The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) is seeking $150,000 from the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM) for significant changes to its zoning and land use bylaws.
At the CRD’s March 1 board meeting, the CRD approved an application for the funds. Currently, the CRD has three zoning bylaws and three rural bylaws that govern land use.
However, said consolidation is subject to review, according to CRD spokesperson Nigel Whitehead.
“What we are looking at is to review our three zoning bylaws and our three rural bylaws to peruse whether we can consolidate them,” Whitehead said.
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The benefits of such a project would be that a single common map would be available for the zoning bylaw, as well as a digital map. The map would replace the current online database. This would lead to “increased efficiency and reduced risk of error”, the CRD said, for responding to inquiries and planning applications.
“By consolidating (the bylaws) it would provide an easier reference for residents and developers who want to develop in the regional district,” explained Whitehead.
The reason for the high cost is due to the technical exercise necessary for said consolidation being expensive, Whitehead said. The CRD will be hiring a professional firm to help consolidate the bylaws into one. This firm will be picked through a bid process later this year.
“So we would go through a public bid process, and we would open it up to a request for proposals.”
Whitehead noted that the project’s cost is typical for planning projects within B.C. The project is projected to take about a year to complete.
