As mentioned in previous updates, on April 28th, Council gave first and second reading to the proposed amendments to the City’s Zoning Bylaw and Official Community Plan to streamline the environmental review process, improve efficiency, and address current challenges to the delivery of necessary infrastructure works to support growth, while maintaining the City’s existing streamside setback framework. 

Proposed Sensitive Ecosystem Development Permit Process Changes  

City staff are proposing the following key changes to the Sensitive Ecosystem Development Permit (“SEDP”) system to speed up environmental reviews without weakening protection: 

1. Smaller SEDP trigger area  
   1. At present, any site with land within 50 metres of the top of bank of a Class A, A/O or B watercourse must obtain a Development Permit. Reducing that distance to 30 metres will immediately exempt about one-quarter of affected properties, cutting unnecessary applications.  
2. Clear, consistent waivers 
   1. The Official Community Plan already allows Council to waive an SEDP if development will not affect environmental objectives, but the clause is vague and used unevenly. It is proposed that an SEDP is not required when all of the following apply:  

• The property contains no Class A watercourse; and  
• The project does not involve subdivision, rezoning, or a Form-and-Character or Hazard Lands DP; and  
• No construction, vegetation removal, or re-grading is planned inside the stream-side setbacks in Part 7A of the Zoning Bylaw, confirmed by a BC Land Surveyor. 
• If the new work is at or beyond the existing setback line, staff may grant the waiver without a Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP).  
• If the work is closer than existing structures yet still outside the setback, a brief QEP letter confirming no riparian impact will suffice.

3. “SEDP-Light” option  

1. Where a project lies inside the SEDP Area and needs subdivision, rezoning or a DP—but does not seek any setback variance—staff will create a streamlined “SEDP Light” route with dramatically reduced submission requirements. This will be developed through the current OCP update. These measures do not alter the City’s mandatory streamside setbacks in Part 7A, but they are expected to halve the number of full SEDP applications and trim several weeks from the review time of those that remain.  

Proposed Watercourse Assessment and Mapping Project  

In addition to streamlining the SEDP process, staff is proposing to proactively map and assess watercourse classifications and setbacks in areas of the City where there is a lot of development activity (for example, in Neighbourhood Concept Plan (“NCP”) areas). These watercourse assessments and setbacks would be conducted by a QEP retained by the City, and once established and mapped would eliminate the need for a developer to retain their own QEP, unless they wish to vary the City’s setbacks.  

Proposed Part 7A – Zoning By-law Changes  

In accordance with Council’s direction at the December 2, 2024, Public Hearing meeting, staff are proposing minimal changes to the City’s streamside setback requirements as defined under Part 7A of the Zoning By-law. An amendment is recommended to permit works within road allowance and infrastructure frontage works (road, utilities, sidewalks, street trees, etc.) being completed by a developer, in accordance with City requirements, to be undertaken within the streamside protection area. Currently, the construction, maintenance or operation of municipal works and services is already permitted within the streamside protection area. The proposed amendment would extend these permissions to include works and services being completed by a developer as a condition of a development proposal (and essentially on behalf of the City), avoiding the need for variances to accommodate these necessary infrastructure improvements. 

The public hearing for the proposed amendments is scheduled for May 12th, at 7:00 PM.  

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff. 

December 17, 2024 

As mentioned in previous updates, on December 2nd, Council deferred adoption of the proposed amendments to the Streamside Protection Bylaw and referred the matter back to staff to review with the sole intent of eliminating the red tape in the environmental review process.  

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff. 

December 3, 2024 

At their regular meeting on November 18th, Council received a report on the Streamside Protection Bylaw. Council also approved a motion directing staff to bring forward amendments to the Surrey Zoning Bylaw, specifically updating Part 1 (Definitions), Part 7A (Streamside Protection), and Part 5 (Off-Street Parking and Loading/Unloading). These new amendments support streamlining the City’s development and permitting processes, enhance the supply and affordability of housing in Surrey, and further align City bylaws with Provincial housing legislation. 

Additionally, Council directed staff to prepare an informational bulletin on the City’s streamside setbacks that will clearly indicate that variance requests to the City’s additional 5 metre setback on Class A and A/O natural streams and large ravine streams will generally not be supported. 

Additional information can be found in the  full report by City staff.