Integrated Official Community Plan, Zoning Bylaw, and Development Procedures Reviews

Ongoing | British Columbia

Aligning community vision with implementable growth strategies

From rural villages to growing regional districts, local governments are under pressure to address housing demand, streamline approvals, respond to provincial legislation, and protect valued community assets. Communities need planning systems that are clear, aligned, and easy to implement.

McElhanney partners with municipalities and regional districts to create integrated planning frameworks that connect long-term vision with day-to-day decision-making. We recognize that every community is unique, whether protecting environmentally sensitive areas, planning for future housing, modernizing aging bylaws, or improving development approval processes.

Our work spans projects including the Town of Gibsons Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw Update; the Village of Gold River OCP, Zoning and Development Procedures Review; and the Cariboo Regional District Development Procedures and Zoning Review, each tailored to local priorities while delivering practical, implementable outcomes.

Helping communities move from policy to implementation

Updating an OCP is only part of the solution. Communities achieve results when policy, zoning, and development processes work together.

McElhanney’s multidisciplinary approach helps clients:

Align OCP policy and zoning regulations with development procedures
Respond to evolving provincial housing and land-use legislation
Support housing diversity and affordability
Improve user experience for applicants, staff, Council, and residents
Modernize regulatory frameworks while preserving community character
Integrate environmental stewardship and climate resilience considerations
Build trust through meaningful and transparent engagement

McElhanney’s multidisciplinary approach in action:

In Gibsons, this integrated approach resulted in a coordinated OCP and zoning bylaw update where policy direction and regulations were adopted together, creating a seamless transition from community vision to implementation. The project modernized land use designations, streamlined development permit areas, and aligned regulations to support housing needs while protecting critical natural assets and maintaining the community’s coastal character.

And in the Cariboo Regional District, the multidisciplinary review focused on the relationship between zoning regulations and development procedures, helping ensure that policy intent and development application processes work together more effectively. Over the course of the project, McElhanney consolidated six bylaws into one and over 368 zones to close to 100, and revised the District’s entire development review and approvals process. By examining both regulatory and procedural frameworks as part of a coordinated review, the Regional District was positioned to improve clarity for applicants, support consistent decision-making, and create a more user-friendly development process.

Delivering planning frameworks that communities can understand and see

An effective planning framework must do more than satisfy legislative requirements. It must be understandable, actionable, and reflective of local values. To achieve this, we lean on the following approaches:

Integrated reviews of OCPs, zoning bylaws, and development procedures
Outcome testing and spatial analysis to evaluate growth options
Community and interest holder engagement strategies tailored to local context
Indigenous engagement support and coordination
Housing-focused policy and regulatory updates
Development permit area reviews and modernization
Plain-language regulatory drafting
Digital visualization and mapping tools that help communities understand change

McElhanney’s approach in action:

For the Town of Gibsons, McElhanney developed three-dimensional spatial modelling to help the community visualize development potential and understand proposed zoning changes. The project also incorporated one of Canada’s first completed Residents’ Assemblies connected to an OCP update, creating a deliberative engagement process that informed policy and regulatory outcomes. More than 1,000 engagement interactions occurred throughout the project. In 2025, Simon Fraser University’s Renovate the Public Hearing Initiative identified the Gibsons process as a leading example of upstream engagement in community planning.

And in the Village of Gold River, the project team focused on aligning policy and regulation with future housing needs while creating meaningful opportunities for residents to influence the community’s long-term direction through surveys, open houses, and ongoing engagement.

Creating planning frameworks that work long after adoption

Communities need more than updated bylaws. They need planning frameworks that help Council, staff, developers, and residents navigate growth with confidence.

McElhanney’s integrated Official Community Plan, zoning bylaw, and development procedures reviews help local governments create clear direction, improve implementation, support housing objectives, and strengthen public trust. By aligning vision, regulation, and process, we help communities move forward with greater certainty while protecting the places that make them unique.

McElhanney provided:

Community Planning & Policy