Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Plan

January, 2024

Update Regarding Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Planning Process

We appreciate your patience while we have been working to develop a draft plan for the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood, based on the results of Stage 3 of the planning process in the spring of this year. We understand that planning for your neighbourhood has been a challenging exercise as we together, as a community, contemplate the complexity of affordability, livability, and community growth, in addition to preserving neighborhood character as best as possible. As we continue the neighbourhood planning process, we are committed to transparency.

Drafting the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Plan is an intricate process and is requiring extra time. There are many considerations to incorporate including access, servicing, and design requirements for the various changes in land uses.

In addition, we are preparing for required changes being legislated through the Province of British Columbia’s Homes for People Action Plan – related to “small-scale, multi-unit” housing that will establish many new zoning requirements community-wide. On January 16, 2024 the District of Squamish Community Development Department updated Council on the key milestones required to meet forthcoming provincial requirements. An overview can be found here.

All local governments in BC will be required to adopt the action plan's new regulations - intended to ensure that a range of "missing middle" housing options are accessible in all communities, including in areas currently zoned for traditional single-family housing. This will impact all neighbourhoods in Squamish.

The province has stipulated that the new regulations must be adopted over the next six months. Specific details about the regulatory requirements are being released and we are processing the information as we receive.

The inevitable requirements and timelines established by the province means that these new requirements will need to be integrated within the Garibaldi Estates Neighbourhood Plan. Staff and council are reviewing all detailed requirements from the province, and as soon as possible we will provide an updated timeline and overview of the Homes for People Action Plan, including how changes will affect residents of Squamish.

Meanwhile, we are interested to know what your questions are about the provincial zoning changes in order to inform our communications planning around these BC-wide changes. This will help us shape District information to complement what we expect the province will provide.

What are your questions about the upcoming provincial zoning? Share these with us here.

The District of Squamish is developing a neighbourhood plan for the Garibaldi Estates. The goal for the neighbourhood plan is to develop a vision for the future of the Garibaldi Estates over the next 20 years. We want to hear from Squamish residents to create a plan that is a good fit for the neighbourhood, improves the livability of the area, and supports larger community goals outlined in the OCP.

Stage 3 Engagement Activities have concluded and results were presented to Council on May 9th, 2023.

Results of Stage 3 land use scenarios engagement can be found in the Land Use Scenarios Engagement Summary.

The results of the land use scenarios engagement were presented to Council at the May 9, 2023 Committee of the Whole Meeting at which time Council directed staff to begin working on a draft neighborhood plan in Stage 4 of the planning process based on the following direction:

• Include proposed guiding principles with the addition of principles focused on neighbourhood design, and infrastructure.
• For the Commercial sub area incorporate Scenario B
• For the Diamond Head North sub area incorporate Scenario C
• For the Estates North sub area incorporate Scenario C
• For the Diamond Head South sub area incorporate Scenario C
• For the Estates Centre use sub area incorporate Scenario C
• For the Estates East use sub area incorporate a hybrid of Scenarios A & B
• Incorporate Emerging Ideas as presented to the community under the following topics:
  • Transportation
  • Parks & Public Outdoor Space
  • Childcare
  • Mamquam Community Garden
  • Accessory Commercial Units
  • Tree Canopy Protection
  • Mid-Block Connections
• Explore opportunities to ensure a diverse range of housing forms that deliver on critical housing priorities are financially viable, as recommended by the Squamish Community Housing Society.

The project in now in Stage 4. Staff are working on a draft neighbourhood plan based on the direction received from Council.