The District is working to make Squamish neighbourhoods more walkable by creating small-scale neighbourhood nodes where residents can meet their daily needs close to home. The goal is to make it easier for people to walk or bike for everyday errands, while also creating welcoming gathering places in each neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood nodes are designed to be the heart of the community. They are places where you might bump into a neighbour while picking up a coffee, grab a few groceries on foot, or take your child to a nearby childcare centre, and all without needing to get in the car. The intention is for these nodes to be small and local, complementing daily life more conveniently, rather than replacing larger shopping areas.

This work includes two related but distinct initiatives that respond to different land use contexts. The first focuses on R-1 zoned properties with frontage on The Boulevard in the Garibaldi Highlands, where there is no neighbourhood node and no anticipated development that would create one. The second initiative proposes zoning amendments to modernize the Local Commercial (C-1) and Liquor Primary Establishment Commercial (C-6) zones. It also includes an updated indoor recreation definition, which supports a broader range of day to day activities in both new and established node areas.

The District is proposing incremental zoning changes that would allow small-scale neighbourhood commercial uses on R-1 properties with frontage on The Boulevard in the Garibaldi Highlands. These changes apply only to R-1 parcels along The Boulevard. There are no C-1 or C-6 zoned properties in the Garibaldi Highlands, and there is no proposal to rezone any properties in the Highlands to C-1 or C-6.

Neighbourhood commercial uses could look like everyday services such as coffee shops, small grocers, yoga studios, or professional services. Any change would be gradual and would fit within the existing neighbourhood character.

As part of this initiative, the District is also proposing updates to the neighbourhood commercial definition, including adding indoor recreation as a permitted use. These updates help better reflect the types of small, day to day services residents typically access close to home.

The District is proposing the following zoning amendments within C-1 and C-6 zones:

• In the C-1 zone, adding assembly and indoor recreation to the list of permitted uses.
• In the C-6 zone, adding assembly, entertainment, and restaurant uses to support a broader mix of neighbourhood-servicing businesses.
• In C-1, requiring at least 20% of the floor area in new development be dedicated to employment space.
• Increasing the maximum height in C-1 from three storeys to four storeys to support mixed use buildings and help offset the employment space requirement.

If you'd like to see where C-1 (Local Commercial) and C-6 (Liquor Primary Establishment Commercial) zones are located in Squamish, you can view them on our zoning map.

Alongside these zoning amendments, the District is also proposing an updated indoor recreation definition. The revised definition clarifies the types of recreation activities intended in this use and supports nodes to remain functional, adaptable, and better able to provide day to day services in their surrounding neighbourhoods.

A Neighbourhood Node is a compact, mixed-use area that includes a blend of residential units, small-scale commercial shops and services, and public gathering spaces to serve the neighbourhood (and nearby areas) for day-to-day needs.

Typically, neighbourhood nodes are easily accessed by foot, bicycle, transit or car, and they function as destination anchors for the surrounding areas.

Neighbourhood nodes are an important component of the Official Community Plan (OCP). They are intended to include a range of services in proximity to housing and transportation options; they offer numerous benefits to residents and the community, such as:

By fostering compact, mixed-use areas, neighbourhood nodes make communities more sustainable, resilient, and connected, supporting Squamish’s long-term vision for livability and climate action.

The Official Community Plan (OCP) calls for managing growth by creating complete, compact neighbourhoods where residents can meet daily needs close to home. This includes supporting small-scale commercial uses in residential areas, encouraging mixed-use neighbourhood centres, and focusing growth where it can be served by transit, walking, and cycling. Neighbourhood nodes help establish a focal point and identity for each neighbourhood, while reducing the need to drive for every errand.

Our Transportation Master Plan reinforces this vision by highlighting how shorter trip lengths support walking, biking, and transit. Updating zoning to allow neighbourhood nodes also helps modernize parking rules, encourage walking and biking, and reduce reliance on cars. Offering services within residential neighbourhoods can also help ease congestion and parking pressure in commercial centres by reducing the number of trips people need to make.

Neighbourhood nodes also advance our Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) by promoting compact, complete communities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create vibrant, people-oriented places.

Neighbourhood nodes are about creating convenient, walkable, and welcoming gathering places close to where people live. Learn more about this initiative and share your input on how neighbourhood nodes can best serve your community through the following engagement opportunities:

• Take the online survey below to share your input.
• Residents can email planning@squamish.ca to share written comments.