development services

The Development Service's Department provides planning and land use expertise for the Village. The Department is staffed by the Manager of Development Services and the Development Services Assistant.  The responsibilities of the Department are related to the use of land within the community, specifically: short and long term planning policy; and development review and approvals.  The following provides a brief summary of the Department's activities:

Development Review

The Development Services Department processes all OCP and zoning bylaw amendments, subdivision, development permits, business licences and sign permits.  More details regarding the approval process can be obtained via the following links:

Planning Policy

The Village of Pemberton is statutorily required by the provincial government to have an adopted Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw.  In addition, the Village has completed various other bylaws, strategies and plan to further manage and plan the use of land within the community.  All of these documents will be referenced in considering any new development and/or use of land.  The following provides the status of planning policy currently applicable to planning and development in the Village:

Official Community Plan

The current Official Community Plan (OCP) was originally adopted in 1999 but now is being updated by the Village.  It is anticipated that the new OCP will be adopted in late 2010.  The OCP contains the key planning and development directions for the community including land use designations, policy, development permit guidelines and prerequisites for new growth areas.  View the recent draft of the updated OCP.

Zoning Bylaw

The Zoning Bylaw sets down land use, siting, parking and landscaping regulations for development.  As the Zoning Bylaw must be consistent with the new Official Community Plan it is anticipated that it will be updated in 2011.

Airport Development Manual

Certain land use requirements and guidelines are included within the Airport Development Manual. Any development at the airport should reference these requirements.

Subdivision & Development Control Bylaw

The Subdivision & Development bylaw considers the requirements for the engineering and construction of Village infrastructure.  The current bylaw was last updated in August 1989 and due to various inconsistencies and unclear requirements the Village is in the process of updating the bylaw.  This update should be completed in 2010.  At this time the Village engineer references the current Bylaw as well as Master Municipal Construction Document specifications.

Downtown Enhancement Strategy

The Village is implementing an enhancement program for Downtown Pemberton.  For more information on this initiative, download the Downtown Enhancement Strategy.

Affordable Housing Strategy

The Village adopted an Affordable Housing Strategy in 2009.  For more information on the directions of the Strategy, please click on the link above.

Regional Growth Strategy

The Village has approved the Squamish Lillooet Regional District's Regional Growth Strategy (RGS). Village review of future growth areas will reference the policies and directions of the RGS particularly articulated in the updated OCP's Regional Context Statement.

Village Vision

The Village Vision Revitalization Study was originally adopted in 1997 and then subsequently updated in 2004.  The vision provides design principles and development requirements for the implementation of a image for the Village reinforcing a rural mountain village theme.  The Village Vision is currently being incorporated into the updated Official Community Plan through the Development Permit Guidelines and the Downtown Enhancement Strategy and implementation program.

Parks & Open Space Master Plan

The Village is currently finalizing the Parks and Open Space Master Plan that provides a program for park enhancement.

Sign Bylaw

The Village adopted it current Sign Bylaw in 1995.  The bylaw provides regulations related to permitted and prohibited signs in the municipality.  The Village proposes to update the Sign Bylaw in late 2010 or 2011 together with a business and services wayfinding sign program.

Business Licence Bylaw

The Village regulates businesses through Business License Bylaw No. 183 (as amended).

Further Information

For more information regarding Development Services contact:

Caroline Lamont, Manager of Development Services
Phone: 604.894.6135 Ext. 234
Email: clamont @ pemberton.ca

Suzanne Bélanger, Project Coordinator
Phone: 604.894.6135 Ext. 245
Email: sbelanger @ pemberton.ca

Last Updated on Monday, January 09, 2012