Upcoming Public Hearings for New Official Community Plan and Associated Zoning Bylaw Amendments

June 6, 2022

The City of Courtenay is hosting a public hearing on June 20, 2022 to seek feedback on the new Official Community Plan (OCP) and associated Zoning Amendments, and is inviting the community to participate either virtually or in-person, or submit written feedback in advance of the public hearing.

The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 20 starting at 4:00 p.m. at the Comox Valley Regional District’s Civic Room at 770 Harmston Avenue in Courtenay.

Links to participate virtually along with additional background on the proposed changes are available on our Public Hearings page.

The public hearings will seek feedback on Courtenay’s draft Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw, as well as proposed changes to the Zoning Bylaw that would:

  1. add secondary suites as a permitted use in all traditionally single residential dwelling zones;
  2. establish bike parking requirements for multi-residential dwellings and reduce vehicular parking requirements for multi-residential dwellings; and
  3. locate the Development Permit Area guidelines and Temporary Use Permit land use regulatory tools into the Zoning Bylaw from the OCP.

Official Community Plans are community policy plans that identify how a municipality will grow in the future. A comprehensive review of the Courtenay Zoning Bylaw will occur following adoption of the OCP. The Zoning Bylaw changes proposed at the same time as the OCP are relatively straightforward implementation policies that will expedite important community goals related to more affordable housing throughout Courtenay, and support active transportation.

The OCP proposes hundreds of specific policies on a wide range of municipal and community systems such as affordable housing, buildings and construction, transportation, municipal infrastructure, parks and recreation, social infrastructure, arts, culture and heritage, food systems, the local economy and protection of the environment. An ambitious vision for Courtenay’s future, the OCP will embed principles of reconciliation, community well-being, equity, and climate action into all City operations, services, programs, and development approvals. The OCP has been developed with the input of hundreds of community members, stakeholders, public agencies and K’ómoks First Nation over the past two and a half years. Learn more about the Official Community Plan on our OCP Update page.

For more information call 250-703-4839 or email planning@courtenay.ca