INFORMATION RELEASE

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) is initiating new land use bylaws specific to Okanagan Falls in anticipation of the community's upcoming incorporation as a municipality.

What is being proposed and why?
On March 26, 2025, eligible voters in Okanagan Falls voted in favour of incorporating as a municipality. In preparation for this transition, the RDOS is taking a proactive step to give the future municipality its own dedicated planning documents.

Currently, land use within Okanagan Falls is governed by the Electoral Area “D” Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw No. 2603, 2013, and the Okanagan Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 2800, 2022, both of which apply across a much broader regional geography.

While provincial legislation allows these bylaws to carry over automatically upon incorporation, the RDOS believes it is in the community's best interest to establish a clear, standalone policy and regulatory framework before that transition occurs.

The proposed OCP and Zoning Bylaw for Okanagan Falls will not introduce new policies or regulations. The proposed OCP and Zoning Bylaw documents will simply be presented so that they will belong solely to Okanagan Falls after incorporation. The intent is to carry forward the existing land use policies and zoning regulations that already apply to the area.

What are the benefits to the community?
Establishing dedicated bylaws for Okanagan Falls before incorporation will:

• Provide the incoming municipal council and staff with a clear, standalone set of land use documents from day one
• Eliminate potential confusion about which policies apply to the new municipality and the remainder of Electoral Area “D”
• Provide the new municipality with a practical framework it can begin refining to reflect its own community vision, without the urgency of drafting entirely new bylaws immediately upon incorporation
• Update RDOS land use bylaws that apply to Electoral Area “D” for the post-incorporation era, benefiting the communities that will remain within the Regional District

How can you get involved?
The RDOS is committed to meaningful public engagement throughout this process. Residents, property owners, and interested parties in the Okanagan Falls area are encouraged to review the draft bylaws on the project webpage and share their feedback through feedback forms that can be accessed here. 

Meetings are scheduled for June 23, 2026 (online) and June 25, 2026 (in-person), while feedback is encouraged to be submitted to the Regional District before July 6, 2026.

Next steps
Following the public engagement period, all feedback received will be considered by the Regional District Board before first reading. The Regional District intends to complete this process in advance of the Okanagan Falls incorporation date.

For further information, please contact the RDOS Planning Department at 250-490-4108 or email planning@rdos.bc.ca.

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Mark Pendergraft, Chair
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen 

Contact:
RDOS Communications
250-490-4148
Toll-free 1-877-610-3737

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