Zoning Bylaw Rewrite

On February 26, 2024, City Council gave first reading to a bylaw to amend the Zoning Bylaw that, if adopted, will enable more housing to be developed throughout Whitehorse. The proposed amendments include:

1. Allow up to four (4) units per lot in all urban ‘single detached’ residential zones;
2. Relax site coverage and setbacks in some zones where additional units are provided;
3. Relax living and garden suite regulations to allow them in more places:
   • Allow suites in RR zone
   • Allow suites in duplex, triplex, and townhouse housing
   • Allow two suites on any lot where suites are allowed
4. Enable more units in RCM – Comprehensive Residential Multiple Family and RCM3 – Cottage Cluster Homes zones; and
5. Relax some parking regulations:
   • Eliminate visitor parking and loading space requirements for multiple housing in commercial zones
   • Reduce parking requirements for living/garden suites

A public hearing was held on March 25, 2024. The public hearing is now closed, and no further input on this bylaw can be submitted to Council. City staff presented a Public Hearing Report to Council on April 15, 2024. Council will make a decision on the proposed amendments April 22, 2024.

For additional details on what these proposed amendments mean, please review our Guide to Proposed Changes.

Still have questions? Ask a question right here in our Zoning Questions Corner, so others can see as well.

The Round 1 Engagement Summary report from the first round of public engagement is now available. The report provides a summary of the input received from 417 community survey responses and 10 targeted interviews with interested and affected parties and rights holders. Respondents provided their input on topics including housing, parking, urban design, and transportation.

This feedback will be used to inform the draft Zoning Bylaw, which is expected to be completed and presented for public and interested party feedback in fall 2024.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey and interviews - your contributions and continued interest in the project are appreciated!

Our planning team has put together a brief document summarizing the history of zoning in Whitehorse. This document looks back at all of the City's previous Zoning Bylaws, starting in 1952, and tracks how zoning has changed over the decades to reflect an evolving community and changes in planning best practices that are reflective of broader trends throughout North America.

History of Zoning in Whitehorse

The City of Whitehorse is forming an advisory group to assist the City and its Consultant, ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd., with the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite project. The group will meet periodically with the Consultant to provide information and advice to ISL as they work through the stages of the project.

The application period to join this group has closed and members have been selected. Thank you to everyone who applied to join this group.

There will be a first round of amendments to the Zoning Bylaw to address immediate housing challenges in the community before focusing on the entire Zoning Bylaw content. Housing related amendments will be developed based on recommendations provided by the Housing and Land Development Advisory Committee. These initial amendments will address short- and medium-term housing challenges, which will provide the basis for longer-term housing related solutions to be developed in the complete Zoning Bylaw Rewrite in Phase 2.