District of West Vancouver staff will amend its bylaws to allow property owners to maintain their established land use as a provincial Land Use Contract expires in 2024.
West Vancouver has a Land Use Contract in the Caulfeild area, which covers more than 700 individual properties.
Between 1971 and 1978, local governments implemented Land Use Contracts to regulate property use, including aspects like density, site coverage, setbacks, and heights. These Land Use Contracts are similar to zoning regulations and are agreements between the municipality and the landowner and are registered on a property’s title.
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However, the province repealed land use legislation in 1978, and no new contracts were created, though existing contracts remained in place. In 2014, the province amended the Local Government Act to terminate all existing Land Use Contracts on June 30, 2024.
When the Land Use Contract expires, the properties will revert to being governed by the underlying zoning. At that time, 556 properties in this area will become non-conforming. At a council meeting on February 21, the council directed staff to prepare amendments to the draft bylaw.
The staff plans to amend the bylaws to avoid future non-conformity, and avoid potential unintended changes to development rights. District staff will also report back with replacement zoning prior to LUC expiration, and will also review previous LUCs zoning amendments, including landscape and setback provisions, accessory uses (e.g., home-based businesses), and commercial uses. The draft bylaw would then be shared with affected property owners, who will be given opportunities to learn more and provide feedback before the final draft bylaw comes back to Council for review.
There will be an approximate four-week period for public engagement and outreach, and one to two consultant-led information meetings will be held.
Was that “non-conforming” not “non-confirming” ?