A Zoning Bylaw regulates the use of land, buildings, and other structures in a community. They divide land into different areas, called zones, and define a set of rules for each. This can include residential, commercial, industrial, and other uses.

Zoning bylaws regulate a number of items, including:

Simply put, our zoning determines what can and can’t be built in Cumberland. It is the governing set of rules for deciding how our community looks and feels, how easily we get around and find housing, and how the Village creates livable areas that also meet our goals for things like sustainability, heritage conservation, and job creation.

The OCP vision, goals, and land use policies are implemented by the zoning bylaw. Zoning Bylaws regulate the use of land, buildings and structures and establish boundaries of various zones. These zones outline permitted uses and define a set of rules that land, buildings and structures must follow, such as parcel size, building dimensions, location and height. A zoning map integrates land use categories defined in an OCP land use map such as residential, commercial, and industrial, amongst others.

In the fall of 2023, the provincial government passed Bill 44 to facilitate an increase in housing supply in communities throughout BC. It made changes to the Local Government Act as an effort to implement a new housing plan by:

As a result of this legislation, by June last year, applicable local governments were required to accommodate in their Zoning Bylaws up to 3 or 4 units per lot on lots where single detached homes were previously permitted as a primary use.

Bill 44 requires local governments to update their Housing Needs Reports using a standard methodology to project 5- and 20-year housing needs. These assessments must be undertaken on a regular basis for a more consistent, robust understanding of local housing needs. OCPs and Zoning Bylaws must then be updated accordingly to ensure that these housing needs can be met.

The first assessment was required to be completed by January 1, 2025. The Village updated its Housing Needs Report (Insert Link) in October, 2024.

Bill 44 establishes a more proactive, long-term approach to planning, where local governments identify their housing needs, and then zone for the number and type of housing units needed. Local governments must have completed their first review and update of their Official Community Plans based on the 20-year housing need by December 31, 2025. In addition, Zoning Bylaws must pre-zone for this amount of housing on a regular basis. The first Zoning Bylaw update to align with the 20-year housing need discussed in the OCP must be completed by December 31, 2025.

The requirement in Bill 44 to allow up to 3 or 4 units per lot in zones where single detached homes were previously permitted as a primary use applies to communities in BC subject to the following provisions:

The current population of Cumberland is 4,446, according to the 2021 Census; therefore, the Village is currently exempt from the requirement. Despite this, Cumberland is still required to pre-zone for its anticipated 20-year housing need. Further, it is anticipated that Cumberland’s population will be above 5,000 in the next Census period (2026). Inclusion of 3-4 unit per lot density allowances are therefore being considered as part of this bylaw update to aid the Village in meeting its 20-year housing needs.