Apply for a zoning district change

Steps to make a rezoning application

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  Step 1: Find out if policy supports your proposal

  You can apply to rezone if your property is located in eligible areas of the Council-approved rezoning policy. 

  Review:

  • Secured Rental Policy Low-Density Transition Areas – Rezoning Policy Guide PDF file (4 MB)
  • Cambie Corridor Townhouse - Rezoning Policy Guide (RM-8A) PDF file (308 KB)
  • Mount Pleasant Employment-Intensive Light Industrial Rezoning Policy and Guidelines (I-1C) PDF file (1.75 MB)
  • Broadway Plan – R3, R4, R5 District Schedules - Rezoning Policy Guide PDF file (1.7 MB)

   Need help?  Email: [email protected] and include the property address and existing zone.

  •  If rezoning policy supports your proposal, go to step 2.
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  Step 2: Prepare your application

  • Review the application guide to identify the applicable submission requirements and complete application form.
  • Engage consultants and professionals and prepare your application materials.
  • Review what you need to do before applying, such as sharing information with any existing tenants on site.

  A. Review the submission guide

  • Zoning District Change Application Guide PDF file (350 KB)

  B. Complete the application form

  • Secured Rental Policy RR District Rezoning Application Form PDF file (159 KB)
  • Cambie Corridor Townhouse Rezoning Application Form (RM-8A) PDF file (182 KB)
  • Mount Pleasant Industrial Rezoning Application Form (I-1C) PDF file (255 KB)
  • Standardized District Rezoning in Broadway Plan Application Form (R3-2/R3-3/R4-1/R5-2/R5-3/R5-4) PDF file (305 KB)

  •  To apply for rezoning, go to step 3.
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  Step 3: Apply for rezoning

  Prepare all the required documents, email a complete application package, and pay the fee to begin the rezoning review process.

  A. Gather documents

  Prepare a complete application package with appropriate document naming.

  To calculate the expected fee ahead of time, refer to the fee schedule in the Zoning and Development Fee By-law, Schedule 2 - Zoning By-law Amendments PDF file (1.2 MB)

  Information icon Starting September 2, 2025, rezoning enquiry and application fees can no longer be paid by credit card.

  B. Email a complete application package

  Email a download link to [email protected]

  A rezoning planner will be assigned to manage your application and be your primary contact.

  C. Pay application fee

  Rezoning staff will issue a payment notice after reviewing the application submission package and confirming completeness.

  Completion of payment will signal the start of the rezoning process. Rezoning staff will then distribute your application for staff review. Review rezoning application procedures and staff and applicant responsibilities in the Development Approval Procedure By-law.

  Rezoning applications take about 1 year to process (from fee payment to Council decision). The duration may vary based on:

  • The complexity of your proposal
  • The issues raised during our review of your application
  • Further study and the information that is needed
  • Application revisions

  Information icon Starting September 2, 2025, rezoning enquiry and application fees can no longer be paid by credit card.

  •  To find out what happens in the review process, go to step 4.

     

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  Step 4: Application review

  We ask for public feedback, review your application, and send your draft rezoning conditions to review.

  A: We ask for public feedback

  For all zoning district change applications, we notify the public by: 

  • Preparing the site sign information to be installed on the property 
  • Creating a project webpage on Shape Your City External website, opens in new tab
  • Mailing notification postcards to surrounding properties

  Important note We may also hold an online question and answer session.

  B: We complete an in-depth review

  We evaluate your application based on:

  • Council-approved plans and policies
  • Input from the public and other City departments

   Your application may take longer to review and process if we:

  • Need you to provide more information
  • Raise an issue with your application and you need to revise it or reapply

  C: We send you rezoning conditions

  Towards the end of the application review process, your rezoning planner will send documents to you for review before proceeding to Council decision. This may include legal conditions such as:

  • Site consolidation
  • Scope of service infrastructure required and associated costs
  • Dedication of land for transportation purposes

  Before finalizing the report and proceeding to Council decision, it is necessary to review the conditions carefully and agree to them in principle. Council’s approval of a rezoning application legally obligates the developer to meet the rezoning conditions before constructing under the new zone.

  •  Go to step 5 to learn more about how your rezoning applications and report is scheduled for decision.

     

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  Step 5: Council meeting is scheduled

  The pathway to Council depends on your application’s consistency with policy and proposed use.

  For applications that are consistent with an Official Development Plan (ODP) and includes significant residential use, we write a council report and schedule it for a future Council meeting. Review the Official Development Plans

  For applications that are not consistent with the Official Development Plan (ODP) and applications where the majority of the floor area is not residential, we write a referral report and make a recommendation to Council to referral the application to a future Council meeting or a public hearing.

  To learn more about when public hearings are prohibited or not required, review Development Approval Procedures Frequently Asked Questions PDF file (168 KB)

  What is included in our report to Council

  We write a report for City Council that:

  • Analyzes your application
  • Summarizes the feedback we received
  • Recommends to refer your application to a public hearing or Council meeting (if applicable)
  • Recommends whether Council should approve or refuse your application
  • Include the legal conditions for approving your application

  If your application is a referral report, Council decides on whether to refer the report

  A Council date is scheduled where they will decide and refer the application to a future public hearing or council meeting. At this meeting: 

  • City Council may ask us questions about the application and public engagement process to inform their decision
  • You can let Council know why they should still consider your application if we recommend that they refuse it
  • Council decides to either refer your application to a future public hearing, Council meeting, or refuse it

  •  To learn about Council’s decision process on your application, go to step 6.

     

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  Step 6: City Council decides on your application

  City Council must consider and decide on rezoning applications (for all zoning by-law changes) and heritage designations, according to the Vancouver Charter.

  To prepare for the Council meeting or public hearing, we:

  • Send your instructions to update the site sign
  • Ask you to provide supplementary information, such as your team’s contact information, as needed
  • Update the project webpage on Shape Your City
  • Mail notification postcards to surrounding properties
  • Advertise in newspapers

  At the Council meeting or public hearing:

  • Your rezoning application is summarized, along with the correspondence (public comments) it received.
  • Your rezoning planner presents the application to Council with a recommendation to either approve or refuse it.
  • You may also present to Council and respond to questions from Council members.
  • If a public hearing, registered members of the public speak to Council.
  • Council discusses your application.
  • The Mayor calls for a vote on the motion to approve, amend, or refuse your rezoning application after Council members have spoken.

  Learn more about public hearings

  •  If City Council approves your rezoning application in principle, go to step 7.
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  Step 7: Meet the conditions of approval

  Meet the conditions of approval for your rezoning application before Council enacts the zoning by-law.

  A: Apply for a development permit

  Start the development permit process after Council approves your rezoning application in principle. All proposals will need to meet the intent and regulations of the relevant district schedule and comply with the associated guidelines and meet the conditions of approval of the development application that's identified in the Council report (Appendix B, Part 1).

  • Apply for a development permit

  B: Zoning by-law enactment

  For enactment, you need to meet the conditions of by-law enactment identified in the Council report (Appendix B, Part 2).

  We monitor completion of your rezoning conditions, and when you're ready for enactment, we'll add the by-law to a Council meeting agenda for them to vote on. Shortly after, your zone will be reflected in the city’s Zoning Map. 

  Your development permit can only be issued after the zoning change is enacted.