On June 24, 2024, Vernon City Council adopted Zoning Bylaw 6000.
Zoning Bylaw 6000 has been designed to incorporate the requirements of the new provincial housing legislation and streamline the development process by reducing the complexity of the bylaw.
Zoning Bylaw 6000 replaces Zoning Bylaw 5000.
Why the Zoning Bylaw changed
Zoning Bylaw 5000 had been in effect since July 2004, and contains a substantial number of residential and mixed-use zones that were impacted by the Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (Bill 44) and Transit Orientated Development Areas (Bill 47) legislation passed by the Province in the fall of 2023.
Bill 44 redefines what has traditionally been considered low density housing development throughout the Province. This change requires the City to rethink its perception of low, medium and high-density housing developments.
Bill 47 requires the City to designate Transit Orientated Development Areas (TODs) and sets out the minimum height and density the City must allow to be constructed. The City is required to designate a centre point for each TOD and must allow the height measured in storeys, and density measured by Floor Area Ratio (FAR) set by the Province:
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Within 200m of the TOD centre point.
Height Density 10 Storeys 3.5 FAR -
200m – 400m from the TOD centre point.
Height Density 6 Storeys 2.5 FAR
This change required the City to reimagine commercial and mixed use (commercial mixed with housing) developments in the City. For the new Zoning Bylaw, this includes where they are located, the size and scale of buildings, as well as what types of uses are allowed.
Refining and Aligning the Zoning Bylaw
The Zoning Bylaw will continue to be refined as required and will be aligned with the Official Community Plan Bylaw 6200. Updates will continue into mid-2026.