The RDEK is honoured to have received a Union of BC Municipalities Community Excellence Award for Excellence in Sustainability for the Accelerate Kootenay project.

Pictured RDEK Electoral Area A Director Mike Sosnowski accepts the award from UBCM President (and RDEK Vice Chair) Wendy Booth.

The Planning & Development Services Department is managed by Andrew McLeod and strives to support well thought out, safe growth in our rural communities. There are a number of factors that our Planning staff take into consideration, including: quality of life, land use, sustainable development and environmental protection.

This is achieved through two different sections in our planning department: current applications and long range planning.

Current Planning:
RDEK Planning Technicians and Development Clerk assist residents, property owners, buyers and developers with “day to day” inquiries like zoning, variances, development permits, and land use regulations in all of our Electoral Areas. During the summer months, a Planning Technician is available one day a week at our Columbia Valley Office. The Planning Technicians process applications and provide recommendations to the Electoral Area Directors and the Board.

Long Range Planning:
RDEK have three Planners who work on our long range planning projects, such as: the Regional Sustainability Strategy, Official Community Plans, Zoning Bylaws, and more (such as the Agricutural and Lake Management Plans).

One of the guiding documents for the Planning & Development Services Department is the Regional Sustainability Strategy. The RSS is a regional vision that provides long range planning direction.