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Galiano Island Land Use Bylaw No. 127, 1999
The Galiano Island Local Trust Committee's land use bylaw, which applies in Southern Gulf Islands. Our summary of its 6 residential, rural, agriculture and Forest 1 zones, read from the consolidation to 2026-03-12 and checked 2026-10-11. Its other zones aren't summarised here.
The zones side by side
| Zone | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VR2 Village Residential 2 | One home (s. 5.2.2); a cottage on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 5.2.3); or a secondary suite instead of a cottage, on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 2.28) | 0.6 ha on community water and sewer, 0.8 ha otherwise (s. 5.2.9) | 25% (s. 5.2.4) | 9 m; accessory buildings 5 m and one storey, cottages 9 m (s. 5.2.5, ss. 2.5, 2.6) |
| SLR Small Lot Residential | One home, and one more for each 1.2 ha of lot over 1.2 ha (s. 5.3.4); a cottage with each home on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 5.3.5); or a secondary suite instead of a cottage, on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 2.28) | 0.6 ha on the sea, 0.8 ha elsewhere; 1.2 ha on average (s. 5.3.12) | 25% (s. 5.3.6) | 9 m; accessory buildings 5 m and one storey, cottages 9 m (s. 5.3.7, ss. 2.5, 2.6) |
| RR Rural Residential | One home, and one more for each 2 ha of lot over 2 ha (s. 5.4.2); a cottage with each home on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 5.4.3); or a secondary suite instead of a cottage, on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 2.28) | 1.2 ha, and 2 ha on average (ss. 5.4.9, 5.4.10) | 25% (s. 5.4.4) | 9 m; accessory buildings 5 m and one storey, cottages 9 m (s. 5.4.5, ss. 2.5, 2.6) |
| R2 Rural 2 | One home, and one more for each 4 ha of lot over 4 ha (s. 5.5.2); a cottage with each home on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 5.5.3); or a secondary suite instead of a cottage, on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (s. 2.28) | 2 ha, and 4 ha on average (ss. 5.5.9, 5.5.10) | 25% (s. 5.5.4) | 9 m; accessory buildings 5 m and one storey, farm buildings 9 m, cottages 9 m (s. 5.5.5, ss. 2.5, 2.6) |
| AG Agriculture | One home, and one more for each 4 ha of lot over 4 ha (s. 6.1.2); a secondary suite on a lot of 0.4 ha or more (ss. 6.1.1, 2.28); the zone doesn't list cottages | 4 ha (s. 6.1.8) | 35%, plus 40% for commercial greenhouses (s. 6.1.4) | 9 m; accessory buildings 5 m and one storey, farm and timber buildings 9 m and two storeys (s. 6.1.5) |
| F1 Forest 1 | None: the zone prohibits residential uses, so no home, cottage or suite (s. 7.1.1); no building for forestry may be built so it could be lived in (s. 2.12) | 65 ha (s. 7.1.6) | The zone sets none (our reading of s. 7.1) | 9 m (s. 7.1.3) |
"Not set" means the zone itself sets no figure; general rules elsewhere in the bylaw may still apply. Each zone's page has its uses, setbacks and the general rules that apply to it.
Site-specific exceptions listed in the bylaw by legal description can add or change uses for one property, and development permit areas, the ALR and building rules apply on top. Confirm with the Islands Trust's office for the island before you buy or build.
Source: Galiano Island Land Use Bylaw No. 127, 1999 (summarised in our words); zone map: Open Government Licence – Islands Trust.