The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) has initiated a review of the South Okanagan Sub-Regional Growth Strategy (RGS).
What’s New?
- At the April 20, 2023 Planning & Development Committee Meeting the Draft RGS Amendment Bylaw was deferred to the Electoral Area "A', "C", "D", "E", "F", & "I" Advisory Planning Commissions:
- The Draft Growth management Map Online Interactive Mapping Tool is now available:
- The Draft Amendment Bylaw and Draft Growth Management Map (version 2022-06-30):
- Email feedback to planning@rdos.bc.ca or drop it off in-person to the RDOS Office (101 Martin Street, Penticton)
- The deadline for feedback (originally September 9, 2022) has been extended to September 30, 2022.
- Feedback Form
- Watch the RDOS staff present on the RGS draft amendment bylaw:
- Click here to watch the presentation to the City of Penticton Council (July 5, 2022)
- Click here to watch the presentation to the District of Summerland Council (June 27, 2022)
- Click here Electronic Open House held September 1, 2022
Past Events:
Open House Events:
The project team held open house events to hear your feedback and answer your questions. Open House events were held on the following dates:
- Monday, August 8, 2022 (7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
OK Falls Parks and Rec. Centre, 1141 Cedar Rd., OK Falls - Wednesday, August 10, 2022 (7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Oliver Community Centre, 6359 Park Drive, Oliver - Thursday, August 11, 2022 (6:30 pm to 8:00 pm)
Sonora Centre, 8505 68th Ave, Osoyoos - Tuesday, August 30, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
George Ryga Arts and Cultural Centre, 9525 Wharton St, Summerland - Wednesday, August 31, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Community Centre - Meeting Room #4, 325 Power Street, Penticton - Thursday, September 1, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
https://rdos.webex.com (Meeting Number: 2497 066 0589) - Click here to watch the meeting recording
What is a Regional Growth Strategy?
Regional Growth Strategies are long-term plans that articulate a Board’s vision for future regional growth. They promote sustainable growth, ensure alignment between Official Community Plans, and provide guidance on important regional and local land use decisions.
The South Okanagan Sub-Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is a shared growth and sustainability vision that provides guidance to the Regional District and the member municipalities and electoral areas located within the South Okanagan over a 20-year horizon. These communities include:
- RDOS Electoral Areas: A, C, D, E, F, and I
- Municipalities of Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton and Summerland
Project Overview
The current proposed amendments to the South Okanagan RGS Bylaw may be summarized as follows:
- replace the current “Primary Growth Area” and “Rural Growth Area” designations on Map 3 of the bylaw with a series of new land use classifications contained in a new map schedule;
- update the objectives and policies related to “Housing and Development” section of the bylaw in order to support the new land use classifications;
- update the background and some of the policies in the “Energy Emissions and Climate Change” of the bylaw to reflect new provincial direction on climate action; and
- update the “Population and Demographics” section of the bylaw in order to incorporate new Census data.
History of the RDOS’ Regional Growth Strategy:
The South Okanagan RGS was first adopted by the RDOS Board in 2010 after several years of planning, collaboration and consultation. It was later updated through minor amendment processes in 2011 and 2017. Provincial legislation requires any regional district with an RGS to consider whether an RGS review is required once every five years. Since the Board adopted the RGS in 2010 and initiated a minor review in 2015 (resulting in the 2017 minor amendment), 2020 is considered a suitable review year as per the legislation.
What does the Regional Growth Strategy provide guidance on?
Regional Growth Strategies identify key geographic areas of urban and rural growth. A focus on select areas will help to inform decision making when it comes to things like service delivery or infrastructure.
The South Okanagan RGS is comprised of seven policy areas, which include their supporting goals, objectives and policies (the current RGS can be found here). These policy areas ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability for all partner communities for years to come.
Our Seven Policy Areas:
- Housing and Development
- Ecosystems, Natural Areas and Parks
- Infrastructure and Transportation
- Community Health and Well-being
- Regional Economic Development
- Engagement and Collaboration
- Energy Emissions and Climate Change
Who is involved?
The RGS Review project will rely upon the input of the RGS Technical Advisory Committee (made up of senior Planning staff from the RDOS, City of Penticton, District of Summerland, Town of Oliver, and Town of Osoyoos), as well as the RDOS’s Planning and Development Committee which consists of RDOS Board members.
Community engagement is also an important part of this project, and the project team will be reaching out to the public and to external agencies for feedback.
Answers to some other Frequently Asked Questions can be found at the following link.
Our Process
RDOS staff will work with a team of consultants to update the strategy. This project comprises three phases of work. There will be both community and stakeholder engagement throughout this process to help inform the amendments.
Phase 1: Review & Understand (Late 2019 - December 2021)
The initial phase of the project will help to generate an understanding of the current situation in the South Okanagan through conversations with RDOS staff, planning staff from each of the member municipalities, and the Regional Board, as well as an analysis of South Okanagan historic and projected demographic trends.
Phase 2: Policy Updates (January to December 2022)
The second phase of the project will entail discussions on topics such as Rural Growth Areas, OCP consistency with the RGS, clarity regarding acceptable development outside of the designated growth areas and current region-wide subjects such as climate action targets. The RDOS Board will adopt a consultation plan and draft copies of the amendment bylaw will be released during this phase.
Phase 3: Final Review & Adoption (Early 2023)
The final phase will aim to identify action items for implementing the policy direction outlined in the RGS. Public consultation opportunities will be available to give feedback on the draft amendments. Feedback received from the public, external and internal agency referrals will be incorporated into the proposed amendments. The amendments will be formally referred to all affected local governments for acceptance. The amendments will be presented to the Regional Board for adoption at the end of this phase.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) has initiated a review of the South Okanagan Sub-Regional Growth Strategy (RGS).
What’s New?
- At the April 20, 2023 Planning & Development Committee Meeting the Draft RGS Amendment Bylaw was deferred to the Electoral Area "A', "C", "D", "E", "F", & "I" Advisory Planning Commissions:
- The Draft Growth management Map Online Interactive Mapping Tool is now available:
- The Draft Amendment Bylaw and Draft Growth Management Map (version 2022-06-30):
- Email feedback to planning@rdos.bc.ca or drop it off in-person to the RDOS Office (101 Martin Street, Penticton)
- The deadline for feedback (originally September 9, 2022) has been extended to September 30, 2022.
- Feedback Form
- Watch the RDOS staff present on the RGS draft amendment bylaw:
- Click here to watch the presentation to the City of Penticton Council (July 5, 2022)
- Click here to watch the presentation to the District of Summerland Council (June 27, 2022)
- Click here Electronic Open House held September 1, 2022
Past Events:
Open House Events:
The project team held open house events to hear your feedback and answer your questions. Open House events were held on the following dates:
- Monday, August 8, 2022 (7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
OK Falls Parks and Rec. Centre, 1141 Cedar Rd., OK Falls - Wednesday, August 10, 2022 (7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Oliver Community Centre, 6359 Park Drive, Oliver - Thursday, August 11, 2022 (6:30 pm to 8:00 pm)
Sonora Centre, 8505 68th Ave, Osoyoos - Tuesday, August 30, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
George Ryga Arts and Cultural Centre, 9525 Wharton St, Summerland - Wednesday, August 31, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Community Centre - Meeting Room #4, 325 Power Street, Penticton - Thursday, September 1, 2022 &7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
https://rdos.webex.com (Meeting Number: 2497 066 0589) - Click here to watch the meeting recording
What is a Regional Growth Strategy?
Regional Growth Strategies are long-term plans that articulate a Board’s vision for future regional growth. They promote sustainable growth, ensure alignment between Official Community Plans, and provide guidance on important regional and local land use decisions.
The South Okanagan Sub-Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) is a shared growth and sustainability vision that provides guidance to the Regional District and the member municipalities and electoral areas located within the South Okanagan over a 20-year horizon. These communities include:
- RDOS Electoral Areas: A, C, D, E, F, and I
- Municipalities of Osoyoos, Oliver, Penticton and Summerland
Project Overview
The current proposed amendments to the South Okanagan RGS Bylaw may be summarized as follows:
- replace the current “Primary Growth Area” and “Rural Growth Area” designations on Map 3 of the bylaw with a series of new land use classifications contained in a new map schedule;
- update the objectives and policies related to “Housing and Development” section of the bylaw in order to support the new land use classifications;
- update the background and some of the policies in the “Energy Emissions and Climate Change” of the bylaw to reflect new provincial direction on climate action; and
- update the “Population and Demographics” section of the bylaw in order to incorporate new Census data.
History of the RDOS’ Regional Growth Strategy:
The South Okanagan RGS was first adopted by the RDOS Board in 2010 after several years of planning, collaboration and consultation. It was later updated through minor amendment processes in 2011 and 2017. Provincial legislation requires any regional district with an RGS to consider whether an RGS review is required once every five years. Since the Board adopted the RGS in 2010 and initiated a minor review in 2015 (resulting in the 2017 minor amendment), 2020 is considered a suitable review year as per the legislation.
What does the Regional Growth Strategy provide guidance on?
Regional Growth Strategies identify key geographic areas of urban and rural growth. A focus on select areas will help to inform decision making when it comes to things like service delivery or infrastructure.
The South Okanagan RGS is comprised of seven policy areas, which include their supporting goals, objectives and policies (the current RGS can be found here). These policy areas ensure social, economic, and environmental sustainability for all partner communities for years to come.
Our Seven Policy Areas:
- Housing and Development
- Ecosystems, Natural Areas and Parks
- Infrastructure and Transportation
- Community Health and Well-being
- Regional Economic Development
- Engagement and Collaboration
- Energy Emissions and Climate Change
Who is involved?
The RGS Review project will rely upon the input of the RGS Technical Advisory Committee (made up of senior Planning staff from the RDOS, City of Penticton, District of Summerland, Town of Oliver, and Town of Osoyoos), as well as the RDOS’s Planning and Development Committee which consists of RDOS Board members.
Community engagement is also an important part of this project, and the project team will be reaching out to the public and to external agencies for feedback.
Answers to some other Frequently Asked Questions can be found at the following link.
Our Process
RDOS staff will work with a team of consultants to update the strategy. This project comprises three phases of work. There will be both community and stakeholder engagement throughout this process to help inform the amendments.
Phase 1: Review & Understand (Late 2019 - December 2021)
The initial phase of the project will help to generate an understanding of the current situation in the South Okanagan through conversations with RDOS staff, planning staff from each of the member municipalities, and the Regional Board, as well as an analysis of South Okanagan historic and projected demographic trends.
Phase 2: Policy Updates (January to December 2022)
The second phase of the project will entail discussions on topics such as Rural Growth Areas, OCP consistency with the RGS, clarity regarding acceptable development outside of the designated growth areas and current region-wide subjects such as climate action targets. The RDOS Board will adopt a consultation plan and draft copies of the amendment bylaw will be released during this phase.
Phase 3: Final Review & Adoption (Early 2023)
The final phase will aim to identify action items for implementing the policy direction outlined in the RGS. Public consultation opportunities will be available to give feedback on the draft amendments. Feedback received from the public, external and internal agency referrals will be incorporated into the proposed amendments. The amendments will be formally referred to all affected local governments for acceptance. The amendments will be presented to the Regional Board for adoption at the end of this phase.
