Transition period in place through the summer before updated application fees take effect September 7, 2026
The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) has adopted the Planning Fees, Procedures and Delegation Bylaw No. 899, 2026, updating planning application fees, public notice requirements, delegated approvals, and planning and development application procedures across the regional district’s electoral areas.
The updated bylaw is intended to create a clearer, more consistent planning and development application process while improving transparency, processing timelines, and overall service delivery for residents, applicants, builders, and property owners.
Transition Period Before Updated Fees Take Effect
Planning application fees at the CVRD have remained unchanged since 2014. Over the past decade, inflation and rising operating costs have significantly increased the cost of delivering planning and development services across the region.
While the bylaw takes effect May 26, 2026, the CVRD is delaying implementation of updated application fees until September 7, 2026, to provide applicants, builders, and property owners additional time through the summer under the current fee schedule.
Applications received on or before September 6, 2026, will continue to be processed at current rates.
Updated fees will remain in effect through December 31, 2027, with annual fee adjustments of three per cent beginning January 1, 2028.
Streamlined Review Process for Some Applications
In addition to updated fees, the bylaw introduces several process improvements intended to improve consistency, clarity, transparency, and efficiency across Planning and Development Services.
To help improve timelines for some lower-risk and more straightforward applications, certain application types may now be reviewed and approved by an Executive Manager rather than requiring Board consideration. This includes select development permits, minor development variance permits, and certain site-specific floodplain exemptions.
“A big part of these changes is creating a more consistent and responsive application process for applicants and property owners,” said Alana Mullaly, General Manager, Planning and Development Services. “For some more straightforward application types, the updated process can help support more timely decision-making while continuing to maintain Board oversight for more complex or policy-sensitive applications.”
Updated Public Notice Requirements
The updated bylaw also changes how public notice is provided for planning and development applications.
In addition to newspaper notice and mailed notification requirements already in place, public notice may now also include information shared on the CVRD website and at CVRD-owned public facilities, depending on the application type.
Notification distances have also been expanded in some areas following feedback from residents and to help improve public awareness and transparency around development applications in their area. In some cases, notification distances have increased from 500 metres to 750 metres or 1,000 metres depending on the location and application type.
Learn More
For more information about the updated bylaw, planning and development application procedures, or fee changes, residents, applicants, builders, and property owners are encouraged to visit comoxvalleyrd.ca/bylaw899 or book an appointment with the CVRD Planning and Development team.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities operating on the unceded traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of the land. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on providing sustainable services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley
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Media contact:
Alana Mullaly
General Manager, Planning and Development Services
Comox Valley Regional District
250-334-6051
amullaly@comoxvalleyrd.ca