Regional Context Statement (RCS)

A picture of a tree

Background

A Regional Context Statement is intended to demonstrate alignment between a municipality’s Official Community Plan and the Regional Growth Strategy of the Regional District to which it belongs. In terms of the Village of Lions Bay, it should illustrate how local aspirations, as expressed in our OCP, reflect and align with the regional federation’s objectives, as expressed in the Metro Vancouver Regional Growth Strategy.

Both the OCP and the RCS are legislatively required to contain not only detailed policies that speak to housing strategies and action plans consistent with the land use designation, but must also address risks associated with climate change and natural hazards, integrating emergency management and appropriate planning standards, guidelines and best practices for the community.

Proposed Amendment

Presently, acting on feedback obtained from the community, Council has given first and second reading to an amending bylaw with proposed changes to the OCP and RCS which would support a request to Metro Vancouver to amend their RGS Land Use Designation for Lions Bay from “General Urban” to “Rural”. A Public Hearing on this issue was held on February 22, 2022 at 7 pm and the following materials were considered by Council:

  1. Official Community Plan
  2. Metro Vancouver (Metro 2050) - Lions Bay & the Regional Growth Strategy - presentation to Council July 6, 2021
  3. Have Your Say Survey results regarding land designation under Metro Vancouver's Regional Growth Strategy 
  4. December 14, 2021 Report from Councillors Abbott and Bain
  5. January 18, 2022 Staff Report with proposed amendments for Council consideration and direction
  6. February 1, 2022 Staff Report with draft bylaw for proposed amendments
  7. Public Correspondence to 4pm, February 22, 2022

Update

Council gave third reading to the bylaw at the March 1, 2022 meeting and directed staff to write a letter to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board requesting acceptance of the amended Village of Lions Bay Regional Context Statement. At the April 5, 2022 meeting, Council reviewed the letter and the letter was sent to Metro Vancouver's Board on April 6, 2022. A copy of the letter can be read here. 

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