Residents Invited to Participate in Workshops and Survey as Accessory Dwelling Unit Planning Process Rolls Out Across the Region

Residents around the region are being encouraged to share their ideas and comments on potential changes to RDEK zoning and land use bylaw regulations for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).

ADUs are independent, self-contained living spaces that are in addition to the principal dwelling unit or structure on a single property, including interior, attached, and detached dwelling units.  

“Having strong participation from around the region in the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) planning process will help ensure a wide range of views and priorities are considered. To help better understand the different perspectives, we have scheduled a series of workshops over the next two months and have opened a detailed public survey,” says RDEK Planner Sarah Baines. 

The workshops kicked off in Electoral Area A on October 11 and there will be a total of 15 workshops held through December 1 across all six electoral areas.  In addition to the in-person events, two of the sessions are online and are open to all electoral areas.  “We have worked hard to provide multiple opportunities for engagement, and the online opportunities will also provide a way for people who are not in the region or who may be unavailable during the in-person events to continue to participate and share their feedback,” adds Baines.

In addition, a detailed survey is open now through December 1 on the ADU project page: [url=https://engage.rdek.bc.ca/housing]https://engage.rdek.bc.ca/housing[/url].  The full list of all the workshops, access to the survey, an introductory video and ongoing project updates can all be found on the project page. 

Both the survey and the workshops will seek feedback on a range of topics including everything from what types of dwellings should qualify as ADUs to where people would like to see ADUs located, perceived advantages and disadvantages, uses, sizes, servicing impacts and more. Hard copies of the survey are available on request for those who do not have access to a computer, and responses can also be provided by phone.

Community engagement will continue over the next eight months and will help inform draft proposed bylaws, which are anticipated to be shared with the RDEK Board of Directors and public for review early in 2026.

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