AG: Agricultural

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house of up to 350 m²; on a lot over 1 ha, an auxiliary dwelling of up to 90 m² too (s. 7.17.2). Everything here is also subject to the ALR Use Regulation

Main uses

Farming and livestock, horse boarding on a lot over 1 ha (3 stalls a hectare, 40 at most), farm sales up to 300 m², animal and farm processing, dairy, a winery, cidery, brewery or distillery with a tasting lounge, cannabis production, agri-tourism, short-term rental, park, farm research; kennels only in Areas E and F

Smallest lot for a subdivision

Set by the lot's subdivision district, not its zone (s. 4.2): from 1,000 m² to 100 ha; a lot's report shows its district

Lot coverage

15% for all buildings but greenhouses; 10% for the house and its buildings; 50% for greenhouses

Height limit

11 m; a house on a lot under 750 m² 8.5 m unless the lot's average slope is over 20%; a detached auxiliary dwelling or accessory building 8.5 m (s. 5.11)

Setbacks

5 m from a road; 1.5 m from other lot lines for buildings up to 8.5 m tall, 4 m above that; 15 m from the sea and 17 m from a creek, lake or wetland (32 m from some named rivers) (ss. 5.14, 5.16); barns and manure storage 10 to 30 m from lot lines by herd size, greenhouses with lights 15 m, kennels 15 m (s. 7.17.4)

Agri-tourism accommodation needs a temporary use permit: on a lot of 1.75 ha or more assessed as a farm, up to 10 sleeping units including short-term rental bedrooms (s. 7.17.3).

Short-term rental (s. 5.3): run by someone living on the property, up to two bedrooms per dwelling and two guests per bedroom, not in a secondary suite or in an auxiliary dwelling over 55 m², on approved water and sewage systems.

Accessory buildings together are at most 5% of the lot or 300 m², whichever is less (75 m² on a lot under 1,500 m²), with no sleeping or cooking in them (s. 5.10).

While the house is built, you can live in a building or RV on the lot under a temporary building permit, until the house is occupied (s. 5.22).

Floors of living space at least 0.6 m above the 200-year flood level or 2 m above the natural boundary of the sea, a lake or a stream, whichever is higher (3 m on some named rivers) (s. 5.18).

Uses a zone doesn't list aren't allowed (s. 5.1.2).

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 SCRD's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Sunshine Coast Regional District Zoning Bylaw No. 722 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-02); zone map: Open Government Licence – Sunshine Coast Regional District.