Riparian and Shoreline Protection Bylaw Amendments Public Hearing

The Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) will hold a public hearing on June 24, 2024, to consider Amending Zoning Bylaw No. 722.9 and 337.123. The purpose of the amendments is to strengthen the protection of riparian areas (land beside freshwater) and shorelines in the Electoral Areas and update SCRD bylaws to meet legislative requirements.  

Get Informed  

In recognition of the technical nature of the amendments, staff have posted a narrated slideshow video on the Let’s Talk platform explaining the reason for the proposed amendments. If you are interested in this bylaw amendment, please watch the video.  

Ask a Question  

After watching the video, if you have a question, they can be posted to the Let’s Talk platform and staff will respond. Staff will use the questions to build a presentation for the public hearing to ensure it addresses areas of community interest. You can access the page by clicking here.  

Please note that the questions you ask via the Let’s Talk platform will not form part of the public record for the Public Hearing. The focus of both the narrated presentation and the Let’s Talk platform is to ensure that members of the community are well informed prior to submitting comments at the public hearing. 

Participate in the Public Hearing 

The public hearing will take place on June 24, 2024, at 7PM. Members of the public can join virtually / online or in-person at the SCRD’s Main Administration Building on Field Road in Sechelt. Further information can be found at https://www.scrd.ca/public-hearings.  

About the Proposed Amendments 

• To date, the amendments have been referred to the Advisory Planning Commissions (APC) and relevant agencies, an APC workshop was delivered, and the bylaws have passed first and second readings. Staff reports are posted on the Let’s Talk page. 
• Two of the three proposed amendments are housekeeping amendments which seek to bring SCRD bylaws into alignment with Provincial legislation, regulations, and guidelines.  
• The third amendment is not required for legislative alignment, however, is an opportunity to provide clarity to property owners and their contractors to prevent encroachment into protected riparian areas. 

If you are planning work in a riparian area, please visit www.scrd.ca/streams. This webpage includes information on stream and riparian protection, including what steps are required before developing or altering land within 30 meters of a watercourse or top of bank.