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Public Hearing to amend the Zoning Bylaw – Feb .15th, 2022 @ 6pm

On Tuesday, February 15th at 6pm, the District of Squamish is holding a Public Hearing to amend the Zoning Bylaw. Some of the proposed amendments, which are couched between roughly 100 technical amendments, would reduce rear setbacks in three residential zones, RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, by 35%, from 9.15m to 6.0m. This includes neighborhoods of Valleycliffe, Garibaldi Estates, Wilson Crescent, Dentville, Downtown and the Northyards.The District would also allow balconies to project 0.76m into all setbacks, reducing the actual distance between properties even further.

The District has not directly notified anyone living in the affected zones of these changes. The District’s public engagement has consisted of two open houses on the proposed bylaw, to which it directly invited members of the development community and other professionals who work with the bylaw (architects, builders, etc). The proposed changes were highlighted in an article which appeared in The Chief, “Squamish residents petition against proposed setback reductions in omnibus bylaw”

What does this mean?

This would mean that buildings can be constructed significantly closer to the rear property line without requiring a variance. These changes would impact privacy, views, natural light and space of other property owners and reduce public input during the development process in these zones.
Who will this affect?

This will affect anyone living in or next to RM-1, RM-2, and RM-3 zones. Many of these zones are located in single-family neighborhoods in Squamish that the District intends to densify, including Valleycliffe, Garibaldi Estates, Wilson Crescent, Dentville, Downtown and the Northyards
The changes will also affect any neighbourhoods that are rezoned as RM-1, RM-2 or RM-3 in the future through neighbourhood planning.
For full details of impacted areas please see the map in link included in our petition, Citizens Against Proposed Squamish Bylaw – Decreasing Building Separations).

What can you do?

Unless action is taken, this is the only time that the public can voice their concerns.
The most important thing you can do is show up at the public hearing on Tuesday February 15th at 6pm at the Council Chambers at Municipal Hall.
You can also attend online or by phone.

If you can’t attend that hearing, we ask that you please consider writing an email to council to share your views in writing by 4pm on Tuesday February 15, by emailing hearing@squamish.ca, and by signing this petition.