At a council meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the District of Squamish Council will review a rezoning application from Squamish Walmart on Discovery Way to remove restrictions on the sale of perishable and non-perishable food items, allowing the store to operate as a grocery retailer.
The current zoning, established in 2002, restricts food retail in the Squamish Business Park. Amendments in 2005 further prohibited Walmart from selling items such as fresh meat, poultry, fish, and produce while capping overall food retail space. As part of the 2005 agreement, Walmart was barred from seeking rezoning for five years.
Walmart is now requesting the removal of all restrictions on food sales, which will allow a full range of grocery items without specific size limitations for the grocery section. Walmart’s proposal comes in response to significant population growth in Squamish over the past 15 years, which has driven increased demand for grocery options.
Murals, bike parking proposed
In addition to rezoning, Walmart is pursuing a development permit to update the store’s appearance and amenities. Planned changes include:
Updated signage and a new façade paint scheme.
Covered bike parking will result in 20 spaces and four lockers.
Two murals facing Discovery Way.
New end-of-trip facilities for staff, such as showers and change rooms.
These updates aim to bring the store closer to current zoning standards, despite initial construction predating some requirements.
If Council grants first, second, and third readings of the rezoning bylaw, further steps will be required before final adoption. These include referring the bylaw to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure for approval and registering a land development agreement to secure the proposed murals and bicycle parking.
The Walmart site covers approximately 2.9 hectares and opened to the community in 2006.
