Bylaw 500 Review and Update Project - Complete

We are pleased to advise that the RDN Board adopted Bylaw 2500 at its January 14, 2025 meeting. Over the next few days, the RDN website and webmap will be updated to reflect the new bylaw. Bylaw 2500 is now in effect and is the regulatory bylaw that applies to the specified areas.

We wish to thank those involved in the process and we look forward to the next phase of the project. We anticipate bringing the first round of potential amendments to Bylaw 2500 forward for consideration in February 2025. We also anticipate that there will be further refinements to Bylaw 2500 required as we gain more experience working with the bylaw.

A public hearing regarding Regional District of Nanaimo Zoning Bylaw No. 2500, 2024 (“Bylaw 2500”) has been scheduled on Monday, November 4 and Thursday, November 7, 2024. The public hearing for Bylaw 2500 will be chaired by Director Rogers, or another Electoral Area director, as a delegate of the RDN Board. Please visit the document library for the public hearing notice.

The Board granted second reading and approved additional amendments to Bylaw 2500 at its regular meeting held on September 24, 2024. The amendments can be summarized as follows:

1. To not require heat pumps to meet the minimum setback requirements
2. To remove the prohibition on the creation of rural building stratas.
3. To add the use 'Resort Vehicle Park' back into Bylaw 2500.
4. To update definitions to ensure that all permitted and accessory uses are defined.
5. To permit shipping containers based on zone and parcel size and to limit shipping containers based on maximum shipping container floor area.
6. To increase the maximum floor area for both attached and detached secondary suites from 49% of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit it is associated with to a maximum of 90 m2 to 100 m2 with no requirement related to the size of the principle dwelling unit it is associated with.

In addition to amendments to Bylaw 2500, the Board passed a number of related motions which are summarized as follows:

• To suspend bylaw enforcement for length of stay of existing recreational vehicles located in Campgrounds, Resort Vehicle Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks until completion of Phase 2 of the Bylaw 500 Review and Update Project.
• To review length of stay in a recreational vehicle during Phase 2 of the Bylaw 500 Review and Update Project.
• To undertake future projects following adoption of Bylaw 2500 in relation to building strata following the adoption of Bylaw 2500.
• To require that phase two of the Bylaw 500 review and update project begin as soon as possible, with a first draft presented by the end of 2025.

For more information, please refer to the staff report for second reading in the document library.

A public hearing will now be scheduled. Details of the public hearing will be shared here in the coming weeks.

The Electoral Area Services Committee passed a number of motions directing amendments to Bylaw 2500 relating to length of stay in a recreational vehicle, shipping containers, definitions, building strata, and secondary suites. Draft Bylaw 2500 has been updated and is scheduled to be considered by the Board for 2nd reading on September 24, 2024. For more information, please see the staff report and draft Bylaw available in the document library.

Should the Bylaw receive 2nd reading, a public hearing will be scheduled.

The Electoral Area Services Committee has directed staff to reinstate Resort Vehicle Park into Bylaw 2500 and to remove the proposed changes that would have prohibited the creation of additional rural building strata. These changes will be considered by the Board at its July 23, 2024 meeting.

The above changes would maintain the status quo in Bylaw 500 with respect to these two topics.

Please be advised that a special Electoral Area Services Committee Meeting has been scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, to consider draft Bylaw 2500 for second reading. As a result, draft Bylaw 2500 will not be considered at the June 13, 2024 Electoral Area Services Committee.

Draft Bylaw 2500 has been updated based on community and stakeholder input and further staff review. The Bylaw will be presented to the Electoral Area Services Committee on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Should second reading be supported, the bylaw will advance to the Board for consideration at its May 28, 2024 meeting.

Thank you to all who participated in the survey. The survey has now been closed to give us time to consider the results in draft Bylaw 2500. We will report out the survey results when the Bylaw is presented to the Board for second reading.

We want to ensure that the community has the opportunity to learn and ask questions about Draft Bylaw 2500 in a way that is most convenient. Residents and community groups who would like to discuss Bylaw 2500 with us may do so by requesting a meeting. We offer different options to meet including online using Zoom or Microsoft Teams, at the RDN office, or subject to availability, out in the community. To request a meeting contact us by sending an email to bylaw500review@rdn.bc.ca(External link).