Amenity Cost Charges Bylaw No. 3120, 2024
Squamish, British Columbia
· No. 3120
· adopted 2026-02-17
· summary & facts
This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document.
Snapshot 6bfe343b6fde · verified 2026-10-26 ·
original document ·
archived snapshot ·
unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.
DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH
BYLAW NO. 3120, 2024
A BYLAW TO IMPOSE AMENITY COST CHARGES
WHEREAS pursuant to the Local Government Act, the Council of the District of Squamish
may, by bylaw, impose amenity cost charges;
AND WHEREAS amenity cost charges may be imposed for the purpose of providing
funds to assist the municipality in paying the capital costs of providing, constructing,
altering, or expanding amenities that provide social, cultural, heritage, recreational or
environmental benefits to a community to benefit, directly or indirectly, the development
and the increased population of residents or workers that result from the development for
which the charges are imposed;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the District of Squamish has deemed the charges
imposed by this bylaw:
a) are not excessive in relation to the capital cost of prevailing standards of service in
the municipality;
b) will not deter development in the municipality; and
c) will not discourage the construction of reasonably priced housing or the provision of
reasonably priced serviced land in the municipality.
AND WHEREAS the amenity cost charges do not include any capital costs for which a
development cost charge may be imposed;
AND WHEREAS Council has provided one or more opportunities for consultation with the
public and persons, public authorities and organizations that Council considers will be
affected by the bylaw. |
AND WHEREAS Council has considered the charges imposed by this bylaw in relation to
expected increases in the population of residents and workers, the phasing of amenities,
and the capital costs of amenities that will receive funding from the charge;
AND WHEREAS in the opinion of the Council, the charges imposed by this bylaw are
related to capital costs attributable to projects included in the municipality's financial plan
and long-term capital plans, and to capital projects consistent with the Official Community
Plan.
NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the District of Squamish, in open meeting assembled,
enacts as follows:
PART 1 - GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
1.1. This bylaw may be cited as "District of Squamish Amenity Cost Charges Bylaw No.
3120, 2024".
PART 2 - DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
2.1. This bylaw applies to all applications for subdivisions and for issuance of a building
permit for parcels located in the District of Squamish.
2.2 For the purposes of this bylaw, the words or phrases that are not included in this
section shall have the meaning assigned to them in the zoning bylaw.
2.3 In this bylaw:
a) "Apartment" means a building used for residential purposes and consisting of
three or more Dwelling Units but excludes a Townhouse. |
b) "Building Permit" means any permit required under the District of Squamish |
Building Bylaw No. 1822, 2004, as amended, or repealed and replaced from
time to time.
c) "Construction" includes building, erection, installation, repair, alteration,
addition, enlargement, moving, locating, relocating, reconstruction, demolition,
removal, excavation, or shoring.
d) "Completed" means, in the case of a subdivision, an application for which the
servicing agreement is completed and signed, appropriate zoning is in place, all
applicable fees and levies are paid, al conditions of approval are fulfilled, and
the final plan of subdivision is ready for approval by the approving officer.
e) "Development" means the construction, alteration, or extension of buildings
and/or structures for any use authorized by the zoning bylaw that requires the
issuance of a building permit but does not include internal alterations of a
building and/or structure where the principal use of the building and/or structure,
or part thereof, is not changing.
f) "District" means the District of Squamish local government.
g) "Dwelling Unit" means a self-contained set of rooms, including provisions for
living, sleeping, cooking and sanitation; containing not more than one kitchen,
with a direct entrance to the open air or to a common hallway or corridor,
without passing through any other dwelling unit; includes suites and mobile
homes, and modular homes or prefabricated dwellings.
h) "Effective Date" means the date on which this bylaw comes into force, which is
established as the date of bylaw adoption.
i) "For-Profit Affordable Housing" means Dwelling units in a development
comprised of residential use or a mixed use that will be available at rental rates
and purchase prices below market rates and prices, to those of low and
moderate incomes, that is subject to a Housing Agreement between the District
and a landowner, pursuant to the Local Government Act, that has some form of
occupancy restrictions, and or the rent or price charged to the occupant for the
unit, and as more clearly detailed in an affordable housing policy or bylaw
approved by Council.
j) "Gross Floor Area" or "GFA" shall have the same meaning as that contained
in the zoning bylaw.
k) "High Density Residential" means a residential building which contains
multiple dwelling units accessible via a common hallway or corridor and shared
entrance facilities, includes apartment buildings.
|) "In-Stream" means, in reference to an application not determined, rejected or
withdrawn and:
F In the case of application for subdivision, one for which the application
form has been submitted, the application fees have been paid, and all
supporting documentation required by the District of Squamish has been
submitted and accepted by the District of Squamish as a legitimate
application;
ii. In the case of an application for building permit, one for which the
application form has been submitted, the application fees have been
paid, and all supporting documentation required by the District of
Squamish including without limitation all applicable architectural,
structural, plumbing, electrical, mechanical and site drainage drawings
has been submitted and accepted by the District of Squamish as a
legitimate application;
ili. In the case of a rezoning application, one for which the application form
has been submitted, the application fees have been paid, and all
supporting documentation required by the District of Squamish has been
accepted by the District of Squamish as a legitimate application; and
iv. In the case of an application for development permit, one for which the
application form has been submitted, the application fees have been
paid, and all supporting documentation required by the District of
Squamish has been submitted and accepted by the District of Squamish
as a legitimate application.
m) "Issuable" means, in the case of a building permit, an application which meets
the requirements of an In-Stream application and for which:
i. Council has approved any applicable rezoning and/or development
permits and/or development variance permit;
ii. All required off-site legal encumbrances relating to engineering services
have been registered at the Land Title Office on title to the lot;
iii. Any plan, including a plan of subdivision, consolidation, or road
dedication, that would affect the legal description of the lot has been
registered at the Land Title Office on title to the lot;
iv. All review comments arising from the building permit application review
process have been addressed to the satisfaction of the District of
Squamish; and
V. All applicable fees and levies have been paid;
n) "Lot" means any lot, parcel, block or other area in which land is held or into
which it is legally subdivided, and for certainty, includes a bare land strata lot
under the Strata Property Act.
0) "Medium Density Residential" means residential development which includes
attached dwellings, townhouse dwellings and manufactured homes.
p) "Not-For-Profit Rental Housing" means those Dwelling Units in a development
comprised of a residential use or a mixed use that are or will be:
i. | Operated as rental housing for tenants who meet eligibility criteria related
to income, number of occupants, health or similar criteria;
li. | owned, leased or otherwise held by a Public Housing Body.
q) "Parcel" means any lot, block or other area in which land is held or into which it
is subdivided but does not include a highway.
r) "Precursor Application" means, in relation to a building permit, that there is
an:
i. In-Stream development permit application and that the development
authorized by the building permit is entirely within the are of land that is
the subject of the application; or
ii. In-Stream rezoning application and that the development authorized by
the building permit is entirely within the area of land to which the
application relates.
s) "Single Detached Residential" means a building that contains one dwelling
unit for residential use and is separate on all sides from any other structure.
Where specially permitted in the zoning bylaw, a single-detached dwelling may
contain one additional dwelling unit in the form of a secondary suite for
residential use.
t) Small Lot" means a Lot that is less than 690m? in area, on which there is
permitted to be not more than one Single Detached Dwelling, and on which
there may also be permitted not more than one Secondary Suite.
u) "Structure" means any construction fixed to, supported by or sunk into land or
water, excluding asphalt or concrete paving or similar surfacing of a parcel.
v) "Subdivision" means a subdivision as defined in the Land Title Act or Strata
Property Act.
w) "Townhouse" means a Building used for residential purposes and consisting of
two or more individual Dwelling Units having all or a portion of a wall common to an
adjacent Dwelling Unit, where access to each Dwelling Unit is from the exterior of
the Building and from the finished grade of the Lot, and for certainty such a
Dwelling unit does not include a Secondary Suite.
x) "Zone" means the zones identified and defined in the District of Squamish Zoning
Bylaw No. 2200, 2011.
y) "Zoning Bylaw" means the District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, as
amended, or repealed and replaced from time to time.
PART 3 --- AMENITY COST CHARGES
3.1 Pursuant to section 570.2(1) of the Local Government Act, for the purpose of
providing funds to assist the District in paying the capital costs of providing,
constructing, altering or expanding the amenities set out in Schedule "B'" to this
bylaw to service, directly or indirectly, the development and the increased
population of residents or workers that results from the development for which the
charge is being imposed, the Amenity Cost Charges set out in Schedules "A",
attached hereto and forming part of this bylaw, are hereby imposed on every
person who obtains:
(a) approval of a subdivision of land under the Land Title Act or the Strata
Property Act, that creates two or more parcels on which the zoning bylaw
permits the construction of a single detached residential dwelling;
(b) approval of a building permit authorizing the construction of a single detached
residential dwelling unit on an existing parcel; or
(c) approval of a building permit authorizing the construction, alteration or
extension of a medium density residential, or high density residential building
or structure;
and the amenity cost charge shall be paid prior to approval of a subdivision or
issuance of a building permit, as the case may be.
3.2 For certainty, if a single detached residential unit is replaced by another single
detached residential unit then no additional amenity cost charge is payable. If a lot
is subdivided into two, for example, to construct two small lot single detached
residential units, then amenity cost charges are payable on the one additional
single detached residential lot. If a multi-unit residential development is replaced by
another multi-unit residential development with the same unit mix and number of
units, then no additional amenity cost charges are payable. If a multi-unit residential
development is replaced by another multi-unit residential development with an
increased number of units, then amenity cost charges are payable only on the
additional units.
PART 4 - EXEMPTIONS
4.1 Despite any other provision of this bylaw, an amenity cost charge is not payable if
any of the following applies in relation to a development authorized by a building
permit:
(a) the permit authorizes the construction, alteration or extension of a building or
part of a building that is, or will be, after the construction, alteration or
extension, exempt from taxation under section 220(1)(h) or 224(2)(f) of the
Community Charter;
(b) no increase in the population of residents or workers is expected to result from
the development;
(c) an amenity cost charge has previously been paid for the development unless,
as a result of further development, there will be an increase in the population of
residents or workers; or
(d) affordable and special needs housing units that are required under an
affordable and special needs housing zoning by-law as defined in section
478.1;
(e) not-for-profit rental housing subject to a housing agreement under section 483
of the Local Government Act, or
(f) for-profit affordable rental housing subject to a housing agreement under
section 483 of the Local Government Act; or
PART 5 - CALCULATION OF APPLICABLE CHARGES
5.1. The amount of amenity cost charges payable in relation to a particular development
shall be calculated using the applicable charges set out in Schedule "A" of this
bylaw.
5.2 Where a type of development is not specifically identified in Schedule "A" the
amount of amenity cost charges to be paid to the District shall be equal to the
amenity cost charges that are payable for type of development that in the opinion of
General Manager of Community Development imposes the most similar cost
burden on the District.
5.3. The amount of amenity cost charges payable in relation to mixed-use type of
development shall be calculated for the residential portion of the development, in
accordance with Schedule "A", which is included in the building permit application
and shall be the sum of the charges payable for each residential unit type.
PART 6 - EFFECTIVE DATE
6.1. This bylaw shall come into force and effect on the date of adoption.
PART 7 -- SEVERABILITY
7.1 If any portion of this bylaw is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction,
then the invalid portion must be severed and the remainder of the bylaw remains
valid.
PART 8 -- TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
8.1. This bylaw is in force and effect on the Effective Date except in the case of:
a) applications for subdivisions of lots that are In-Stream on the Effective Date
and which are Completed within one year of the Effective Date;
b) building permits that are In-Stream on the Effective Date and which are
Issuable within one year of the Effective Date; and
Cc) building permits on lots with a Precursor Application In-Stream on the
Effective Date and where the related building permit is Issuable within one
year of the Effective Date.
In which case this bylaw does not apply. One year from the Effective Date, this
transitional provision is no longer in effect.
READ A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD TIME this 21 day of October, 2025.
ADOPTED this 17 day of February, 2026.
Armand syphfi Mayor
Melissa von Bloedau, Corporate Officer
SCHEDULE "A"
ATTACHED TO DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH AMENITY COST CHARGES BYLAW
NO. 3120, 2024
2 o|oO fo) So
So
of | S| , 8 |s| 8 Sil S Si8isisi & So
95% Si s So la] calislal as lola al ce leg
fo) NI ] : :
8 S18 = So] I -
ae oslo ° °
te sis 8 8 <4 So o1o Oo |}ololo
35 S|sls © S| & -|S S |HIN| O/H} G& |S iD
C2:
=
=b o|oO fo) So
8 Sis 8 sis So o;olco!| Oo Solo
. $3 sig] | & | 8/8) 8 sigisi § //s8/8| 8 8} | 8
6 os gis sigis Wb) S|G1 Ss |SlwWIlol oO a >
52 S/S Lis o1oO oO Oo
iS 53 als) | 8 | 8/8) S| |Ee/*] & PPR) & Ik) | 8
So = :
x 8
5 §
(a0) ae
. 22
fo) ae
z a
= : S
= «= = 8
S >
i z8 E :
= 63 ai
8 = :
ai 2
jaa) %
(op) on ol1o lo] fo)
o| Oo
us 3 s/s 3 sisi s 3/s!s 8 |sisisis} 8 |S s
Rie als = > > > > Oo oOo |O1O|o
Ss |S jal of logiciel o la
o 33 s|s gS Sig) gs w/SIB] Ss S| "lsisc]| o Io =
8 3| 3 3 S |r 8 S18 oO LOT] WwW) wo WwW |O 3
x = ole x Ss oO i] =| = a a
O
- 8
< b=} So oO
< So So 8
no wn Los a = S S s|.| § S
. Ow #25 (|& ¢ gs | Is g| |g g
-- o & ;
OOF 222 os o 7 . a | 8 :
ae Zz oi $ ¥ ° "|| o :
ee >
up = pet - :
Jo w
382 4
x <= slo °
4 fo) Sol1ol|o
oe ae sis} | 8 | 8/8 & sigis} 8 isisisisi 8 |8) | 8
S s\s Ss Sisis SIS]/G} S Iaolwla/c} o lo <=
5S oS Bl5, s Sis = gigix| 3 SIX S/S} S [8 8
a E 8% Six 5 So Ii-| & AN] ai |=
nw 5 0 ° " " é
> ol
i 2
& --€ --€
E E el |
LL E gel | £& | Sle} &] lee 2 55] 5 |B
a 515 5 Ee} Efile] PEPE AA Lie
eye ro --E|@ «E Pl E] © 5) 5|cl el] 'e |e
© ie = EjF §€ E/E) o) € [AA Efe) ESE
O 515) | 5 | 3/5 3] |5lssl 8A a3] B12
= B/D oH | 2165 &| S| = §| 5/33] 8 |3
w| = = 3} S B38
O : alslé| = | S/S/S|3] S |S
= ~~ : ®
" 2 ge :
a : BE iz :
oO
O 25 ge - els itis i
5 2 | 108 > 5 8 g \s
Ee S go ' oe gl £ iS o 3
So Ss ¢S Z 2 2 2
E a] |e @ |g <9 8 |al jtlxis [A
la ge al |O@a |S | |8E HS |g} lesle |°
Ww ® ° $ |= O§ = |alSISic |z
$2 8} |so |8 5 8 SS /seiFle 5
x z92 MS} 162 | |815 2 JS lalscas |s
3 a |z= j& Jae giZElo [slSialgqe ja
Ss) 83 ss |= leis lisse (2clalels |s
~@ ' = 5 8 5 |3isk S13] sla 2/5|5) §|2
C2 2] |% § £ yl2e2°0 2211S slz|=lal= 36
o E 62S gra 5 2 leaked ea:
os <x ® E|o we S| Sale es ee Iso
e] |x © §l2 Slxle a] lSisis Jc a8
Ze El JZ2§ sls Seize 8) [si Slels ¥/E/zlElE/E Bo
x 3 6] Sia 8 =| 8} 5 Oo SE/5/© Slslsl zl slg a2
© son ae Hele 3/ s/S/F alalalala|S 2%
na cj/c 0 Q oja]@ a 6
2 SSSg JLB sag 6/a}/S12 sisisisisi2 Sia
S a S| SE Boils SELES al al S/S ss gs
£ B/s|85 o5/2 Base L512 slelelelele ale g
2 aR © [= Gl) = FE
S|Clela a ale Ziala & BSS slalalaals se :
00} 0B} } co] co] O Aju Fe
TIN oO
clef =<-- <