FAQs

The Cultus Lake Park Board (CLPB) and Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) have initiated a project to review the current Cultus Lake Zoning Bylaw (Bylaw No. 1375) due to rising concerns regarding specific aspects of development within the community. 

The scope of the review is limited to the following:

• Review and analyze building height and grade in the R-3 (Waterfront Residential) and R-4 (Hillside Residential) zones; and,
• Review the parking requirements for R-3 (Waterfront Residential) zoned lots on First Avenue.

Zoning Bylaw: 

• Regulates how land, buildings and other structures may be used.
• Divides the whole or part of an area into zones, names each zone and establishes the boundaries of those zones.
• Regulates the following:
  • Use and density (i.e., the number of homes that can be built on the property) of land, building and other structures;
  • Siting, size and dimension of buildings and other permitted uses, which are regulated by setbacks and height; and,
  • Shape, dimensions and area of all parcels of land created by subdivision (may include establishing minimum and maximum parcel sizes).

Building Bylaw:

• The FVRD Building Bylaw regulates the construction of buildings and structures to ensure the health, safety, and protection of property and its owners. It primarily administers the provincial Building and Plumbing Code. 
• Regulates the following:
  • Construction, reconstruction, installation, replacement, erection, repair, alteration, addition, demolition, removal and excavation of new and existing buildings and structures; and,
  • Occupancy of all new and existing buildings and structures. 

Cultus Lake Park was founded in 1924. It is a unique park in the Province of BC with its own legislation; the Cultus Lake Park Act, 1932 (the Act). The Park area falls under multiple jurisdictions with different sets of authorities. 

For example, the Act requires the establishment of a Park Board comprised of 7 commissioners. The Park Board may pass bylaws for the use, regulation, protection, management, maintenance, and improvement of the Park. Examples of the Park Board authority are parking management, lease payments, garbage and recycling, and road management. On the other hand, the Fraser Valley Regional District has the power to enact zoning regulations and issue building permits.

Before the 2018 adoption of the FVRD’s Cultus Lake Zoning Bylaw, the Cultus Lake Park Board enacted their land use regulations through Specified Area Bylaw No. 1994 within the lease lands. Outside of the lease lands, FVRD Zoning Bylaw No. 66, 1976 applied. 

In 2015, based on direction from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, the FVRD initiated a Zoning Bylaw upon discussion with the Cultus Lake Park Board. The purpose of Cultus Lake Zoning Bylaw No. 1375 was to bring the general regulations of the Cultus Lake Specified Area Bylaw into legislative compliance. The current Cultus Lake Zoning Bylaw (No. 1375) was adopted in February 2018 after comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation.

The Cultus Lake Park Board requested the FVRD to undertake a zoning bylaw update due to rising concerns related to height in the R-3 and R-4 zones and parking on First Avenue. This project was not in the FVRD 2022-23 Planning workplan.  The FVRD Board directed staff to hire an external consultant to expedite the project undertaking due to its importance. OTG Consultants Ltd. is providing professional consulting services to the FVRD to assist in this process.