Regulation Redesign: simplifying rules for city building

Amendments to simplify height regulations and miscellaneous amendments approved

July 6, 2021: Council approved amendments to update and clarify height regulations and to make miscellaneous amendments to various by-laws and land use documents at public hearing. These amendments will come into effect at the end of July 2021. The specific amendments include:

• New definitions for building height and decorative roof in Section 2 of the Zoning and Development By-law and a revision to the base surface definition
• Updates to section 10.18 height regulations in the Zoning and Development By-law to modernize language, provide more flexibility for roof access and roof-top amenity features and clarify decorative roof regulations
• Miscellaneous amendments to various by-laws and land use documents to correct errors

Documents:

• Summary and recommendation PDF file (118 KB)
• Council referral report PDF file (5 MB)
• Memorandum PDF file (103 KB)
• Amendments to simplify height regulations engagement summary report PDF file (3.2 MB)

Memo to Mayor and Council: Retractable balcony enclosures

July 2, 2021: Council directed staff on June 26, 2020, to review opportunities to permit retractable balcony enclosures. Staff reviewed options and prepared a memorandum to provide Council with information on the opportunities for retractable balcony enclosures through existing regulations and guidelines. 

Memorandum: Retractable balcony enclosures PDF file (533 KB)

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

June 25, 2020: 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 PDF file (12 MB)

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  

• Read the report PDF file (587 KB) and Appendix A-M PDF file (4 MB)
• Read the June 25 Public Hearing minutes PDF file (129 KB)
• View the redline version of the amendments PDF file (12 MB)

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 PDF file (1.3 MB)
• Read the engagement summary report PDF file (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.  

• Regulation Redesign presentation PDF file (3 MB)
• Backgrounder on calculating floor area PDF file (109 KB)
• Backgrounder on calculating building height PDF file (148 KB)
• Read the stakeholder workshop report PDF file (3.4 MB)

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 PDF file (2.8 MB)
• Read the Council minutes PDF file (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 PDF file (2.2 MB)
• Read the project launch engagement report PDF file (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 PDF file (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 PDF file (352 MB)
• View the Regulation Redesign presentation PDF file (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 PDF file (466 KB)
• Read the Council minutes PDF file (210 KB)