Belcarra is a small waterfront village on Burrard Inlet, and its rules for backyard sheds are fairly relaxed on setbacks. In the One-Family Residential zone (RS-1), an accessory building can sit as close as 1.5 metres to the rear and interior side lines, but it can’t be placed in front of the house’s front wall. The Village’s building bylaw says a building permit isn’t required for an accessory building under 10 m², as long as it meets the zoning setbacks.
Quick answer: do you need a permit for a shed in Belcarra?
- An accessory building under 10 m² (108 square feet) of floor area is outside Building Bylaw 355 (section 14(2)), provided it meets the zoning lot-line setbacks.
- A shed of 10 m² or more needs a building permit, and the permit package is on the Village’s building department page.
- Zoning still applies without a permit, so the 1.5 m setbacks and the front-wall rule must be met.
| Bylaws | Zoning Bylaw 510, 2018 (consolidated to Amendment 580, 2021); Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw 355, 2003; Fees and Charges Bylaw 517, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Zones covered | RS-1 One-Family Residential (section 302). RM-1 (section 303) has the same setbacks but allows 2 accessory buildings. Other zones were not reviewed. |
| Building permit threshold | Under 10 m² (108 square feet) floor area: the building bylaw doesn’t apply (Bylaw 355, section 14(2)). The exemption also requires compliance with the zoning lot-line setbacks and a parcel “zoned for simple buildings”. |
| How area is measured | Bylaw 355 says “floor area” without defining it. Zoning gross floor area is measured to the outermost surface of the exterior walls (Zoning Bylaw section 104). |
| Max total accessory area | RS-1: 150 m² (1,615 square feet) total gross floor area and 92.9 m² (1,000 square feet) total footprint for all accessory buildings (clause 302.4(d)). Site coverage is 40% (302.6). |
| Max height | Not confirmed for RS-1 (see the unconfirmed list). Flat roofs are measured to the highest point and pitched roofs to the midpoint between top plate and ridge; a roof under 2 in 12 counts as flat (section 204). |
| Rear setback | 1.5 m (5 feet) (clause 302.7(a)). |
| Interior side setback | 1.5 m (5 feet) (clause 302.7(a)). |
| Exterior side setback | 3 m (10 feet) (clause 302.7(a)); also 3 m from a lot line next to forested land. |
| Front yard | No accessory building nearer the front lot line than the front wall of the house. Garages and coach houses 4 m (13 feet) or lower may go forward, but not within 3 m (10 feet) of the front lot line (clause 302.7(b)). |
| Separation from house | None found for RS-1. A 3 m (10 feet) separation between buildings applies in RM-1 only. |
| Permit fee | Fees and Charges Bylaw 517, Schedule 2a, “Simple Buildings”: $27 per $1,000 of work up to $5,000 (minimum $102), plus a $102 application fee. Not needed if the shed is under 10 m². |
| Site plan without a permit | Not confirmed. Setbacks must still be met, but no submission process is described. |
What the BC Building Code says
The BC Building Code 2024 (BCBC), Division A, clause 1.1.1.1(2)(e), says the Code doesn’t apply to accessory buildings under 10 m² in building area that don’t create a hazard, and “hazard” isn’t defined, so the local building official decides. Where a city’s own documents are silent, that provincial rule is the default, but a city can be stricter, and the permit-free size on this page comes from Belcarra’s own Building Bylaw 355, which happens to match the provincial figure.
Rules that apply even without a building permit
- Zoning still applies to every shed: setbacks, the front-wall rule, total accessory area and site coverage.
- Electrical work, such as running power to a shed, is regulated separately by Technical Safety BC.
- An accessory building can’t contain a dwelling unit unless the zoning bylaw allows it (section 212). Using a shed as a bedroom or a regular office can trigger building and zoning rules.
- Utility easements and rights-of-way on the title can block a shed location, whatever the setbacks say.
What isn’t confirmed
- The maximum height of a shed in RS-1. The clause is missing from the posted 2021 zoning consolidation. A 2018 draft of the bylaw shows 7 m (23 feet) and one accessory building, but a draft isn’t the adopted bylaw.
- What “a parcel zoned for simple buildings” means in the building bylaw exemption.
- How far a shed must be from the house in RS-1.
- The setback to a lane.
- How far a roof overhang may project into a required setback. The only figure found is in the 2018 draft bylaw, which isn’t the adopted bylaw, so none is stated here.
- Whether amendments after May 2021 changed the accessory building rules. The posted building bylaw is also a 2020 consolidation.
- Whether a site plan or zoning check is needed when no permit is required.
Who to contact
Village of Belcarra Village Office: (604) 937-4100. Official documents used for this page:
- Belcarra Zoning Bylaw 510, 2018 (PDF)
- Belcarra Building and Plumbing Bylaw 355 (PDF)
- Belcarra Fees and Charges Bylaw 517 (PDF)
Frequently asked questions
Does a shed in Belcarra need a building permit?
Not if the floor area is under 10 m² (108 square feet) and the shed meets the zoning setbacks (Bylaw 355, section 14(2)). Anything larger needs a permit.
How far does a shed have to be from the property line in Belcarra?
In RS-1, accessory buildings need 1.5 m (5 feet) from the rear and interior side lines and 3 m (10 feet) from an exterior side line.
Can a shed go in the front yard in Belcarra?
Generally no. An accessory building can’t be nearer the front lot line than the front wall of the house. Only garages and coach houses 4 m (13 feet) or lower get an exception, and they must stay 3 m (10 feet) back.
How much total accessory building area is allowed in Belcarra?
In RS-1, all accessory buildings together are limited to 150 m² (1,615 square feet) of floor area and 92.9 m² (1,000 square feet) of footprint.
For the provincial picture, see Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit in BC and Shed Rules by City.
These figures are a general guide checked 26 October 2026. Confirm them with the Village of Belcarra before building.