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RW1 zone in Salt Spring Island: Rural Watershed 1

Salt Spring Island, British ColumbiaDraft, not yet reviewedBylaw read 2026-11-07

In short

Main uses: Single-family dwellings, Agriculture, excluding intensive agriculture.

Zone rules

Main uses
  • Single-family dwellings
  • Agriculture, excluding intensive agriculture
Also allowed (secondary uses)Home-based business use, subject to Section 3.13
Extra uses on specific lotsRW1(a): a native wildlife recovery centre is also permitted, with accessory buildings up to 560 square metres floor area
Minimum lot areaSubdivision: average lot area 4 ha; smallest individual lot 4 ha
Maximum lot coverage33%
Front setbackGeneral setbacks of Section 4.3 apply
Rear setbackGeneral setbacks of Section 4.3 apply
Interior side setbackGeneral setbacks of Section 4.3 apply
Street side setbackGeneral setbacks of Section 4.3 apply
Other rules
  • Farm buildings and farm structures: 465 m² total floor area at most
  • Agriculture and keeping of livestock or poultry must be at least 15 m from the natural boundary of any water body
  • Water protection note: all activities must follow the applicable Salt Spring Island bylaws and provincial water and fisheries rules

Source: Salt Spring Island Land Use Bylaw, 1999 (Bylaw No. 355), consolidated version June 2026, s. 9.10 (read 2026-11-07)

Rules in the bylaw's general sections (parking, fences, suites, home businesses) also apply, and a lot can have site-specific rules. The Islands Trust says the consolidation is for convenience only and is not to be construed as a legal document. The zone names for R, RU1-RU3, RW1-RW2, Ri, S1-S8 are written out in the bylaw only as column codes or in generic lists, so names for those are derived from the bylaw's usage. The CRD zoning layer also carries R13 and CF3, which the bylaw text does not list (it lists R1 to R12 and CF1, CF2). Zone pages are taken from the bylaw text by a research agent and have not yet been reviewed by a person: confirm with the bylaw before you rely on them. How answers are checked.

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