Updated Zoning Bylaw
At the end of 2023, the B.C. government passed several new pieces of legislation that apply across the province and impact the City of Merritt’s land use planning framework. The intent of the provincial updates is to fulfill the Homes for People plan priorities to aggressively close the gap between housing supply and demand in BC. Local governments are required to update their bylaws by summer 2024 to meet the new provincial requirements.
The City of Merritt amended its municipal Zoning Bylaw 2284, 2020 to comply with the Province of BC’s Small Scale Multi-Unit Housing Legislation (SSMUH/Bill44). The changes made were mostly to residential zones, allowing increased density within the City of Merritt. This means that property owners will now be able to install a secondary suite(s) or detached secondary dwellings, depending on the parcel size. Permits required. (The other provincial bills around transit-oriented development and short-term rentals do not apply to City of Merritt).
On June 25, 2024, Council adopted the changes to the City of Merritt’s Zoning Bylaw 2284, 2020. (A public hearing was not required to make these legislated changes). A full copy of the amalgamated zoning bylaw, including recent amendments, is now available.
Note: Any new development application is referred out to the Internal Departments and External Agencies to ensure that there are adequate services to support the development.
Growth & Development
Background
The current Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 was adopted on September 1, 2020, and updated July 2024. The new Bylaw is intended to aid in the creation of additional housing options for current and future residents, provide more flexibility for business owners, and help attract development and investment to the community.
Previous to 2020, the last Zoning Bylaw was adopted in 2015. Many of the regulations were no longer conducive to creating the vibrant, growing community that Merritonians would like the community to become. Residents and developers indicated that the previous bylaw needed a refresh. Hearing those requests, City of Merritt staff were tasked with reviewing the bylaw for potential revisions.
CONTACT
Planning & Development Services
planning@merritt.ca