Planning & Development

Planning shapes how Silverton grows, changes, and stays true to what makes it special.

Historically, the Village has not had dedicated municipal planning capacity to guide long-term land use planning and development processes. As a result, some of Silverton’s key planning documents went many years without a comprehensive review. The Village is now working to establish a more current, consistent, and accessible approach to planning.

Official Community Plan Adopted

The Village of Silverton has officially adopted its new Official Community Plan as a municipal bylaw.

The Official Community Plan, commonly called the OCP, establishes the community’s long-term vision and provides guidance for decisions relating to land use, housing, infrastructure, environmental protection, economic development, and community services.

The new OCP reflects extensive community input and replaces the Village’s previous Official Community Plan.

CLICK to view the adopted Official Community Plan

Current Focus: Zoning Bylaw Update

With the new Official Community Plan now adopted, the Village’s current planning priority is completing the update of the Zoning Bylaw.

The OCP establishes the Village’s long-term vision and policy direction, while the Zoning Bylaw provides the detailed regulations used to implement that vision. It regulates matters such as permitted land uses, building locations, setbacks, parcel coverage, and development standards.

Updating the Zoning Bylaw will help ensure that Silverton’s land use regulations are consistent with the newly adopted OCP and reflect the community’s current needs and priorities.

Click to view the DRAFT Zoning Bylaw Update

Planning in a Small Community

Planning in Silverton is different from planning in a large city.

Because our community is small, planning cannot rely only on statistics or standardized solutions. It also depends on local knowledge, lived experience, and thoughtful input from the people who know this place best.

Public engagement remains an important part of planning and development in Silverton. Community input helps Council understand local priorities and make informed decisions about the Village’s future.

Looking Ahead

The adoption of the new Official Community Plan is an important milestone, but it is not the end of the Village’s planning work.

Over time, the Village aims to continue building a proactive, consistent, and accessible planning program that supports housing choice, environmental stewardship, local economic activity, community livability, and Silverton’s distinctive character.

Future work may include additional studies, policy and bylaw updates, implementation projects, and community-led initiatives as capacity and resources allow.