Planning Applications

An applicant will need this development permit if the proposed development or land alteration is within 30 metres of a watercourse, such as a stream, ditch, wetland, lake, pond or the sea. This application is considered internally by CVRD officers and does not go to the Board of Directors for approval.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Biophysical assessment, drainage report: an applicant must hire an appropriate professional(s) to create these reports

An applicant will need this development permit if the proposed development or land alteration is within:

• 60 metres of an eagle nest, when the nest tree is on a lot smaller than one hectare;
• 100 metres of an eagle nest, when the nest tree is on a lot larger than one hectare but smaller than five hectares;
• 200 metres of an eagle nest, when the nest tree is on a lot that is equal to or greater than five hectares in size.

OR

• 60 metres of an heron nest, when the nest tree is on a lot smaller than one hectare;
• 200 metres of an heron nest, when the nest tree is on a lot larger than one hectare but smaller than five hectares;
• 300 metres of an heron nest, when the nest tree is on a lot that is equal to or greater than five hectares in size.

This application is considered internally by CVRD officers and does not go to the Board of Directors for approval.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Biophysical assessment: an applicant must hire a professional to create this report

An applicant will need this development permit if the proposed development or land alteration includes a shoreline protection device, whether they are considered soft (greenshores) or hard (seawall or riprap). This application is considered internally by CVRD officers if an applicant is proposing a soft or Green Shores protection device, but is approved by the Board of Directors for proposals to harden the shoreline (for example, through riprap or a seawall).

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Legal survey: an applicant can hire a professional surveyor to create this
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Engineers report, biophysical assessment, geotechnical report (if near a steep slope), archaeological assessment (if near a known or potential archaeological site): an applicant must hire professionals to create these reports.

An applicant will need this development permit if the proposed development or land alteration is within 15 metres of the top or bottom of a steep slope.

A steep slope is defined as “areas with average slopes greater than or equal to 30 per cent for a vertical distance of three metres or more” or if deemed to be a hazardous slope by a geotechnical engineer. This application is considered internally by CVRD officers and does not go to the Board of Directors for approval.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Topographic site survey, geotechnical report, rainwater management plan (drainage plan): an applicant must hire professionals to create these documents

An applicant will need this development permit for any development within a parcel that is zoned commercial or industrial. The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Pre-application consultation request form
• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Elevation drawings, professionally-prepared landscape plan, rainwater management plan: an applicant must hire professionals to create these documents

An applicant will need this development permit for any construction or renovation of any structures within 30 metres of land that is designated as Agricultural Area or land within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan that demonstrates that all requirements are met: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title

An applicant will need this development permit for any development or construction within the Development Permit Area as shown on Map 4 of the Rural Comox Valley Official Community Plan. The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan that demonstrates that all requirements are met: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title

An applicant will need this development permit for any development or construction within the Development Permit Area as shown on Map 5 of the Rural Comox Valley Official Community Plan. The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan that demonstrates that all requirements are met: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title

A DVP can vary the Zoning Bylaw as it pertains to a specific property as long as it does not vary anything to do with the use of the land or its allowed density. Common variances sought include: reducing setback requirements (i.e. minimum distance from the property line to a building wall), increasing the maximum allowable accessory building floor area and increasing the lot coverage requirement.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Write up providing justification for why the variance is needed

The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors. Feedback will be solicited from adjacent property owners by the CVRD prior to the Electoral Area Services Committee meeting.

If an applicant would like to vary a requirement of the Zoning Bylaw, they can appeal to the Board of Variance (BOV). This is an option for minor variances – where proceeding without a variance creates undue hardship for the applicant – not for more impactful changes such as use of the land or its allowed density.

Feedback will be solicited from adjacent property owners by the CVRD and, with that feedback collected, the application will be considered by the BOV. The BOV can decline an application if it is considered to be a major variance or if it is quite contentious. If this happens, the applicant will need to submit a standard Development Variance Permit application, pay the additional fee and proceed in that regard.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Write up providing justification for why the variance is needed and why proceeding without the variance places undue hardship on the applicant

The Comox Valley Regional District Board of Variance Bylaw No. 8, 2008, which establishes the BOV, also sets out the procedures to be followed by the BOV and requires that a record of all of its decisions be maintained and available for public review.

An applicant should submit this application to allow for a use of land, on a temporary basis, not otherwise permitted in the Zoning Bylaw. The ability to obtain a Temporary Use Permit depends on the land use designation within the Regional Growth Strategy and Rural Comox Valley Official Community Plan. The application will be considered by the Advisory Planning Commission, Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors. Feedback will be solicited from adjacent property owners by the CVRD prior to the Electoral Area Services Committee meeting.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Pre-Application Consultation Request Form
• Completed application form
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Written statement explaining the temporary nature of the proposal, a rationale for the requested duration, any alterations to land, buildings, or structures, any expected phases that will change the intensity or scale of the use, and the condition of land expected following the expiration of the permit

The CVRD does not provide business licenses, however a Home Occupation permit is required to operate any type of job from a residential dwelling. Applicants must adhere to the limitations of their zone, as identified within the Zoning Bylaw, as well as all stipulations within Section 305 of the Zoning Bylaw (plus Section 306 if a Bed and Breakfast, and Section 307 if a domestic industrial use).

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Completed Supplemental Form for Home Occupation, Domestic Business, and Domestic Industrial Use form
• Floor plan of the house or accessory building which shows the area that will be used for the home occupation

An applicant should submit this application to allow for relief from the Flood Construction Level (FCL) or floodplain setback specified within the Floodplain Management Bylaw.

The new Floodplain Management Bylaw was adopted by the CVRD Board on April 28, 2020. The bylaw was updated to incorporate amendments made to the Provincial Flood Hazard Land Use Management Guidelines “Provincial Floodplain Guidelines”, which now consider sea level rise into the determination of floodplain setbacks and flood construction levels in coastal areas.

If you are constructing habitable space within 100 metres of the sea, you will need to provide a report from a qualified professional engineer that determines the floodplain setback and flood construction level in accordance with the provincial floodplain guidelines. Please contact the Planning Services Department to confirm the requirements. The application will be considered by the Electoral Area Services Committee and the Board of Directors.

To submit this application, an applicant must supply the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Site plan: an applicant can either create a site plan themselves or hire a surveyor or other professional to create one
• Land title: CVRD staff will pull the land title
• Engineered floodplain report: an applicant must hire a professional to create this report
  • The Floodplain Assurance Statement is to be filled out by the professional engineer who provides the engineered floodplain report
  • The Floodplain Report Guide provides guidance to professional engineers, outlining the information that must be reference in the engineered floodplain report

Please note: The updates to the bylaw are considered an interim measure to reflect new provincial standards and provide clarity to land owners and developers. The Comox Valley Regional District’s (CVRD) Coastal Floodplain Mapping project will produce new coastal mapping that identifies where and how deep the water will be during a flood event and how this might change with sea level rise. The maps will also identify where and how high the buildings, structures and infrastructure should be constructed to mitigate flood damage. The next step of this project (dependent on grant funding) would be risk and adaptation planning, which may include more comprehensive updates to the Floodplain Management Bylaw.

The CVRD’s subdivision Approving Officer is the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MOTI); therefore, subdivision applications should be made directly to MOTI.

MOTI will then send out referrals to affected agencies, one of which will be the CVRD. The CVRD will list the requirements to support the subdivision, including possible variances or development permits required.

If you’d like more information about a planning application not listed here contact the Planning & Development Services department by phone at 250-334-6006 or online.