Development in and near floodplains is governed by the Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600, 2020. The main purpose of the bylaw is to help protect buildings and structures from flood hazards. For example, the bylaw establishes how high off the ground habitable area should be built (flood construction level) and how far a building or structure should be setback from the sea (floodplain setback).
Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600
2020 Bylaw Adoption
The 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.
2025 Update
- The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) completed Coastal Floodplain Mapping in 2021 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 current Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600 needs to be updated to incorporate the 2021 coastal floodplain mapping and clarify language and definitions to reflect current best practices and relevant legislation, such as the Local Government Act and the BC Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Guidelines.
- Recognizing the need for a comprehensive and proactive approach, the Flood Hazard Land Use Management Project was launched Fall 2024. This project aims to develop a robust flood hazard land use management framework. The project will also provide the CVRD with related policies and tools to manage floodplain development applications effectively while aligning with both provincial guidelines and the CVRD's unique environmental and community needs.
- Project goals are to make the floodplain application process more clear and transparent for applicants, practitioners and staff protecting ecological function and ensuring development in flood hazard areas happens in a way that is safe and increases community resilience to climate change.
- This update will be ongoing over the coming months, with a tentative timeline of completion in Summer 2025
Until the project is complete, Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600 is still in effect and the current approach to development in flood risk areas remains the same. Applicants can continue to submit complete floodplain exemption applications as usual. Please contact the Planning Services Department to confirm requirements.
This page will be updated as the Flood Hazard Land Use Management Project proceeds.