Skip to Content

Live Stream: Council Webcast Watch Meetings

  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Maps
  • Report an Issue
  • View our Facebook Page
  • View our Instagram Page
  • View our Twitter Page
  • View our YouTube Page
  • View our LinkedIn Page

District of Sechelt Logo District of Sechelt Logo

Contact Us
  • Living Here
    • Airport
    • Asset Management
    • Backyard Burning
    • Building and Renovating
    • Bylaws
    • Community Associations
    • Community Safety
    • Community Services
    • Crime Prevention
    • RCMP Services
    • Sechelt Fire Department
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Pets and Wildlife
    • Emergency Services
    • Emergency Contact Information
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Seawatch
    • Garbage and Recycling
    • Collection Schedule and Routes
    • Waste Wizard
    • Sechelt Citizen App
    • Maps
    • Mobile Vending
    • Pets and Wildlife
    • Bears and Wildlife Prevention
    • Cats
    • Dog Licences
    • Property Taxes
    • Assessments
    • Changing Your Address
    • Home Owner Grant
    • Paying Property Taxes
    • Property Search
    • Tax Certificates
    • Tax Deferment
    • Tax Exemptions
    • Roads and Sidewalks
    • Road Closures Map
    • Winter and Snow
    • Sechelt Community Archives
    • Sustainability
    • Transportation
    • Trees and Plants
    • Request a Street Tree
    • Tree Care and Removals
    • Plant Smart
    • Water and Sewer Services
    • Connecting to Water Service
    • Sechelt Water Resource Centre
    • Sewer and Drainage
    • Water and Sprinkling
  • Arts and Recreation
    • Arts and Culture
    • Artist Opportunities
    • Public Art
    • Beaches
    • Events
    • Arts Festival
    • Banners
    • Culture Days
    • Special Event Permits
    • Summer Music Series
    • syiyaya Days
    • Facilities and Rentals
    • Book a Facility
    • Hackett Park Stage
    • Mission Point House
    • Rockwood Lodge
    • Seaside Centre
    • Trail Bay Pier and Day Float
    • Sani Dump Station
    • Golfing
    • History and Heritage
    • Library
    • Maps
    • Moving Here
    • Parks and Playgrounds
    • Off-Leash Dog Parks
    • Pathways, Trails and Walkways
    • Sports Fields, Diamonds and Courts
    • Visiting Sechelt
    • Wharfs and Moorage
    • Porpoise Bay Harbour
    • Trail Bay Pier and Day Float
  • Business and Development
    • Building and Renovating
    • Blasting Permits
    • Building Permits
    • Inspections
    • Plumbing Permit
    • Pools and Hot Tubs
    • Secondary Suites
    • Business
    • Airport
    • Business Licences
    • Business Support
    • Community Brand
    • Community Profile
    • Tenders and Proposals
    • Street Patios
    • Planning and Development
    • Development Application Forms
    • Building Permits Issued
    • Bylaw Variances
    • Current Development Applications
    • Development Permits
    • Maps
    • Official Community Plan
    • Short-Term Rental Licences
    • Subdivisions
    • Temporary Use Permits
    • Tree Cutting Permit
    • Zoning
    • Plans, Reports and Studies
    • Child Care Action Plan
    • Financial Plan and Reports
    • Integrated Community Sustainability Plan
    • Official Community Plan
    • Parks Master Plan
  • Our Government
    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • Blasting Permits
    • Building Permits
    • Business Licences
    • Development Permits
    • Dog Licences
    • Pesticide Permits
    • Plumbing Permit
    • Short-Term Rental Licences
    • Sign Permits Application
    • Special Event Permits
    • Temporary Use Permits
    • Tree Cutting Permit
    • Backyard Burning
    • Budget and Finances
    • Budget
    • Financial Plan and Reports
    • Tax Rates
    • Tax Sales
    • Bylaws
    • Bylaw Enforcement
    • Careers
    • Committees
    • Community Investment Program
    • Contact Us
    • Council
    • Advocacy
    • Agendas and Meetings
    • Archived Agendas and Meetings
    • Meeting Calendar
    • Speaking Before Council
    • District Projects
    • Document Library
    • Freedom of Information and Privacy
    • News and Notices
    • Subscribe
    • Plans, Reports and Studies
    • Accessibility Advisory Committee
    • Annual Reports
    • Child Care Action Plan
    • Financial Plan and Reports
    • Integrated Community Sustainability Plan
    • Official Community Plan
    • Parks Master Plan
    • Strategic Plan
    • Porpoise Bay Harbour
    • Community Brand
    • Tenders and Proposals
    • Trail Bay Pier and Day Float
    • Wharfs and Moorage
  • Archived Agendas and Meetings
  • Bylaws
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Current Development Applications
  • Events
  • Garbage and Recycling
  • Inspections
  • Maps
  • Meeting Calendar
  • Short-Term Rental Licences
  • Visiting Sechelt
  • Zoning

Sechelt Coast Banner

Development Permits

HomeBusiness and DevelopmentPlanning and DevelopmentDevelopment Permits
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Apply for Development Permit

Unless specifically exempted, all properties within Development Permit Areas require a Development Permit issued by the District of Sechelt prior to:

  • Subdivision approval
  • Construction of a building or structure (including additions or alterations)
  • Alteration of the land including, but not limited to, the following activities:
    • Site clearing or site grading
    • Removal, alteration or cutting of trees or vegetation
    • Disturbance of soils, rocks or other native site materials
    • Creation of non-structural impervious or semi-impervious surfaces (such as driveways or patios)
    • Flood protection or erosion protection works
    • Construction of roads, trails, docks, wharves or bridges
    • Installation of drainage, hydro, water, sewer or other utilities.

Please speak to Planning Department staff to determine specific requirements for any development on your property.

There are eleven Development Permit Areas in the District of Sechelt, which serve various purposes including:

  • Protecting the natural environment;
  • Ensuring development considers hazardous site conditions, such as steep slopes; and,
  • Ensuring the form and character of commercial, industrial, or multi-family development follows relevant design guidelines.

If a property is located in a Development Permit Area a Development Permit is required in advance of subdivision, building permit or land alteration, where applicable.

Environmental and Hazard Development Permit Areas

The District of Sechelt has designated certain lands as Development Permit Areas (DPAs) to ensure that land development activities are undertaken with adequate consideration of environmental values and safety from natural hazards.

Environmental DPA's include lands along the marine shoreline, estuaries, in the vicinity of watercourses, springs, wetlands, and adjacent riparian areas, or significant rocky outcrops. These areas provide important habitat for a wide variety of plants, birds, fish and wildlife. Collectively, they help maintain biodiversity and ecological function.

Objectives:

  • Protect sensitive terrestrial sites and upland areas, including visually sensitive areas
  • Protect aquatic resources associated with creeks, marshes and wetlands, and marine/foreshore areas
  • Protect unique and/or sensitive sites which may contain elements of both terrestrial and aquatic habitats

Natural Hazard DPA's are designated over lands identified as being potentially hazardous for development – these lands may be prone to rock falls, landslides, debris floods/flows, mud flows, flooding, streambank erosion, coastal erosion, or wildfire. Additional hazards may exist, both within or outside the DPAs, that become evident on specific sites during the building permit or development process.

Objectives:

  • Direct development away from hazardous land or portions of sites, and ensure safety of properties and residents
  • Require site specific assessment and field review to determine actual extent and location of hazards
  • Require that appropriate measures, such as adequate building setbacks or cut and fill precautions be taken where potential geotechnical or flood hazards exist

See detailed information in the OCP for each of the Environmental/Hazard DPA's:

  • DPA 1 - Gravel Pit Areas
  • DPA 2 - Watercourses
  • DPA 3 - Marine, Foreshore and Shoreline Areas
  • DPA 4 - Rocky Beach Front/Escarpment, Rockfall and Upland Slope Hazards
  • DPA 5 - Steep Slopes

Is my property located in an Environmental and Hazard Development Permit Area?

You can use the web map below to locate your property and determine if it is affected by environmental Development Permit Areas. The web map only shows development permit areas 1 to 5 and does not show form and character development permit areas.

Alternatively you may download the following PDF maps showing:

  • DPAs 1-4
  • DPA 5

Form and Character Development Permits

A Development Permit (DP) for form and character is required for all multi-family, commercial, and industrial development in the District of Sechelt. Single-Family Dwellings do not require a form and character development permit, however, infill housing such as laneway homes, cottages, and coach houses do require a form and character Development Permit under DPA 8.

Form and Character DPs are generally considered by Council at an open meeting unless delegated to the Director of Planning and Development. Staff review each application to ensure it addresses all relevant guidelines in the applicable DPA. If you have questions about your project and development permit area guidelines please contact us.

  • DPA 6 - Downtown Sechelt
  • DPA 7 - Multiple Family Residential
  • DPA 8 - Intensive Residential and Infill Housing
  • DPA 9 - Commercial Areas  
  • DPA 10 - Business and Industry
  • DPA 11 - Mixed Residential/Commercial Neighbourhood

What is needed for submitting a development application?

During a pre-application meeting with Planning staff, we will discuss your proposed development and the specific requirements for your property. We will review the complete application checklist for the proposal.

Once you have provided a complete package with all the required information and fee payments, your application will be entered into the queue and you will be notified of a decision or next steps.

Business and Development
  • Planning and Development
    • Development Application Forms
    • Building Permits Issued
    • Bylaw Variances
    • Current Development Applications
    • Development Permits
    • Maps
    • Official Community Plan
    • Short-Term Rental Licences
      • STR Type 1: Principal Residence
      • STR Type 2: Self-Contained Suite
    • Subdivisions
    • Temporary Use Permits
    • Tree Cutting Permit
    • Zoning
  • Close full Business and Development menu
    • Building and Renovating
      • Blasting Permits
      • Building Permits
      • Inspections
      • Plumbing Permit
      • Pools and Hot Tubs
      • Secondary Suites
    • Business
      • Airport
      • Business Licences
        • Mobile Vending Permit
        • Short-Term Rental Licences
        • Sign Permits Online Application
      • Business Support
      • Community Brand
      • Community Profile
      • Tenders and Proposals
      • Street Patios
    • Plans, Reports and Studies
      • Child Care Action Plan
      • Financial Plan and Reports
      • Integrated Community Sustainability Plan
      • Official Community Plan
      • Parks Master Plan

Contact Us

Subscribe to page updates

District of Sechelt footer logo

Address & Hours

2nd Floor, 5797 Cowrie Street
PO Box 129, Sechelt, BC V0N 3A0

Municipal Hall Hours:
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

 

Links

    • Freedom of Information and Privacy
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    • Website Feedback
    • Contact Us

Sechelt Citizen App

Download now!

  • Get it on Google Play
  • Download the App Store

Copyright © 2022 District of Sechelt

Land Acknowledgement: The District of Sechelt is located on the traditional and unceded territory of the shíshálh Nation. We respect the histories, language and culture of the people of the shíshálh Nation, whose presence continues to enrich this community.

By GHD Digital

Browser Compatibility Notification

It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.