Lions Bay fence rules: permits and height limits

Do I need a permit to build a fence in Lions Bay, and how high can it be?

Lions Bay, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

How it works

The Village of Lions Bay regulates fences in its Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, sections 4.10 and 4.11. The Building Bylaw does not apply to a fence, except a retaining wall, so a fence needs no building permit.

• Height: no fence may exceed 1.9 metres, in any yard. The Zoning Bylaw sets no separate front-yard limit. Height is measured from the average finished grade within 0.9 m of both sides.
• Corner lots: on a parcel at a street intersection, no fence, wall, hedge or other obstruction to the line of vision may be higher than 0.9 m above the road centre point within 4.5 m of the corner of the parcel.
• What counts: "fence" includes an arbour, archway, gate, pergola, screen, trellis and wall.

Steps

1. Check the height rules above, and the corner rule if you are at an intersection.
2. If the fence or wall will be within 1 m of a property line, a BC land surveyor must confirm the siting.
3. If you are building a retaining wall, ask Building Services about the permit (see below).

Good to know

• Retaining walls of 1.2 m or more need a registered professional's design and field review. A retaining wall over 1.2 m needs a site alteration permit, a site plan, a geotechnical report and an engineer's Letters of Assurance.
• Pools, spas and hot tubs need a fence at least 1.22 m high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. A hot tub may use a locking cover instead.
• The bylaws do not mention barbed wire or electric fences. Ask Building Services.
• An owner must not let a fence become unsightly, unstable or unsafe (Good Neighbour Bylaw).
• A fence or retaining wall that breaks the bylaw can get a $300 ticket.