The District of Squamish may soon allow childcare business to be run out of townhouses.
Since January 2010, officials have been combing through the 16-year-old zoning bylaw to bring it up to date with current standards. The new bylaw touches on everything from secondary suites to urban agriculture and what businesses are allowed where.
At the zoning bylaw's public hearing on Tuesday (Nov. 8), Lisa McIntosh applauded council for opening up the door for child-care businesses wanting to operate out of townhouses, apartments and condos.
The child-care resource and referral consultant with Sea to Sky Community Services said it's a struggle for parents to find child care in town. Although such a business would still have to adhere to provincial government regulations and strata bylaws, the adjustment might encourage growth, McIntosh said.
The way the district measures building height in the new bylaw came under scrutiny, as did interface issues in the municipality's industrial zones. Fitness centres are one example, Squamish resident and council candidate Eric Andersen noted.
The document is a work in progress, said Chris Bishop, the district's acting manager of planning. Copies of the proposed bylaw are available for viewing at Community Services located off the lobby of Municipal Hall. For more information on the bylaw contact Bishop at (604) 815-4966 or email [email protected].
