FAQs • What is a Riparian Area?

What is a Riparian Area?

Riparian areas can be defined as the area of land adjacent to a watercourse or body of water, a ditch, spring or wetland, whether or not usually containing water (see image below). The entire CVRD is within a Riparian Protection Development Permit Area (DPA). It is the responsibility of the property owner(s) to ensure there are no activities in the riparian area, or apply for a development permit. For more information on Riparian Areas, please click here.

riparian-area-graphic

For visualization purposes only.

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1. What is zoning?: Each Electoral Area has a Zoning Bylaw with regulations for each parcel, including; use, density and siting (e.g. setbacks). Permitted uses are identified for each zone, for clarity - each Zoning Bylaw is equipped with a section on definitions and general regulations. The CVRD web map can help you quickly determine what your property is zoned. For more information on how to use the Webmap see "What is the Webmap and how do I use it?"

2. How do I read a zoning bylaw?

Zoning bylaws can be complex and because we have so many of them it can be even more challenging. We recommend following these easy steps:

First find the correct zoning bylaw! The CVRD is made up of 9 different and unique Electoral Areas, each of which have their own zoning bylaw. An easy way to determine which Electoral Area a property is in simply check out our online Web Map! Search the property by civic address or parcel identifier (PID). Information will auto populate by clicking on the 'identify' tool and then clicking on the property. The zone and a link to the applicable zoning bylaw will appear alongside the Electoral Area.
Once you've determined the Electoral Area, and have the correct zoning bylaw, the first place to start is with the table of contents (usually at the beginning of the bylaw).
Find the zone and navigate to it. This is where it gets a little tricky. Each bylaw was written at a different time and likely by a different planner, keep this in mind when you are referring to multiple zoning bylaws. Please note that all the uses listed within the zone are subject to the general regulations of the bylaw (always refer to these). The main things you will want to look at in the zone are:

The permitted uses (e.g. what uses are legally allowed to occur on the property)
The conditions of use (e.g. setbacks, height restrictions, parcel coverage)

As noted above, always consider the 'General Regulations'. These regulations apply across all zones throughout the electoral area and may determine whether or not a use is allowed (e.g. suites).
Lastly, always consider the bylaw definitions. Each bylaw has a list of definitions to help clarify terminology used throughout the bylaw.
When in doubt, always contact staff at ds@cvrd.bc.ca

3. What is the Web Map and how do I use it?

The online Web Map allows anyone to search their property and find important information like zoning, OCP designations, development permit areas, service areas and more. To use the Web Map simply go to the Web Map and click on desktop icon (see image #1). From there a disclaimer statement will appear, click 'accept'. The map will launch and show the entire Regional District. To find your property you can either search by scrolling in and navigating to it, or use the address tool or parcel identifier (PID) for bare land (see image #2). Once you have found the property, use the 'identify tool' (top left - see image #3) by clicking on the tool and then on the property. By doing this, information should populate on the left side. From there you can click on any of the items shown in that list for more information. Links are also provided to pertinent bylaws like the applicable zoning bylaw (see image #4).