FAQs

RDCK web map

An electoral area is a geographic area within the RDCK). See the map below showing the RDCK’s 11 electoral areas.

You can use the RDCK Web Map to determine your zoning. Instructions on how to use the map to determine your zoning are here. The zoning on your property regulates such things as density, setbacks, heights of structures, lot coverage, accessory building floor area maximums, minimum lot sizes and permitted principal and accessory uses (and conditions of those uses).

It is possible to apply to change zoning for a property by submitting a bylaw amendment application. Visit our land use applications page for more details.

Setbacks for siting buildings and structures are found in the Zoning Bylaw in your area. There may also be various setbacks for road rights-of-way, floodplain or environmental features, and siting exemptions for certain structures. Check with Planning Services to confirm your setbacks.

Most residentially zoned parcels are permitted to have a secondary suite that forms part of a principal dwelling. If your lot is over 1.0, it may be possible for you to choose to have a detached accessory dwelling unit rather than a secondary suite. Note that most residentially zoned parcels only permit a maximum of two dwelling units per parcel, so you may only have one or the other. Properties with agricultural zoning may not be permitted to have a detached accessory dwelling unit even if they are over 1.0 ha. It depends on the properties zoning. If you are having trouble determining what is permitted on our property, please request assistance from Planning Services.

Depending on your zoning, you may be permitted to build an accessory building on your property. Often, the size and height of accessory buildings are limited. Typically, you are not permitted to build an accessory building on a parcel until a principal use (such as a dwelling) is established. Be sure to check your zoning for specific regulations.

The BC Building Code requires all dwellings to be code compliant, have permanent foundations and be connected to an approved septic system. It is not the size that counts, but the connection to services and compliance with the BC Building Code. As such, tiny homes on wheels, or recreational vehicles on wheels, are not permitted to be used as full time dwellings because they do not meet BC Building Code Regulations.

Some zones permit shipping containers, others do not. Check your zoning to confirm and if you need assistance, please reach out to Planning Services. Before placing a shipping container on your property, consider that there are some serious safety and fire concerns with using shipping containers for storage, especially related to the storage of flammable liquids and combustibles.  These containers are built to contain whatever is inside of them and typically have little to no venting. Ignition of a very small amount of flammable liquid/gas can result in pressure build up inside the container and the lack of ventilation can cause these to catastrophically explode and tear apart. When things do go wrong, a first-responder assessment of the situation is hampered by the fact that responders on site don’t know what’s going on inside. If you have questions about modifying shipping containers for use as accessory buildings or dwellings, please reach out to the Building Department.

The RDCK will provide civic addressing numbers for $75.00 each upon request. To request an address (or additional address for your property), please fill out this form and return it to plandept@rdck.bc.ca. 

As of September 30, 2020 Individual landowners may no longer submit ALR exclusion applications to the ALC. You can read more about this here. The RDCK will review requests for property exclusion from ALR lands and consider submitting an exclusion application to the ALC only as part of Official Community Plan review or as a Block Request (see definition) or as part of other relevant policy projects such as the Agricultural Plan. For information about the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) please check out the ALC’s website.

Please see the Archaeological Branch’s Property Owner Brochure. Be advised that archaeological sites on both public and private land are protected under the Heritage Conservation Act and must not be damaged or altered without a permit issued by the Archaeology Branch. This protection applies even when archaeological sites are previously unidentified or disturbed. Archaeological assessments and studies help determine what impact proposed projects will have on known or unknown archaeological sites. Learn about archaeological overview assessments and archaeological impact assessments. Every year in B.C. archaeological artifacts and sites are discovered by people digging in their garden, doing home renovations, developing property, or working on the land base. Learn more about how to report an archaeological find. For questions about the archaeological permitting and assessment process, please contact the Archaeology Branch at 250-953-3334 or archaeology@gov.bc.ca. Consulting archaeologists are listed on the BC Association of Professional Archaeologists website (www.bcapa.ca).

The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), is a provincial designation over land in the province which is regulated by the Agricultural Land Commission Act. You can also visit the Agricultural Land Commission website (www.alc.gov.bc.ca) for further information and to view the Agricultural Land Reserve Use Regulation.