What is a bare land strata lot in BC, and what does the strata own?

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A bare land strata lot is land on a strata plan, its lines set by survey posts: you own the lot and house, and the strata corporation owns and keeps up the common property, often the roads, water system and shared land. Many lake, cottage and acreage developments in BC are bare land strata plans. Each lot has its own title, but the owners together are a strata corporation that owns the common property and decides by vote how it's run and paid for, under the same Strata Property Act as a condo building. Look up the address or PID on PlaceDossier to see the record for that lot. What it is: A strata plan whose lot boundaries are defined on a horizontal plane by survey markers, not by the floors, walls or ceilings of a building (Strata Property Act s. 1; s. 68 (4)). An approving officer must approve a bare land strata plan before it's deposited, as for a subdivision (s. 243). What the strata owns: The strata corporation is responsible for managing and maintaining the common property and common assets for the owners (s. 3) and must repair and maintain them (s. 72 (1)). In a bare land strata that is commonly the internal roads, a shared water or sewer system, a beach, dock or park land; the strata plan shows what's common property. A road on common property isn't a public road: the strata pays to plough and repair it (our reading). Fees: Owners pay strata fees toward the operating fund and the contingency reserve fund by their lots' unit entitlement (s. 99). In a bare land strata the unit entitlement is the same whole number for every lot, or a number the Superintendent of Real Estate approved as fair (s. 246 (6)), so a small lot often pays the same as a large one. Building on your lot: The Standard Bylaws' rule that an owner needs the strata's approval to alter a building's structure or exterior doesn't apply to a bare land strata lot (Schedule of Standard Bylaws s. 5 (3)). But the bylaws are the Standard Bylaws only where no others were filed (s. 120): many bare land stratas filed their own on building size, design, materials, fencing, trees, rentals or RVs. Read the filed bylaws before you plan what to build. Insurance: The strata corporation insures the common property, common assets and any buildings shown on the strata plan, but not fixtures on a bare land strata lot (s. 149 (1), (3)). The owner may insure the buildings and fixtures on their own lot (s. 161 (2)), and in practice insures the house as on any other lot (our reading). The water and sewer: A water system the strata owns that serves the homes is a water supply system under the Drinking Water Protection Act, with the duties that sharing a well or water system sets out. Its upkeep and replacement are the strata's cost, so the depreciation report and minutes show what's coming. Zoning still applies: The strata's bylaws sit on top of the zone: the local government's zoning, the ALR and the Province's rules decide what may be built, and a bylaw can only add limits (our reading). A report on the lot reads the zone and the land as for any other titled lot. What it means for a buyer: Price the lot with the strata fees and the reserve fund's state: a strata that owns roads and a water system has big items to replace. Read the filed bylaws, the last two years of minutes and the depreciation report as you would for a condo (see buying a strata home), and look for special levies discussed for the road or water.

What is a bare land strata lot in BC, and what does the strata own?

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