WCEL > Issues > Urban Growth and Development > Smart Bylaws Guide > Part 3 > Compact Complete Communities > Nanaimo

Smart Bylaws Guide – Compact Complete Communities – Nanaimo

The City of Nanaimo has committed to nodal development and higher densities in those nodes as compensation for restricted development outside of the urban containment boundary. A hierarchy of growth centres (a town centre, regional shopping town centres, neighbourhood villages), to encourage the development of a mix of land uses at urban densities, is planned.

The first goal of the City of Nanaimo Official Community Plan is to build complete and viable communities. To do this, development will be shifted away from suburban locations to urban growth centres (town centres, regional shopping town centres and neighbourhood villages), around existing commercial and service areas. The aim is to integrate a broad range of residential, commercial, community and open space uses in each area to create compact, pedestrian friendly communities. The City will seek a total of 20% of the land for publicly accessible open space in growth centres.

City of Nanaimo zoning that helps to meet these goals includes:

• Neighbourhood Commercial Zone (C-1) p.123
• Infill Commercial Zone (C-3) p.127
• Mixed-Use Commercial Zone (C-4) p.129
• Central Commercial Zone (C-9) p.142
• Core Area Commercial Zone (C-11) p.146
• Old City Mixed Multiple Family/Commercial Zone (C-17) p.162
• Old City Central Commercial Zone (C-18) p.166
• Old City Infill Commercial and Service Commercial (C-19 and C-20) p.169
• Mainstreet Commercial Zone (C-22) p.178
• Town Centre Commercial Zone (C-23) p.181