{"title":"Port Alberni 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?","slug":"zoning-lookup","place":{"path":"ca/bc/port-alberni","name":"Port Alberni","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"City of Port Alberni","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca"},"short_answer":"In the City of Port Alberni, find your zone on the Zoning Map (Schedule A of Zoning Bylaw 5105, 2024), posted as a PDF on the City's Zoning page and the Municipal Mapping page. Development Services at 250-720-2835 can also confirm a zone.","aliases":["zoning bylaw port alberni","what is my zoning","zoning map port alberni","zoning bylaw 5105"],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"online","label":"Zoning page","value":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning"},{"type":"online","label":"Municipal mapping","value":"https://www.portalberni.ca/municipal-mapping"},{"type":"phone","label":"Development Services","value":"250-720-2835"},{"type":"email","label":"Development Services","value":"DevelopmentServices@portalberni.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Development Services","value":"Upper, 4835 Argyle Street, Port Alberni, BC V9Y 1V9"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"secondary-suite","title":"Port Alberni secondary suite and carriage house rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/secondary-suite/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/qualicum-beach","name":"Qualicum Beach","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/parksville","name":"Parksville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cumberland","name":"Cumberland","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/comox","name":"Comox","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/courtenay","name":"Courtenay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lantzville","name":"Lantzville","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/zoning-lookup/"}],"topic":{"title":"Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup/"},"facts":{"how_to_find":{"label":"How to find your zone","value":"The Zoning Map (Schedule A of the Zoning Bylaw) is a PDF on the City's Zoning page and under Land Use Maps on the Municipal Mapping page. Planning staff can also confirm a zone.","short":"PDF Zoning Map (Schedule A)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning","title":"Zoning, City of Port Alberni","section":"Zoning page","quotes":["ZONING MAP (Schedule A)"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/municipal-mapping","title":"Municipal Mapping, City of Port Alberni","section":"Municipal Mapping, Land Use Maps","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw (Schedule A Zoning Map)"]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/business-licensing-faq","title":"Business Licensing FAQ, City of Port Alberni","section":"How do I find out if I have the right zoning","quotes":["visit Upper - 4835 Argyle St to consult with the Planning Technician"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"zoning_bylaw":{"label":"Zoning bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024, adopted by Council on June 10, 2024. The posted copy is the file named \"Oct 2026 Update\".","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning","title":"Zoning, City of Port Alberni","section":"Zoning page","quotes":["The current Zoning Bylaw was adopted by Council on June 10, 2024."]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024”"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"what_zone_controls":{"label":"What the zone controls","value":"Each zone lists permitted principal and accessory uses and site rules: minimum lot area and frontage, maximum coverage, front, rear and side setbacks, maximum height and floor area ratio. Parking is set in Section 7.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning","title":"Zoning, City of Port Alberni","section":"Zoning page","quotes":["specifies the uses or activities that can take place on that property as well as other regulations including building size, siting on the property and parking requirements."]},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 5.7","quotes":["5.7.2    Site Development Regulations","Minimum Lot Area                                                       2 ha   (4.94 ac)","Maximum Coverage                                                       40%"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"contact":{"label":"Contact","value":"Development Services (Community Planning), Upper - 4835 Argyle Street. Phone 250-720-2835, email DevelopmentServices@portalberni.ca.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning","title":"Zoning, City of Port Alberni","section":"Contact block","quotes":["Upper - 4835 Argyle Street Port Alberni BC V9Y 1V9 #### Telephone 250-720-2835 #### Email DevelopmentServices@portalberni.ca"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"zoning":{"bylaw":{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (October 2026 update)","url":"https://portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-07","note":"The City also posts each zone as a separate PDF and keeps a table of amendments at https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning-bylaw-no-5105-table-amendments. The CD6 zone (6123 Russell Place) is listed in section 5.1 but has no section in this PDF, so it is not in the zone list below."},"zones":32,"zone_pages":27,"index_url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning/index.json","lookup_url":null,"map":{"has_map":false,"has_addresses":false,"zones_geojson":null,"addresses_json":null,"source_url":null,"viewer":{"title":"Zoning Bylaw 5105 Schedule A, Zoning Map (PDF)","url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/pages/ZONEMAP-BYLAW5105.pdf"},"caveat":null,"accessed":null}},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nEvery lot has a zone. [Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024](https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf) was adopted by Council on June 10, 2024. The posted copy is the file named \"Oct 2026 Update\". Each zone lists permitted principal and accessory uses and site rules: minimum lot area and frontage, maximum coverage, front, rear and side setbacks, maximum height and floor area ratio. Parking is set in Section 7.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Open the Zoning Map (Schedule A of the bylaw) from the City's Zoning page, or under Land Use Maps on the Municipal Mapping page, and find your property.\n2. Note the zone code and read that zone's section in the bylaw.\n3. If you are unsure, call Development Services at 250-720-2835 or email DevelopmentServices@portalberni.ca with your address.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The posted bylaw shows no \"current to\" date, and the amendments table may lag it, so confirm recent changes with Development Services.\n- The City's business licensing FAQ gives 250-720-2850 for the Planning Technician; the Zoning page gives 250-720-2835.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/zoning","title":"Zoning, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/municipal-mapping","title":"Municipal Mapping, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/business-licensing-faq","title":"Business Licensing FAQ, City of Port Alberni","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.portalberni.ca/sites/default/files/doc_library/5105_Zoning_Bylaw_No_5105_2024_Oct%202026%20Update.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 5105, 2024 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning-lookup/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning-lookup.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/zoning-lookup.json"}}