Greater Terrace Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw
Update October 8, 2025
Community Survey
Earlier this year the RDKS began work on developing an Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw for Electoral Area C, also known as Greater Terrace (please review the info below for more details).
To help inform this project, we're conducting a community survey. If you complete the survey, your feedback will be used to inform any changes to the Draft OCP and Zoning Bylaw before they're presented to the RDKS Board of Directors for further consideration. (Survey responses are anonymous!)
Take the survey
Open House Event
We're hosting an open house on October 23rd to present a draft version of the Greater Terrace (Area C) Official Community Plan. We welcome questions from the community as well as any feedback. We hope to see you there!
Details
Date & Time: Thursday, October 23rd, 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Location: Thornhill Community Centre, 3091 Century Street, Thornhill, BC
The RDKS is working to develop an Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw for Electoral Area C. Read on for more details, including what this means and what it includes.
Background
The purpose of the project is to update, modernize, and consolidate existing plans and zoning bylaws across Area C. Consultants WSP Canada Inc. were awarded a contract in January of this year to develop the OCP and zoning bylaw. Electoral Area C is also called Greater Terrace, hence the name of the OCP, and has a population of approximately 3,000.
What is an Official Community Plan?
An Official Community Plan is a long-range planning document that guides land use, development, and resource management within a community. It defines a shared vision, outlines planning objectives, and sets policies that support sustainable growth. Alongside a zoning bylaw, the OCP forms the foundation for managing change and shaping the future of the region.
Why do we need an OCP?
Currently, there is no OCP that covers all of Area C. The most recent document is the Official Settlement Plan (OSP) (1984), which covers some communities within Area C. The OSP is outdated, and OCP's are updated every 5 to 10 years. The Greater Terrace OCP will help Area C plan and adapt for the future. The OCP also helps guide the zoning bylaw, which will be updated at the same time.
What is a zoning bylaw?
A zoning bylaw is a regulatory bylaw that controls how land, buildings and other structures can be used. An OCP is a policy document that outlines the future, a zoning bylaw is focused on what can be developed in the present.
Why do we need a zoning bylaw?
Zoning in Area C is comprised of a patchwork of three different zoning bylaws, as well as large unregulated areas with no zoning bylaws. A new single zoning bylaw will be introduced to consolidate and modernize the multiple zoning bylaws currently in effect across Area C. The new bylaw will help ensure clarity and fairness.
Check out the documents section for maps and other supporting information and check back for updates!
