Floodplain Management

Frequently Asked Questions

• When and how can I review the new Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw requirements?

  Bylaw No. 890, being "Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Bylaw No. 890, 2026", was adopted by the CVRD Board on March 24, 2026. It can be reviewed in its entirety at Flood Hazard Area Land Use Management Bylaw.

• I am a property owner who has a development proposal underway in the flood hazard area but has not completed construction. Will I be impacted by the proposed new bylaw?

  If your building permit application is accepted before the new Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw is adopted, it will be reviewed under the current Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 600. The Local Government Act Section 528(4) provides for a building that’s lawfully under construction to receive non-conforming use protection from the effect of a land use regulation bylaw.

  If you submit your building permit application after the new proposed Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw was adopted, you will need to follow the new regulations and your development must meet the new floodplain setback and Flood Construction Levels to proceed, or you will need to apply for an exemption under the new bylaw. If you have already received an exemption under Bylaw No. 600 or have a completed professional engineer report for an exemption, the expectation is that your professional engineer will be able to amend the existing report per the requirements of the new bylaw (ie. applicants should be able to provide an updated report rather than a brand new report)

• I am unsure whether my development will be impacted by the new Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw. How can I get clarity?

  For more information, and to discuss how the new Flood Hazard Bylaw may affect your proposed development and future building permit application, please book a meeting with CVRD Planning at https://www.comoxvalleyrd.ca/bookappointment or call 250-334-6006.

• What are the significant changes proposed with the new Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw?

  Topic	New Bylaw Approach
  Floodplain Specifications	Transect flood construction levels and mapped floodplain setbacks established by the 2021 regulatory floodplain mapping are integrated into the proposed bylaw. Applicants pursuing a development in the flood hazard area will need to meet these floodplain specifications, or pursue a site-specific exemption.
  Entryways	Exempt from meeting floodplain specifications. New definition limits entryway to 12 square metres in size.
  Storage buildings	New definition for “storage building” allows property owners to build a non-habitable accessory building or structure less than 20 square metres in building area, where the only use is for storage of goods not damageable by floodwaters like landscaping equipment, recreational equipment, household objects, tools, etc. These buildings are exempt from meeting floodplain specifications.
  Carports and garages	These uses have been defined, and compliant applications are exempt from meeting floodplain specifications. Other exempted uses include unenclosed porch, open deck, domestic greenhouse, farm buildings, onloading and offloading facilities.
  Renovation vs Reconstruction	New definitions distinguish between reconstructions and renovations. Reconstructions are substantial rebuilds equal to or greater than 50 per cent of the structural elements above the foundation, which must meet floodplain specifications or seek a site-specific exemption. Renovations affect less than 50 per cent of the structural elements above the foundation and are exempt from meeting floodplain specifications.
  Siting - Floodplain Setback Exemptions	Exemption reports from a professional engineer must confirm the existence of a valid hardship and minimum variation in siting. In practice, this means applicants who have buildable area on their property outside of the flood hazard area must build there unless physical characteristics prevent it, and those applicants who must build within the flood hazard area should do so as far from the hazard as possible.
  New Construction and additions	New construction, including additions of any size, must meet floodplain specifications or seek a site-specific exemption.

• Why does the Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw mapping look different than 2021 Coastal Flood Mapping Project mapping?

  The CVRD Coastal Flood Mapping Project was completed in 2021, and a mapping product showing some of the outputs of that work is publicly available here. The initial mapping displayed on this resource shows Coastal Flood Level and Coastal Zone Limit, River Flood Level and Elevation Contour. This information is available as a deliverable of the CVRD Coastal Flood Mapping Project but is not applicable to the CVRD’s Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw No. 890. The appropriate flood mapping corresponding to the Bylaw No. 890 is available on the CVRD’s online mapping tool iMap.

  The Coastal Flood Mapping Project map does not show a Coastal Floodplain Setback. The Provincial Flood Hazard Land Use Management Guidelines note that flood plain setbacks are established to keep development away from areas of potential erosion and avoid restricting the flow capacity of the floodway, and provides requirements for their calculation. 

  Coastal Floodplain Setback mapping was developed as part of the Coastal Flood Mapping Project by Kerr Wood Leidel Engineering for the CVRD to use in developing an updated flood hazard land use management bylaw. The setback was calculated according to specifications of the Flood Hazard Land Use Management Guidelines. This mapping product has been incorporated into the CVRD’s Flood Hazard Land Use Management Bylaw No. 890, establishing areas which, according to the mapping, need to meet floodplain specifications in order to develop safely.