I recently heard that the Shuswap Lake RV Resort in Celista just bought another 3 acres that will provide them with another entrance area and room for more RV sites. Currently the plan on their website shows up to 122 RV lots, along with the needed services (water, septic, roads, etc.). The new property will likely allow them to add more. This is somewhat aggravating to the neighbours, and many are asking how can they put that many units in that size space (about 5 ha or 12 acres)?

The answer is that there are no rules!

In many areas of the North Shuswap there are two bylaws, well actually lots more, but two bylaws that affect basic planning. The Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning bylaws. The CSRD website describes an OCP bylaw as “as a general statement of the broad objectives and policies” for an area. It’s a long-term strategy document that has no significant effect without… Zoning bylaws. In many areas of the North Shuswap there are zoning bylaws that specifically lay out what you can and cannot do on a given piece of land.

In Celista there are no zoning bylaws. There is an OCP for the whole North Shu including Celista, but some areas have never had the zoning bylaws put in place. I assume because the past Area Directors were encouraged to leave those areas without zoning. And so, we have this situation where a developer is legally able to create a significantly higher density, roughly 25 units per hectare, than what the OCP would suggest, which is 1 unit per hectare.

In general, I’m no fan of rules, but zoning does let the neighbourhood have a say in how it develops. It’s probably something we should discuss.

Link to North Shuswap OCP

Link to Celista Zoning Bylaws
(Ah, nothing there)