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Planning and Development
Each year the City participates in the Vancouver Chapter of the
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP)
Municipal Survey of Commercial and Industrial Development Costs.
Annually, NAIOP acknowledges municipalities that excel in creating
environments that are positive to business creation. In 2012, NAIOP
recognized the City with an award for “Most Business Friendly”. The
City was presented this award in recognition for its establishing
an Industrial Revitalization Tax Exemption program. Construction
in excess of $1 million (or an alteration/addition of an existing
industrial building with same value) qualifies to save on industrial
property taxes for five years with this new industrial incentive.
The Agricultural Area Plan was adopted
as a schedule to the Official Community
Plan in June 2012, following extensive
stakeholder consultation. The Plan
highlights major issues affecting the
future of agriculture in Chilliwack, and
outlines goals, policies and actions to
ensure a sustainable agriculture sector
over the next 20 years.
Provincial funding for the Chilliwack
Health and Housing Contact Centre
Chilliwack was announced. This
project was made possible by a five-
year coordinated community effort
by government and non-government
organizations, community agencies, and
partners to establish one stop access to
health and social services. The contact
centre will improve the quality of life of
the people of Chilliwack, by improving
the health and social condition of
people in need. Key project partners
include BC Housing, the Pacific
Community Resource Society, Fraser
Health, the City of Chilliwack, and
the Real Estate Foundation of British
Columbia. The Centre is expected to be
operating by late Spring 2013.
The City’s zoning bylaw was amended
to require 50% of all new apartments
to be built to the BC Building Code’s
Adaptable Housing Standards. The
amendment supports ‘aging in place’
for seniors who are able to live
independently.
The Downtown Revitalization Task Force
continues to meet and work to address
the objectives that will accelerate the
revitalization and redevelopment of
downtown, in a manner consistent with
the City’s Downtown Land Use Plan.
The Eastern Hillsides Comprehensive
Area Plan was completed and adopted
by Council. The resulting plan balances
community values with respect to
hillside development and market
realities and a development scale that
is supported by a servicing strategy and
a clear cost recovery model.
In 2012, Council recognized the
need to allow increased flexibility
and innovation in the City’s hillside
developments. A new policy is under
development to establish standards
that ensure new development is
successfully integrated within our
hillsides’ unique context.
A review of the 1998 Chilliwack Official
Community Plan was initiated in Fall
2012 to review the City’s growth
management strategy. Revisions
are anticipated to ensure the Plan
incorporates recent planning initiatives,
responds to community needs, and
meets legislative requirements. An
extensive public engagement program
was initiated in Fall 2012 and will
be ongoing for the duration of the
project through an online forum, and
other activities. Next steps include
a refinement of potential growth
scenarios illustrating where and
how new growth will occur over the
next 30 years, a review of planning
policies, additional public engagement,
refinement of growth management
strategy, and a revision of the plan to
a new, dynamic format. The project is
anticipated to complete by the end of
2013.
2012 Highlights
planning and development
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city of chilliwack
| 2012 annual municipal report