Squamish’s infrastructure development will be more environmentally-friendly, if a recently approved bylaw succeeds in its goal.
Council passed all three readings of the District of Squamish Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw No. 2649, 2018 on Nov. 13.
It is expected to be adopted in the near future.
“The... Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw essentially administers the installation of new municipal infrastructure, whether it be roads, water, sewer, storm, light, parks, street furniture, street trees – all those sorts of things,” said Gary Buxton, general manager.
“We’ve been working through this through 2018.”
“We were tasked with greening the bylaw and looking at the bylaw in the context of its environmental impact,” said Chris Wyckham, director of engineering.
After analyzing the previous version of the bylaw, District staff made a number of alterations.
Wyckham said that several changes were made with respect to stormwater.
Updated data now includes an adjustment for climate change, so designers will have access to up-to-date information on rainfall, reads an information report presented to council.
Staff also changed the bylaw in a way they believe limits impact to natural watercourses in the event that something harmful spills, the document says.
Wyckham said the bylaw also would improve policies on roadways. It would call for reducing lane widths for motorized traffic and it would make more room for pedestrians and bikes.
It would also add more traffic calming and slow people down in streets where that’s appropriate, he said.
The policy would make intersections more safe, as well as improve street trees and boulevard designs, Wyckham added.
Updates were also added to bear smart requirements.
Changes were made to crack down on light pollution that affects human health and wildlife.
These weren’t the only additions to the document.
Broadly speaking, other alterations were also made with the hopes of protecting wildlife and sensitive habitats; providing greater clarity to zoning; and encouraging walking, biking and other means of transit, among other things.
Astute council watchers will think this sounds familiar to a bylaw adopted on Oct. 23.
They would be right. This bylaw is identical to Squamish Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw No. 2639, which was passed on the final day of the previous council.
However, due to a clerical error, the bylaw schedules weren’t attached to that day’s agenda package.
As a result, that bylaw had to be repealed and replaced by Bylaw No. 2649, 2018.
