches and Verandahs, Patios, and Roof Decks in RS, RT and RM Districts

Council approved amendments on June 25, 2020, to update and improve the clarity and consistency of land use regulations by introducing new definitions for balconies, decks, entries, porches and verandahs, patios and roof decks and updating regulations for these elements to make them more consistent between zones.

The new bulletin “Balconies, Decks, Entries, Porches and Verandahs, Patios, and Roof Decks” is a comprehensive document that explains the administration of these newly defined building elements. This topic-specific bulletin is available in our zoning and land use document library.

The bulletin provides information on these building elements, including:

Inclusions/exclusions from floor area calculations (for example areas under balconies and decks, and for landings)
Projections into required yards (for example landings, eaves)
Where patios can be located on site and how raised patios are regulated
How roof decks are categorized and administered

Virtual focus groups – District Schedule Prototype for the Zoning and Development By-law

October 14, 27, and 28, 2020 – We’re working on delivering a simpler Zoning and Development By-law that will make it easier for people to find and to understand land use regulations. To advance this work, we have developed a prototype of the new district schedule format. Key features include tables and diagrams and new dwelling use terms.

The prototype is based on input from Phase 1 and 2 engagement with industry stakeholders, project advisors, the public, and City staff.
Three online virtual focus groups were held in October to collect input on improving the user-friendliness of the Zoning and Development By-law.

Review the summary report with the results from the focus groups (12 MB)

Regulation Redesign zoning webpages

Zoning and Development By-law
The landing page for the Zoning and Development By-law containing general information on the by-law and its functions.

Zoning and land use document library
Your single reliable source of land use regulations and policies currently in effect.

Zoning and land use amendments
Your single reliable source outlining recent changes to the City's land use by-laws, policies, guidelines, and bulletins.

Past updates
Amendments to Zoning and Development By-law approved

June 25, 2020 - At the public hearing, Council approved amendments to clean-up, clarify, and consolidate our land use regulations and related land use documents to make them more user-friendly. These are incremental changes towards more simplified zoning regulations. In combination with permit processing improvements, these changes will help simplify and streamline permit review.

Council enacted the amendments to the zoning regulations on July 24, 2020, and the consequential amendments to the related land use documents on September 15, 2020. The specific amendments included:
- Organizing and consolidating information by topic and update regulations in sections 3, 4, and 5 on authorities, administration of development permits, and relaxation and discretion into separate sections
- Clarifying when the Development Permit Board reviews development applications (no change in role or administration) and update relaxation authorities to allow both the Director of Planning and Development Permit Board to relax for unnecessary hardship
- Adding new definition for unnecessary hardship
- Updating terms “vary” and “relax” throughout the by-law to reflect authorities to relax and vary regulations, and moving regulations to the relevant section of district schedules
- Consolidating regulations from district schedules that allow variance of regulations into Section 10.6 (Character House) and broaden permitted variations to further enable retention
- Introducing new definitions for awning, balcony, enclosed balcony, deck, roof deck, canopy, covered entry, patio, porch, and verandah, and update terms throughout the by-law and various land use documents
- Updating and improving the consistency of regulations for decks, balconies and covered entries, porches, and verandahs
- Correcting references and errors in numbering and spelling
Open house, pop-up events, and online engagement

February 19-27, 2020 - Over 180 people participated in the open house and pop-up events at the Development and Building Centre and online comment form. Comments and feedback are being used to improve the user-friendliness of the zoning by-law, simply and clarify regulations, and make them more consistent.
- View the information boards (1.3 MB)
- Read the engagement summary report (1.3 MB)
Stakeholder workshop

June 19, 2019 - Over 65 stakeholders attended a workshop to explore ideas and identify alternatives for simplifying floor area and building height regulations.
Amendments to Zoning and Development By-law approved

June 11, 2019 - At the public hearing, Council approved amendments to create a more user-friendly and up-to-date Zoning and Development By-law. The amendments were enacted and effective as of July 9.

The specific amendments are:
- Simplify and update the regulations by reformatting Sections 2, 10 and 11 of the by-law
- Update references to sections 10 and 11 throughout the by-law (and in various official development plans, policies, and guidelines)
- Replace gendered terminology with gender neutral language
- Clarify the height regulations in the I-3 District Schedule
- Clarify the applicability of housing requirements for floor area increases achieved through heritage transfer or heritage amenity shares in the C-5A and C-6 districts
- Read the Council report (2.8 MB)
- Read the Council minutes (155 KB)
Project launch engagement activities

We launched the Regulation Redesign project in November 2018 with a series of public engagement activities.

Open house

January 29 and February 2, 2019 - to continue the conversation on how to improve our land use policy and regulations, we hosted two open houses on January 29 and February 2, 2019, and held listening sessions in the community with industry stakeholders.
- View the open house information displays (2.2 MB)
- Read the project launch engagement report (844 KB)
Pop ups

November 26 to December 6, 2018 - Pop up engagement events around town and at the Development and Building Services Centre to listen to experiences with Vancouver's land use regulations and policies.
- View the information displays (607 KB)
Stakeholder roundtable

November 28, 2018 - Over 65 stakeholders attended a roundtable event to share ideas and experiences with Vancouver's land use regulations and policies, and told us how they want to be involved.
- Read the stakeholder roundtable report (352 MB)
- View the Regulation Redesign presentation (1.1 MB) which contains background information on the project's key objectives.
Regulatory updates

July 17, 2018 - Council approved several regulatory improvements at public hearing.

The amendments include updates to the RS zones, clarifying decision-making authority throughout the bylaw, providing more flexibility for artist studio live and work spaces, simplifing review processes, and repealing outdated policies.
- Read the Council report (466 KB)
- Read the Council minutes (210 KB)

Timeline

Here is our process and anticipated milestones

Through out the process, we are consulting with development and building industry professionals, other businesses, the general public and City staff.

Spring 2018 -
winter 2019
Project launch
- Review regulatory framework and best practices
- Seek feedback to identify issues with land use regulations and policies and ideas to simplify and clarify them
- Public consultation, listening sessions, kiosk at the development and building services centre, stakeholder roundtable, pop-up events in the community
- Report to Council with first round of regulatory amendments to clarify approval authorities, update regulations and repeal outdated land use documents
Winter 2019 -
spring 2020
Develop options and directions
- Prioritize issues and explore options to simplify and clarify regulations based on engagement feedback
- Develop work streams to address modernizing the Zoning and Development By-law, simplifying regulations and clarifying the land use framework
- Report to Council with regulatory amendments to update sections 2, 10, 11 of the Zoning and Development By-law into a new modernized user-friendly format, simplify regulations, remove gendered terms and repeal outdated land use documents
- Clarify land use framework through creation of an on-line land use document library, new document naming conventions and introduce a new user guide for the Zoning and Development By-law
(We are here)
Spring 2020 -
fall 2022
Further develop and implement solutions

Modernize by-law structure and format
- Develop options and prototype a user-friendly Zoning and Development By-law structure and format
- Draft Zoning and Development By-law in a modernized format
- Report to Council in fall 2022 with a draft reformatted Zoning and Development By-law for adoption
- Implement the by-law and training
Simplify and clarify regulations
- Report to Council in spring 2020 with amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law:
- Report to Council in spring 2021 with amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law on height and horizontal angle of daylight regulations
Endurance of land use framework
- Clarify the purpose and format of land use documents (e.g. guidelines, bulletins)
- Update protocols and procedures for developing regulations and policies
- Improve the search-ability of land use documents
- Update and maintain land use document library webpage

What is Zoning?

Watch the video to learn more: Zoning 101

Zoning and Development By-law

The Zoning and Development By-law 3575 establishes regulations for the development of land in the City of Vancouver.

Housing Vancouver strategy

Learn how our 10-year strategy provides a strong foundation for the future in Vancouver.