Community Planning Sustainability Community Works Fund Sustainability Project Smart Planning Zoning Manufactured Home Community Bylaw No. 1447, 1997 Subdivision Servicing Bylaw No. 726, 1986 Mapping Riparian Areas Regulation Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) Application Forms and Guides How to Contact

Development Services

PLANNING

The Regional District Development Services Department is responsible for land use planning for all of the unincorporated Electoral Areas as well as the member municipalities of Armstrong, Enderby, Spallumcheen and Lumby.

Regional Planning
At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the RDNO held on March 7, 2007, a resolution was passed to initiate the Regional Growth Strategy.  The basic elements of the Regional Growth Strategy include:

• Establishing long term social, economic and environmental objectives
• Projecting population and employment for at least 20 years
• Developing strategic level policy to ensure sustainability relating to regional issues such as housing, transportation, regional district services, parks, air quality, water, sensitive ecosystems and economic development.
• Funding has been received from under the federal Gas Tax Agreement for $800,000 to complete the RGS
• A Smart Development Partnership with the province will offset RD Planning Staff costs of participation in the RGS by up to 50%
• The draft Terms of reference have been referred out to member municipalities, First nations and the Ministry of Community Services for review and comment. Once these comments are all received, the Board will amend the Terms of reference to improve the process based on referral responses.
• A consultation/participation plan is under development
• Identification and agreement on which Key Growth Issues to focus on will occur in the coming months
• An Intergovernmental Advisory Committee [IAC] was established in Spring 2008. The IAC is comprised of representatives from provincial agencies, planners from local authorities and others with an interest in managing the impacts of growth over the long term. The role of the IAC will be to:
  • Advise local governments on the development and implementation of the RGS; and
  • Coordinate the facilitation of provincial and local government actions, policies and programs as they relate to the development and implementation of the RGS

• Regional Growth Strategies - An Explanatory Guide - 1.86MB PDF
• Draft Regional Growth Strategy Terms of Reference - 345Kb PDF

View Regional Growth Management Committee Meeting Minutes

Community Planning
An Official Community Plan (OCP) is a formal document that is adopted by the Board of Directors or a Municipal Council in the form of a bylaw. The intent of an OCP is to guide Council or Board of Directors decisions with respect to policies relating to residential and commercial development, industrial activity, transportation infrastructure, agricultural and recreational land uses, and environmental considerations. An OCP also identifies where future development should occur within a community, including the approximate location and phasing of major roads, sewer and water systems.

OCP’s should be reviewed every five years by the Board of Directors or Municipal Council.

You can access the Official Community Plan (OCP) for your area by clicking on the links below:

*If the plan for your area is not available online please contact the Development Services Department Staff for assistance.

Sustainability
Sustainability principles are increasingly being used by communities to balance their environmental, social, cultural and economic interests, allowing them to provide for their collective needs without compromising the ability of future generations to do so.  Principles of sustainability guide communities to favor projects and development that deliver basic services to all, without threatening the viability of the communities on which these services depend.

Community Works Fund Sustainability Project
The Regional District has received funding for a sustainability project through the Community Works Fund Agreement, which disperses Federal Gas Tax Funds to local governments in British Columbia. The Electoral Area Directors determined to commit a portion of the funds allocated for them to the funding of a Sustainability Coordinator to promote and implement sustainability initiatives and will primarily involve the promotion of sustainability in rural areas. 

Through the capacity and expertise provided though this position, the Regional District will also be looking to integrate principles of sustainability into the organization’s operations and the 70 different services it provides.   In doing this a wide range of issues will be looked at including the use of fossil fuels and green house gas emissions, energy and water consumption, waste management, green building standards, air quality, local food systems, protection of biodiversity  and locally important eco-systems and environmental stewardship.

Principles of sustainability and Smart Planning will be integrated into the planning functions of the Regional District especially with respect to the development of the Regional Growth Strategy and Official Community Plans. 

Transportation Options for Rural Residents
The Regional District of North Okanagan, with the assistance of Boulevard Transportation Group, is undertaking the Transport Options for Rural Residents Study, a community visioning and planning exercise to improve transportation options for North Okanagan’s rural residents.

Through this study the Regional District of North Okanagan is exploring programs and infrastructure to improve transportation options for rural residents. Potential improvements will work toward increasing mobility, but also seek to make rural transport more socially equitable, universally accessible and environmentally sustainable. The study will address transportation options within rural areas as well as connections to existing regional and municipal transportation systems.

The final report for the study is now complete and available for public review. The report is being referred to stakeholders for review and comment. Once the referral process is complete the Regional District will explore which opportunities for increasing rural transportation options should be pursued. Click here to download the report 14.02MB PDF (for a hard copy contact the Sustainability Coordinator at anna.page@rdno.ca or 250 550 3789).

Smart Planning
Smart Planning is a planning approach that encompasses sustainability principles, providing for the social, environmental, cultural and spiritual well being of a community, as well as its economic well being.   In implementing Smart Planning, emphasis is placed on creating a proactive and participatory process that engages local government, partners and residents in planning for a sustainable future.  The outcome of Smart Planning should be implementable plans that encompass long-term thinking, encourage integration of decision-making, and result in measurable outcomes.

Zoning
Zoning is a legal mechanism used by local governments to prevent conflict between land uses and promote orderly development by regulating the use of privately owned land. This is done by dividing an area into “zones” and defining specific “permitted uses” for each zone. Specifics such as building height, size, setbacks from property lines, density, and minimum lot area are also regulated through zoning. All of these zoning regulations are contained within a “Zoning Bylaw” which is adopted by a Council or Board of Directors. If you are contemplating development of a property, it is important to check the zoning bylaw to make sure you will be able to meet all of the requirements. Development Services Department Staff an help you determine the correct zoning of a property. The following zoning bylaws are administered by the Regional District Development Services Department:

Manufactured Home Community Bylaw No. 1447, 1997
A Bylaw to regulate the establishment, extension, design, maintenance and servicing of manufactured home communities.

• Text - Bylaw 1447, 1997 - 90Kb PDF

Subdivision Servicing Bylaw No. 726, 1986
A Bylaw to regulate and require the provision of services in respect of the subdivision of land within Electoral Areas “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”, and “F”.

• Maps – contact Anita Pearson
• Text – Bylaw No. 726, 1986 - 975Kb PDF

Mapping
The Regional District provides mapping services to the Electoral Areas and all of the member municipalities except the City of Vernon. Mapping includes legal composite maps, zoning, Official Community Plan, and 911 Emergency Services (address) maps. Click here to visit the Maps page.
Official addresses are issued by this department.

Mapping and addressing related enquiries should be directed to Anita Pearson, Planning Technician.

Riparian Areas Regulation
The Provincial Riparian Areas Regulations are now in effect as of March 31, 2006. This legislation will affect all lands near watercourses (lakes, creeks, wetlands, ponds, springs) and ravines.
Click here for more information.

Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR)
The Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) is an independent Crown agency dedicated to protecting the scarce supply of agricultural land that is important to the current and future needs of British Columbia. If your property is in the ALR it is subject to the rules and regulations of the Agricultural Land Commission Act. More information can be found on the ALC website: www.alc.gov.bc.ca. To find out if your property is in the ALR, please contact Development Services Department Staff.

Application Forms and Guides:
Please click on the links below to download guides/application forms.

• Fee Schedule - 20Kb PDF

For general planning related enquiries, please contact:

For planning application related enquiriesfor properties located within the Electoral Areas, please contact:

For planning application related enquiries for properties located at Silver Star Mountain, please contact:

For planning application related enquiries for properties located within the City of Armstrong, City of Enderby, Township of Spallumcheen or the Village of Lumby, please contact:

For mapping or addressing related enquiries in all areas except the City of Vernon, please contact:

For Sustainability enquiries please contact:

For Regional Growth enquiries please contact:

For Development Services administration please contact: