Ambleside Local Area Plan

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We acknowledge that we are on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Musqueam Nation. We recognize and respect them as nations in this territory, as well as their historic connection to the lands and waters around us since time immemorial.


Creating a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ambleside

Ambleside is a waterfront neighbourhood and commercial centre located on the north shore of the Burrard Inlet, situated between Dundarave and Park Royal. Ambleside’s continued success and long-term vitality are of importance to residents, businesses, visitors, and the entire West Vancouver community.

The Official Community Plan (OCP) includes policy to develop a LAP for Ambleside, which outlines the long-range vision for Ambleside as a whole, provides more detailed regulations and guidelines to shape the form and character of new development, and confirms the local policy response to planning topics like housing, commerce, mobility, sustainability, and public realm. The LAP, once adopted, would become a component of the OCP.

Sign up for email notifications to stay informed. We welcome your questions and feedback by phone or email.


Findings from phase one presented to Council on July 24, 2023

Thank you again for sharing your feedback and input on the Ambleside Local Area Plan (LAP). Staff reviewed all public input and presented the findings to Council on Monday, July 24, 2023 for direction on next steps.

View the Council Report and accompanying documents below (these items are also in the document library section of this project page).

Council Report: July 14, 2023

Appendix A: Ambleside LAP Framework: July 24, 2023

Appendix B: Ambleside LAP Subject Lands Where New Rental Tenure Zoning Would Apply - July 24, 2023

Appendix C: Ambleside LAP Public Engagement Summary - July 24, 2023

Appendix D: Ambleside LAP - Memo -Summary for Ambleside Transportation Plan Phase 1

Ambleside LAP Public Engagement Transcript: July 24, 2023


Next steps: three-streamed approach

At the July 24, 2023, Council meeting, staff were directed to proceed with a “three-streamed” approach addressing the apartment, commercial areas, and neighbourhood.


1. Apartment areas:

Staff have prepared Zoning and Official Community Plan (OCP) bylaw amendments to guide incremental change for Ambleside’s apartment areas.

The proposed zoning and OCP amendments (outlined in Maps 3 to 8 of the LAP Framework from the July 24 report) include:

  1. a modest expansion of the apartment area boundaries;
  2. policies to guide future rezonings for diverse housing options within these revised boundaries; and
  3. changes to RM1 and RM2 zoning for existing purpose-built rental (shown in Appendix B), to limit maintain the tenure on these sites to rental-only.

On Monday, September 11, 2023, Council will consider the proposed apartment area Zoning and OCP bylaw amendments for first reading. If Council gives first reading, a public hearing will be scheduled at a later date, so that Council can continue to hear community input and perspectives.

The full proposed amending bylaws and accompanying report to Council can be accessed at the link below.

Council Report: August 30, 2023


2. Commercial areas:

Staff will prepare illustrations and renderings to visualize the regeneration of the “Hollyburn Corner” and “Ambleside-by-the-Sea” commercial areas (see Maps 9 to 14) and engage with the community and stakeholders.

More information on this process and opportunities will be available soon. We look forward to engaging this fall.


3. Neighbourhood areas:

Staff will wait for provincial direction regarding changes to the regulation of single-detached housing, assess any implications, and hold local conversations with residents in five single-detached neighbourhood areas (see Map 2).

Property owners within the five sub areas will be notified directly in 2024. We look forward to having these conversations with you then.


We look forward to continuing to work with community members and stakeholders on planning for the future of Ambleside.

We acknowledge that we are on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Squamish Nation, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Musqueam Nation. We recognize and respect them as nations in this territory, as well as their historic connection to the lands and waters around us since time immemorial.


Creating a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ambleside

Ambleside is a waterfront neighbourhood and commercial centre located on the north shore of the Burrard Inlet, situated between Dundarave and Park Royal. Ambleside’s continued success and long-term vitality are of importance to residents, businesses, visitors, and the entire West Vancouver community.

The Official Community Plan (OCP) includes policy to develop a LAP for Ambleside, which outlines the long-range vision for Ambleside as a whole, provides more detailed regulations and guidelines to shape the form and character of new development, and confirms the local policy response to planning topics like housing, commerce, mobility, sustainability, and public realm. The LAP, once adopted, would become a component of the OCP.

Sign up for email notifications to stay informed. We welcome your questions and feedback by phone or email.


Findings from phase one presented to Council on July 24, 2023

Thank you again for sharing your feedback and input on the Ambleside Local Area Plan (LAP). Staff reviewed all public input and presented the findings to Council on Monday, July 24, 2023 for direction on next steps.

View the Council Report and accompanying documents below (these items are also in the document library section of this project page).

Council Report: July 14, 2023

Appendix A: Ambleside LAP Framework: July 24, 2023

Appendix B: Ambleside LAP Subject Lands Where New Rental Tenure Zoning Would Apply - July 24, 2023

Appendix C: Ambleside LAP Public Engagement Summary - July 24, 2023

Appendix D: Ambleside LAP - Memo -Summary for Ambleside Transportation Plan Phase 1

Ambleside LAP Public Engagement Transcript: July 24, 2023


Next steps: three-streamed approach

At the July 24, 2023, Council meeting, staff were directed to proceed with a “three-streamed” approach addressing the apartment, commercial areas, and neighbourhood.


1. Apartment areas:

Staff have prepared Zoning and Official Community Plan (OCP) bylaw amendments to guide incremental change for Ambleside’s apartment areas.

The proposed zoning and OCP amendments (outlined in Maps 3 to 8 of the LAP Framework from the July 24 report) include:

  1. a modest expansion of the apartment area boundaries;
  2. policies to guide future rezonings for diverse housing options within these revised boundaries; and
  3. changes to RM1 and RM2 zoning for existing purpose-built rental (shown in Appendix B), to limit maintain the tenure on these sites to rental-only.

On Monday, September 11, 2023, Council will consider the proposed apartment area Zoning and OCP bylaw amendments for first reading. If Council gives first reading, a public hearing will be scheduled at a later date, so that Council can continue to hear community input and perspectives.

The full proposed amending bylaws and accompanying report to Council can be accessed at the link below.

Council Report: August 30, 2023


2. Commercial areas:

Staff will prepare illustrations and renderings to visualize the regeneration of the “Hollyburn Corner” and “Ambleside-by-the-Sea” commercial areas (see Maps 9 to 14) and engage with the community and stakeholders.

More information on this process and opportunities will be available soon. We look forward to engaging this fall.


3. Neighbourhood areas:

Staff will wait for provincial direction regarding changes to the regulation of single-detached housing, assess any implications, and hold local conversations with residents in five single-detached neighbourhood areas (see Map 2).

Property owners within the five sub areas will be notified directly in 2024. We look forward to having these conversations with you then.


We look forward to continuing to work with community members and stakeholders on planning for the future of Ambleside.

  • Ambleside LAP Engagement Findings and Proposed Framework

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    Thank you again for sharing your feedback and input on the Ambleside Local Area Plan (LAP). A review of all public input has been completed, and staff presented to Council on Monday, July 24, 2023 for direction on next steps.

    The summary of engagement findings, proposed LAP Framework, transportation summary, and Council report are now available online.

    Council Report: July 24, 2023

    LAP Framework

    Subject Lands Where New Rental Tenure Zoning Would Apply

    Engagement Summary

    Summary for Ambleside Transportation Plan Phase 1

    We look forward to continuing to work with community members and stakeholders on planning for the future of Ambleside. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to receive project updates by clicking on the Stay Informed tab on this project page, and feel free to browse through the project FAQs, timeline, and document library.

  • Creating a Local Area Plan (LAP) for Ambleside

    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    Ambleside is a waterfront neighbourhood and commercial centre located on the north shore of the Burrard Inlet, situated between Dundarave and Park Royal. Ambleside’s continued success and long-term vitality are of importance to residents, businesses, visitors, and the entire West Vancouver community.

    On June 13, 2022, Council directed staff to prepare three high-level, draft plan options for Ambleside LAP engagement purposes and report back in the first quarter of 2023. These options were subsequently presented to Council at its February 6, 2023 meeting, where staff were directed to proceed with LAP engagement.

    Options Booklet (PDF)

    Historical Summary (PDF)

    Council Report: June 13, 2022 (PDF)

    Council Report: February 6, 2023 (PDF)

    The District is committed to public engagement that provides meaningful opportunities to shape the future of Ambleside. The three options are not definitive. They are draft, high-level, and provided as a tool to generate your feedback, new ideas, and facilitate community dialogue.

    Sign up for email notifications to stay informed. We welcome your questions and feedback by phone or email.

  • Thank you for helping to shape the future of Ambleside!

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    A big thank you to all who participated in Ambleside Local Area Plan (LAP) meetings, pop-ups, workshops, and/or additionally shared your input by phone or email this spring!

    Staff really enjoyed meeting members of the community, hearing your perspectives on the draft Options, and finding out about your own great ideas. Hundreds of you participated and thousands of suggestions and comments were made. We will now be carefully reviewing all public input to prepare an upcoming report and presentation to Council, targeted for July, to seek direction on the LAP’s next steps.

    If you haven’t already, please subscribe to receive project updates by clicking on the Stay Informed tab on this project page, and feel free to browse through the project FAQs, timeline, and document library.

  • Shaping the future of Ambleside!

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    Many thanks for registering for the LAP workshops! We look forward to discussing the three draft options with you, as well as your new ideas for land use and building forms in Ambleside. All eight in-person and virtual workshop dates are now full, with registration closed.

    If you were unable to register for a workshop, we encourage you to review the three draft options and share your input for Ambleside’s new LAP by email.

    All input received will be summarized and presented back to Council at an open meeting – targeted for July – to seek their direction on next steps on how to move the LAP forward!

    In-person workshops

    • FULL – Tuesday, April 18, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Thursday, April 20, 5–7 p.m.
    • FULL – Wednesday, April 26, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Tuesday, May 9, 4–6 p.m.
    • FULL – Thursday, May 11, 5–7 p.m.

    Virtual workshops

    • FULL - Tuesday, April 25, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.
    • FULL - Wednesday, May 3, 12–2 p.m.
    • FULL - Wednesday, May 17, 4–6 p.m

  • Come shape the future of Ambleside!

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    It’s time to review the three draft options and share your ideas for Ambleside’s new Local Area Plan (LAP).

    Join others in your community to discuss the three draft options, as well as any new ideas for land use and building forms in Ambleside.

    Registration is required. In-person workshops will be held at the Seniors' Activity Centre, located at 695 21st Street. The virtual workshop will be held on Zoom via a link provided after registration.

  • Background

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    Community engagement

    Ambleside LAP engagement will involve working with local stakeholders and the community to gather feedback and identify:

    • aspects of any of the options you think might make sense
    • ideas in the options you think could be refined and made better
    • components from any of the options you think shouldn't be explored
    • new creative ideas you can share to plan for Ambleside's long-term success

    Each distinct option is informed by over thirty planning studies spanning the past 75 years, existing Official Community Plan (OCP) policy, current Ambleside demographic and land use conditions, mapping analyses, and three-dimensional model visualization. The options booklet is an engagement tool that illustrates variety and possibility for Ambleside, while encouraging informed dialogue and collaboration to shape the LAP. Staff are here to listen to all feedback so we can present it back to Council, along with a single LAP framework (emerging land uses and building heights) for subsequent direction.

Page last updated: 21 Sep 2023, 08:44 AM