FAQs

When a particular area or corridor within the city limits is identified as a location for additional study, City Council directs Planning staff to initiate a Corridor Study to clarify, provide further detail, or provide a more in-depth analysis of the implications of proposed policy changes to an area.

An Official Community Plan (OCP) includes goals, objectives and policies that guide planning and land use management. The City is undertaking an update to the OCP to evaluate existing housing and associated policies to ensure there is sufficient housing capacity to accommodate the long-term housing needs identified in the Interim Housing Needs Report (2024) to fulfill new provincial requirements introduced in 2023. In comparison, the scope of the North Bluff Road Corridor Study (the Corridor Study) is much more focused and will explore land uses within the North Bluff Road Corridor Study Area. 

There will be multiple opportunities to get involved throughout the planning process to learn more and share your thoughts. A Community Survey will be launched on February 18, 2025, and a Community Open House will be held on April 3, 2025. Anyone with an interest in the North Bluff Road Corridor is encouraged to participate in both opportunities. We want to hear what you value most about this area, what your priorities are and what opportunities you think could emerge through more intensive land uses (i.e., greater building heights and densities). The feedback provided through this first round of engagement will be used to inform two-to-three land use scenarios that will be presented to the community for input at a second Community Open House on May 27, 2025.

Community engagement will be an important and valued part of this planning process. Input received from all audiences will better enable Mayor and Council to make informed land use decisions across the Study Area. Input received through community engagement introduces ideas and perspectives that may not be explored through technical planning work alone. Input provided by the community will be considered alongside provincial legislation, regional planning policy, municipal strategic goals and objectives, land economic analyses and technical planning work. The results of the Corridor Study will ensure that the recommended land uses are economically viable and community priorities are respected, within the scope of the provincial legislative requirements. 

All community feedback on building heights and densities within the Study Area was reviewed when the project was launched in January 2025. More community feedback is required because a lot has changed since 2021. These changes include new provincial housing legislation to get more homes built faster, TransLink prioritizing the King George Boulevard Corridor from South Surrey to White Rock for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), and Surrey City Council approving the Semiahmoo Town Centre Plan. Current community feedback will inform the Corridor Study but it will be important to reflect on feedback provided over the years to confirm how community values and priorities have evolved and/or remained the same in some cases.

It is too early to say what building heights and densities will be recommended through the Corridor Study. There are many factors that will be considered throughout the planning process. It is a Strategic Priority of Council to assess the long-term land use and density along North Bluff Road in consultation with Surrey’s Semiahmoo Plan. The community will have an opportunity to comment on the Semiahmoo Town Centre Plan at the Community Open Houses. The Semiahmoo Town Centre Plan is relevant and will generate good discussion throughout the engagement process.

While housing is an important focus of the Corridor Study residential land uses are not the only land uses that will be reassessed. The Corridor Study will reassess all land uses and explore what mix and intensity of land uses will best ensure White Rock remains regionally competitive and attractive to employers and investors while respecting community values and priorities.

This study will not redesignate any land but is anticipated to be used to inform the future potential for lands within the Study Area. Based on the study result findings, Council may consider formal adoption of proposed recommendations within the Corridor Study into the Official Community Plan, which will include a public hearing process.

Additionally, the Corridor Study does not rezone a property, and development applications would still be required before anything beyond what is currently permitted could be built. Any planning application for redevelopment would require public consultation (as legislated) and Council approval.

You can find more information about the Corridor Study by attending one of the two (2) Community Houses we have planned for this winter/spring. 

The first Community Open House will be on April 3, 2025, from 4 – 8 p.m. at the White Rock Community Centre (15154 Russell Avenue, White Rock, BC V4B 0A6). 

We also encourage you to post any questions you may have to the project webpage using the question tool or email us at NBRCorridorStudy@whiterockcity.ca. All questions will be answered and added to this FAQ.

The Corridor Study does not rezone any property, and development applications would still be required before anything beyond what is currently permitted could be built. Any planning application for redevelopment would require public consultation (as legislated) and Council approval.

If redevelopment were to occur, tenants in purpose-built rental buildings are protected by the City’s Tenant Relocation Policy. This policy requires developers to provide advanced notice and assistance to affected individuals above and beyond what is required by the Residential Tenancy Act.

Under the relocation policy, developers must provide financial compensation, relocation support, and the first right of refusal (priority access) to return to the new building at below-market rents.

Provincial tenant protection legislation also applies, ensuring minimum standards for notice and compensation under the Residential Tenancy Act are enforced. Vulnerable tenants (e.g., seniors, people with disabilities, low-income renters) are entitled to enhanced support, such as tailored relocation assistance and connections to health or social service providers.

Condo (strata) buildings cannot be redeveloped without the consent of owners. In BC, at least 80% of strata owners must vote in favour of winding up the strata (terminating the strata corporation) before redevelopment can occur. This process is typically owner-initiated and is governed by the Strata Property Act.

Strata owners are also compensated through the redevelopment process. If a strata wind-up is approved, each owner receives payment for their unit based on its market value, usually through a negotiated purchase agreement with a developer.

There were several reasons behind changing the transitional designation boundary (to include the area down to Thrift Avenue along Vidal Street and Everall Street):

Consistency with Existing OCP Objectives: The extension down to Thrift aligns with the OCP’s broader goal of creating “transition areas between higher-density areas and established neighbourhoods.” Vidal and Everall already have a mixed character with some higher-density developments, so including them in the transitional designation provides continuity.

Recognition of Existing Development Patterns: Several properties south of North Bluff Road (on Vidal and Everall Streets) already exhibit low- to mid-rise multifamily forms, making for a seamless inclusion in a transitional designation. These existing patterns help absorb density while minimizing impacts on traditional single-detached neighbourhoods.

Access and Walkability: These areas provide walkable connections to key corridors (North Bluff Road and Johnston Road) and amenities (e.g. Peace Arch Hospital, public transit, and commercial areas). Their proximity to services supports the principles of complete communities and transit-oriented development, which are central to the proposed land use concepts.

Strategic Urban Design Considerations: Including these blocks within the transitional designation supports a "gentle density" approach, buffering more intense urban development on North Bluff from single-family zones further south. It creates a gradual transition in urban form instead of abrupt changes.

A green network is a system of connected greenways. Greenways, as defined in the 2017 Parks & Recreation Master Plan, are linear areas maintained as open space, to conserve natural and cultural resources, provide recreational opportunities, support active transportation, and connect key destinations.

Greenways can take many forms, such as separated pathways or shared-use paths, and often prioritize accessibility for people of all ages and abilities. In the City of White Rock, greenways are typically separated from vehicle traffic.

The proposed green network concept, guided by the 2022 Integrated Transportation and Infrastructure Master Plan (ITIMP), was developed in response to community feedback heard throughout the first round of engagement – we heard you say that you want better-connected and expanded public spaces and greenspaces. The concept presents the idea of a connected network of greenways that support walking, cycling, and access to nature.