Council approved the first three readings for the City of Prince George Zoning Bylaw No. 7850, 2007 (Zoning Bylaw) to implement recommendations from the Housing Action Implementation Strategy Initiative project, as presented at the July 20, 2026 meeting.
The intention of the proposed zoning bylaw changes, as explained in the report, is to make it easier to implement standardized plans and provincial small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) legislation, and to support its development in Prince George. These initiatives are in line with the City’s Official Community Plan, which supports gentle density housing, greater flexibility for small-scale residential forms, and infill development. A standardized design catalogue for Prince George is intended to make building easier in locations and zones where housing development is already allowed, without compromising regulatory oversight or building quality.
The proposed bylaw amendments focus on three general areas:
- Increasing allowable building heights (from 2.5 storeys to 3 storeys in residential zones)
- Adding regulations for secondary dwellings and separating them from accessory buildings and structures regulations (e.g., sheds, detached garages, etc.). The proposed maximum size for secondary dwellings on property types that already allow secondary dwellings is 100 m2 of ground floor area.
- Reducing/removing parking requirements (from two spaces per dwelling to one space per dwelling for certain housing types and from one space to zero for secondary suites and secondary dwellings), and adding an exception for lots subject to SSMUH regulations so they may have a maximum of one off-street parking space located in a front or side yard.
SSMUH legislation does not apply to properties outside the urban containment boundary, properties larger than 4,050 m2, or properties that are not connected to both municipal water and sewer service. Greenbelt (AG), Agriculture & Forestry (AF), and Rural Residential (AR1, AR2, and AR4) zones do not fall under SSMUH legislation and are not SSMUH zones, but they are proposed to be included in this bylaw amendment to make it easier for property owners to use standardized plans for principal dwellings and/or secondary dwellings if they wish.