Part 26 of the British Columbia Local Government Act allows BC municipalities to regulate land use through such documents as Official Community Plans, Zoning Bylaws and Development Permit Guidelines all for the broader public good (usually as determined by Mayor and Council).

A Zoning Bylaw is usually very specific and determines what uses are permitted on a particular property and stipulates the setbacks, height and density of buildings permitted on a lot. Zoning evolved historically as a way of separating incompatible land uses within urban areas.

Re-zonings are one of the ways our built up areas evolve via a  formal legal process. Rezonings involve public hearings and usually significant efforts by the proponent in order to respond to adjacent property concerns. Official Community Plans tend to be more broad brush, long term policy documents. They can be used by municipalities to steer re-zoning of certain lands in ways that support various community goals such as economic and environmentally sustainable city form.