Fraser Valley Regional District approves single zoning bylaw within its borders

CHILLIWACK — Development planning across the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) is expected to become easier with the consolidation of zoning bylaws across the district.

While meeting last week, directors approved a new region-wide zoning bylaw, discarding the 9 different zoning regulations that were in place. It’s believed the step will make it easier for homeowners, developers, and others to move ahead with projects.

The previous bylaws offered different rules for different areas of the regional district. The 9 different bylaws were created by three separate regional districts (Fraser-Cheam, Dewdney-Alouette, and Central Fraser Valley) between the years of 1976 and 1992.

In simple terms, a zoning bylaw determines how land can be used and the type of construction allowed on land. A zoning bylaw will regulate the number of buildings that can be build on one property, the size and shape of buildings including the height of a new build, and the size of new lots created within a subdivision.