Rossland Zoning Bylaw Review, Canada

Rossland, a mountain community in British Columbia, is committed to embracing sustainable development. Halcrow undertook the review of the City's Zoning Bylaw, ensuring that the principles of sustainability are embedded in planning legislation.

Recommended changes to the Bylaw include:

• Improving housing affordability and sensitively supporting density increases, for example by allowing the conversion of garages to coach houses.
• Promoting green building standards, for example by determining gross floor area from the internal walls of a building (enabling thicker, better insulated walls) and excluding spaces occupied by energy efficient heating systems from the gross floor area calculation.
• Reviewing current parking standards, allowing communal and shared parking areas.
• Including a neighbourhood commercial zone within residential areas, which would support neighbourhood shops and services.
• Promoting urban agriculture through permitting community gardens and the sale of locally grown produce and farmers' markets.