---
title: "Bowen Island zoning: find your zone and what it allows"
question: "How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it?"
place: Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/bowen-island
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: Bowen Island Municipality
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning-lookup/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning-lookup.json"
---

# Bowen Island zoning: find your zone and what it allows

**Question:** How do I find out how my property is zoned and what I can build on it?

**Short answer:** In Bowen Island Municipality, zones are shown on Schedule B, the Land Use Bylaw Map, on the Municipality's Land Use Bylaw page. Its online map, BowMap, locates a property and shows development permit areas. Each zone's rules are in Land Use Bylaw No. 57.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Bowen Island Municipality, https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca)  
**Cost:** Not stated on the Municipality's pages.  
**How long:** Not stated on the Municipality's pages.  
**Where:**
- Online: Land Use Bylaw page (Schedule B map), https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/
- Online: BowMap, bowmap.bowenislandmunicipality.ca
- Phone: Planning Department, 604-947-4255 ext. 6
- Email: Planning Department, planning@bimbc.ca
- In person: Municipal Offices (in the Community Centre), 580 Bowen Island Trunk Road, Bowen Island, BC V0N 1G2 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed statutory holidays))

## Key facts

- **How to find your zone:** The location of each zone is shown on Schedule B, the Land Use Bylaw Map, which the Municipality posts on its Land Use Bylaw page. The Municipality's BowMap online map (bowmap.bowenislandmunicipality.ca) is used to locate a property and check whether it is in a development permit area.
  - Source: [Land Use Planning Documents, Bowen Island Municipality, Land Use Bylaw](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/)
  - Official wording: "The Land Use Bylaw (LUB) regulates the use of land, building, and structures on the island" … "Land Use Bylaw Maps & Schedules"
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), s. 4.C](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "The location of each zone is on Schedule “B” the Land Use Bylaw Map."
  - Source: [Building and Planning Frequently Asked Questions, Bowen Island Municipality, Building Department FAQ](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/building-planning-frequently-asked-questions/)
  - Official wording: "Check out Bowmap to confirm whether or not your property is located within a development permit area."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning bylaw:** Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002, consolidated for convenience November 2025 (the Municipality's page lists amending bylaws through No. 723, 2026).
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), Title page](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY LAND USE BYLAW NO. 57, 2002" … "CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – November 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What the zone controls:** Each zone sets permitted uses, the size, height and siting of buildings and structures, lot coverage, minimum lot area, and parking standards.
  - Source: [Land Use Planning Documents, Bowen Island Municipality, Land Use Bylaw](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/)
  - Official wording: "The LUB defines legal zones that specify:" … "Permitted uses" … "The size, height, and siting of buildings and structures" … "Lot coverage" … "Minimum lot area" … "Parking standards"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Contact:** Planning Department: planning@bimbc.ca, 604-947-4255 ext. 6.
  - Source: [Contact, Bowen Island Municipality, Staff contact information](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/contact/)
  - Official wording: "For planning & zoning related questions | Planning Department | planning@bimbc.ca | x6"
  - Source: [Land Use Planning Documents, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/)
  - Official wording: "Questions? Contact the Planning Department at planning@bimbc.ca or 604-947-4255 ext. 6"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002.
  - Source: [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025), Title page](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)
  - Official wording: "BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY LAND USE BYLAW NO. 57, 2002"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

Bowen Island Municipality zones its land under [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/), consolidated for convenience in November 2025. The Municipality's page lists later amending bylaws through No. 723, 2026, so the consolidation may be out of date.

The location of each zone is shown on Schedule B, the Land Use Bylaw Map, posted on the Municipality's Land Use Bylaw page. The Municipality's online map, BowMap (bowmap.bowenislandmunicipality.ca), is used to locate a property and check whether it is in a development permit area. The Planning FAQ says zoning information and permitted uses are in the Land Use Bylaw.

Each zone sets permitted uses, the size, height and siting of buildings and structures, lot coverage, minimum lot area and parking standards.

## Steps

1. Find your property on Schedule B (the Land Use Bylaw Map) or on BowMap.
2. Open the Land Use Bylaw and read your zone's section for permitted uses and building limits.
3. Check on BowMap whether your property is in a development permit area.
4. Confirm with the Planning Department: 604-947-4255 ext. 6 or planning@bimbc.ca.

## Good to know

- Example zone figures: in the RR1 to RR3 zones, height is 9 m and the setback is 7.5 m from all lot lines. Your zone may differ.
- The consolidated bylaw is not a legal document. Ask Planning to confirm the current rules and any 2026 amendments for your lot.
- The Official Community Plan is Bylaw No. 282, 2010, and is under review.

## Zones

52 zones are listed from [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated for convenience, November 2025)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971). Each zone has its own page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning/index.json

Look up the zone of an address: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning/lookup?address=123+Main+St

## Official forms and pages

- [Land Use Planning Documents, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/)

## Related questions

- [Bowen Island building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/building-permit.md)
- [Bowen Island fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fence-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Bowen Island secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/secondary-suite.md)
- [Bowen Island home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/home-based-business.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/zoning-lookup.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/zoning-lookup.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/zoning-lookup.md)

## Sources

- [Land Use Planning Documents, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/planning-development/land-use-planning-documents/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (PDF, consolidated November 2025)](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/190971/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building and Planning Frequently Asked Questions, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/property-development/building-planning-frequently-asked-questions/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Bowen Island Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/zoning-lookup/_