Planning and Development

The community planning division is responsible for developing and administering Burnaby’s Official Community Plan (OCP). The OCP is a City-wide document that integrates land use, transportation, housing, environment, community facilities and services, and social and economic planning into a broad strategy to direct Burnaby's growth and development.  

The division addresses policy issues and initiatives related to area, neighbourhood, and community plans and policies. It provides professional and technical advice through the director to council and committees on City lands, land use, housing, environmental, transportation, heritage, social policy and regional planning matters. It also maintains the City’s mapping systems and data related to land use planning.

Community planning also includes the climate action and energy division, which leads the Climate Action Framework and the City Energy Strategy. The division works with various stakeholders to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and transition towards a cleaner future. In addition, it also develops and implements environmental programs and policies related to in-stream works, stormwater, drinking water, contaminated sites, development applications and inspections of industrial/commercial operations.

The development and urban design division provides professional and technical advice through the director to council and committees on development applications including subdivision, road closure, preliminary plan approval, siting approval and rezoning. In addition, this division administers rezoning, subdivision and development approvals, and public hearing notices.

The division implements community plans by guiding the redevelopment of specific areas identified in the City’s Official Community Plan including town centres, district centres, urban villages and other specially identified areas. Land uses, zoning designations and consolidation patterns with supporting public infrastructure, including road networks, parks and greenways and public facility sites, are outlined in adopted plans and other processes to guide residents, landowners and developers.

All community plans go through a comprehensive review process in consultation with other City departments, the public and other stakeholders before council approval.

The building division ensures all new development and building construction in the City complies with the safety codes, zoning bylaws and municipal bylaws through following sections:

• Administration Section ensures the efficient processing of all building, electrical, plumbing, gas, fire, sprinkler, heating, demolition and tree cutting permits.
• The Plan Checking and Inspection Sections ensures that all construction and development is in compliance with health, life safety and structural sufficiency requirements, contained in related Provincial construction codes and municipal bylaws through plan review and inspections.

The strategic initiatives division leads or consults on key development initiatives of broad departmental or corporate priority and impact. Priority areas of responsibility and accountability include:

• leading development process improvement projects
• leading key projects and policies in the areas of strategic planning, land use and development, housing, and organizational/business growth
• supporting the development of civic buildings and other capital projects of municipal significance by providing planning advisory services
• supporting the work of other departments and divisions in developing strategic plans and growth management plans by providing project advisory services

The strategic initiatives division also provides support for projects, policies, and unique enquiries related to economic development.