RS-2A: Resort Residential

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Where the Fernie Alpine Resort plan shows houses, one house plus a secondary suite; where it shows duplexes, one duplex; where it shows apartments, up to 60 units per hectare of usable site

Main uses

House, duplex, apartments, ski lift; home occupation

Smallest lot for a subdivision

555 m² for a house and 700 m² for a duplex (each half of a split duplex 350 m²), all with community water and sewer; 1,670 m² for apartments

Lot coverage

30%

Height limit

House or duplex 9 m, apartments 16 m, accessory buildings 5 m

Setbacks

Main building: front 7.5 m, rear 6 m, sides 3 m and at least 10% of the lot's width (4.5 m beside a road). Accessory buildings: front 7.5 m, rear and sides 1 m (4.5 m beside a road)

Which of house, duplex or apartments a lot can have follows the Fernie Alpine Resort Official Community Plan (Bylaw No. 1500), not the zone alone (s. 7.05(A)(7)(c)).

A house or duplex is at least 5.5 m wide in every direction (not counting additions).

Secondary suite (s. 4.16): one per lot, at most 49% of the house's living space, or above the first storey of a detached garage (70 m² on lots under 0.4 ha, 90 m² on 0.4 ha or more; the garage up to 7.5 m tall, 7.5 m from the front, 3 m from the rear and 1.5 m from the sides, 4.5 m beside a road). On approved sewage disposal, never strata-titled, and not in a manufactured home; no garage suite on a lot with a duplex or another extra dwelling.

Home occupation (s. 4.05): run by the family living on the lot with at most one outside helper, inside the house or an accessory building, and at most 185 m² in all. On lots of 2 ha or more it can also use up to 185 m² outdoors, away from the front yard. The bylaw defines a bed and breakfast (up to four guest rooms) as a kind of home occupation (s. 3.04).

Inside the Fernie Alpine Resort plan area, a home occupation can't rely on regular commercial deliveries, and sells only goods made on the premises (s. 4.05).

The bylaw doesn't list vacation or short-term rental as a use; a bed and breakfast is allowed as a home occupation. Ask the RDEK before renting a home short term.

An RV or park model trailer can't be used as a home (s. 4.04).

No vehicle wrecking or repair, and no derelict vehicles.

Every zone also allows public utilities, parks, roads and conservation areas (s. 4.03).

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 RDEK's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Elk Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 829, 1990 (summarised in our words); zone map: Open Government Licence – Regional District of East Kootenay.