March 12th, 2024

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, the City is looking to transition to a new Development Permit (DP) system. This was identified in the Development Approval Process (DAP) project as a means of streamlining development by being less reliant on the rezoning process to approve development. At Council on February 26th, the proposed DP transition process was approved.

The DP and DP Areas are components of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw update processes that are underway. The report by City staff provides an overview of the tools available to regulate development, proposes the use of DPs in Burnaby, and outlines the transition process.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

February 27th, 2024

At Planning and Development Committee on February 14th, Council received an initial report on the Development Permit Transition process. The report recommends that the approval of future Development Permits (DPs) be delegated to City staff. It also outlines the process to transition City to a new DP system, as identified in the Development Approval Process (DAP) project as a means of streamlining development by being less reliant on the rezoning process to approve development. The DP and DP Areas are components of the Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw update processes that are underway. The report provides an overview of the tools available to regulate development, proposes the use of DPs in Burnaby, and outlines the transition process.

As part of the current OCP update, the intent is to advance the following DP types with the adoption of the new OCP in 2025:

• Form and character guidelines for commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential development; and
• Protection of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity.

Once the new OCP is adopted and as part of implementation, two additional DP types and guidelines are envisioned to be established for:

• Protection of development from hazardous conditions; and
• Protection of farming.

At a future date the City could consider the establishment of additional DP types and associated guidelines permitted under the Local Government Act (energy and water conservation, GHG emissions reduction - which require further research and alignment with Environmental Sustainability Strategy and Climate Action Framework). With respect to the new provincial legislation on Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing (SSMUH), which could be classified as intensive residential development, staff propose not to utilize DPs for this scale of housing at this time and to proceed with permitting directly through Building Permit. Instead, voluntary Design Guidelines for SSMUH will be established to provide best practice examples for infill development to encourage appropriate scale and character in and amongst pre-existing single and two-family housing forms. The intent is to speed up the approvals of SSMUH, by removing needless process and regulation.

The establishment of a DP system is predicated on the establishment of DPAs in the OCP that may be area-specific or City-wide. The OCP land use framework that is currently under development is envisioned to be made up of parcel-based land use designations within specific neighbourhood boundaries. A Form and Character DP is intended to be required for all development forms, with the exception of Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, and will likely be comprised of the neighbourhoods within the OCP. With respect to the Environmental DP, an assessment of Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas (SPEAs) and other Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) is underway to determine specific Environmental DPAs for the City. The DPAs and DPA Guidelines will be advanced for approval to Committee and Council as part of the final OCP review in 2025. Implementation of the new DP process would take place after the final OCP bylaw and the updated Zoning Bylaw have been adopted in late 2025. However, to meet the goal of a January 1st, 2026 implementation date, work must start on the transition in the Spring of 2024. Details on timeline with key tasks and deliverables can be referenced here.