PlaceDossier / Zoning / Islands Trust
Gabriola Island Land Use Bylaw, 1999 (Bylaw No. 177)
The Gabriola Island Local Trust Committee's land use bylaw, which applies in Nanaimo, Electoral Area B. Our summary of its 4 rural residential, agriculture and resource zones, read from the consolidation to 2023-01-31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SRR Small Rural Residential | One house (one single family dwelling) per lot and a secondary suite on a lot of 2 ha or more (s. B.6.6); no other building may be lived in, and a second home is prohibited unless the zone allows it (ss. B.1.2.1, B.1.2.3) | 0.5 ha, and 2 ha on average (s. D.1.1.3) | 20% (s. D.1.1.3) | 9 m for houses; accessory buildings 7 m on a lot of 0.4 ha or less, 9 m on a larger one; buildings only for forestry or farming 12 m (s. B.2.3.2) |
| LRR Large Rural Residential | One house (one single family dwelling) per lot and a secondary suite on a lot of 2 ha or more (s. B.6.6); no other building may be lived in, and a second home is prohibited unless the zone allows it (ss. B.1.2.1, B.1.2.3) | 2 ha, and 4 ha on average (s. D.1.2.3) | 10% (s. D.1.2.3) | 9 m for houses; accessory buildings 7 m on a lot of 0.4 ha or less, 9 m on a larger one; buildings only for forestry or farming 12 m (s. B.2.3.2) |
| AG Agriculture | One house, and a secondary suite on a lot of 2 ha or more (ss. D.2.1.1, B.6.6); in the ALR, on a lot of 2 ha or more with farm status, also a manufactured home for the owner's family or a farm worker, up to 120.7 m² and 9 m wide, under a covenant to remove it when no longer so used (and for a farm worker, the Agricultural Land Commission's written approval) (s. D.2.1.2) | 8 ha, and 8 ha on average (s. D.2.1.3) | 35%; in the ALR 75% counting greenhouses; agri-tourism 1%; cannabis buildings 200 m² (s. D.2.1.3) | 9 m for houses; accessory buildings 7 m on a lot of 0.4 ha or less, 9 m on a larger one; buildings only for forestry or farming 12 m (s. B.2.3.2) |
| R Resource | One house (one single family dwelling) per lot and a secondary suite on a lot of 2 ha or more (s. B.6.6); no other building may be lived in, and a second home is prohibited unless the zone allows it (ss. B.1.2.1, B.1.2.3) | 2 ha (1 ha on community water and sewer), and 8 ha on average (s. D.2.4.3) | 10% (s. D.2.4.3) | 9 m for houses; accessory buildings 7 m on a lot of 0.4 ha or less, 9 m on a larger one; buildings only for forestry or farming 12 m (s. B.2.3.2) |
"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: Gabriola Island Land Use Bylaw, 1999 (Bylaw No. 177) (summarised in our words); zone map: Open Government Licence – Islands Trust.