Chilliwack City Council to decide fate of rezoning application for Capella Dance Studio

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack City staff is recommending that a proposed rezoning application, which would allow Capella Dance Studio to permanently operate in its current industrial location, be denied. The dance studio, located at 7949 Venture Place, has been operating under a Temporary Use Permit (TUP) since 2015. The latest TUP was renewed in June 2024, allowing the studio to continue its operations temporarily.

The application, submitted by the property owner, seeks to amend the Official Community Plan (OCP) designation for the property from “General Industrial” to “Mixed Commercial and Industrial.” It also requests a rezoning from M3 – General Industrial to Service Commercial Industrial, which would allow for a broader range of commercial uses on the site.

City staff have raised concerns that the proposal conflicts with the City’s Industrial Land Policy. The policy, developed in partnership with the Chilliwack Economic Partners Cooperation, is meant to preserve industrial land for industrial purposes, for the sake of long-term employment growth and efficient land use. The proposed rezoning, according to staff, would promote commercial uses in an area intended for industrial development, potentially limiting future industrial growth.

Staff also noted that the City is currently reviewing its 2040 Official Community Plan, which includes a comprehensive evaluation of commercial and industrial land use. The staff report suggests approving the rezoning ahead of the review is premature and could undermine the policy’s objectives.