--- title: "Smithers 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: Smithers, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/smithers category: Building, renovating and your property owner: municipal owner_body: Town of Smithers sources_read: 2026-11-06 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning-lookup/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning-lookup.json" --- # Smithers 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 Smithers, find your zoning on the Zoning Map (Schedule A to Zoning Bylaw No. 1987) on the Town's OCP and Zoning page, or on the shared web map by address or PID. You can also call Development Services at 250-847-1600. **Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Smithers, https://www.smithers.ca) **Cost:** Looking up zoning is free. A Land Use Information (Comfort) Letter costs $55 for single-family residential or $80 for other property. **How long:** The Town does not state a time for answering zoning questions. **Where:** - Online: OCP and Zoning, Town of Smithers, https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/ocp-zoning - Online: Engineering and Mapping (web map), https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/engineering-mapping - Phone: Development Services, 250-847-1600 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) - Email: Development Services (mapping questions), devserv@smithers.ca ## Key facts - **How to find your zone:** Use the Zoning Map (Schedule A to Bylaw 1987) on the Town's OCP & Zoning page, or the shared web map, which lets you search by address or PID and view zoning boundaries. You can also ask Development Services. - Source: [OCP and Zoning, OCP & Zoning page](https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/ocp-zoning) - Official wording: "Zoning Map (Schedule "A" to Bylaw No. 1987)" - Source: [Engineering and Mapping](https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/engineering-mapping) - Official wording: "Search properties by address or PID" … "View zoning and other boundaries" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Zoning bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1987, adopted June 17, 2025, plus four amendments: No. 25-01 (Bylaw 1991, adopted Aug. 12, 2025), 25-02 (Bylaw 2001, Jan. 13, 2026), 26-01 (Bylaw 2006, June 9, 2026) and 26-02 (Bylaw 2015, Oct. 13, 2026). - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987, Citation page](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) - Official wording: "ADOPTED THIS 17TH DAY OF JUNE 2025." - Source: [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/268986/, s. 1.1, adoption](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/268986/) - Official wording: "ADOPTED ON THIS 12TH DAY OF AUGUST 2025." - Source: [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/277192/, adoption](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/277192/) - Official wording: "ADOPTED THIS 13rH DAY OF JANUARY 2026." - Source: [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/287201/, adoption](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/287201/) - Official wording: "ADOPTED THIS 9TH DAY OF JUNE, 2026." - Source: [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/297266/, adoption](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/297266/) - Official wording: "ADOPTED THIS 13TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2026." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **What the zone controls:** Each zone lists permitted uses and regulations such as parcel size and coverage, setbacks, building height and density. Anything not specifically permitted is prohibited. Example: LDR-1 has a 460 m² minimum parcel, 50% maximum coverage and 9 m building height. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987, s. 1.5.3; Table 4.1 (LDR-1)](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) - Official wording: "All uses, buildings and structures not specifically permitted are prohibited." … "460 m2 minimum" … "50% maximum for all buildings and" … "Building Height 9 metres" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Contact:** Town of Smithers Development Services Department: 250-847-1600, 1027 Aldous Street, Monday to Friday (except holidays) 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mapping questions: devserv@smithers.ca. - Source: [Application, Permit and Licence Fees guide, Contact block, p. 3](https://www.smithers.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/GUIDE%20-%20Development%20Services%20Fees.pdf) - Official wording: "Town of Smithers Development Services Department" … "Telephone: (250) 847-1600 Fax: (250) 847-1601" … "8:30 am to 4:30 pm" - Source: [Engineering and Mapping](https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/engineering-mapping) - Official wording: "please contact the Development Services Department at devserv@smithers.ca." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Town of Smithers Zoning Bylaw No. 1987 - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987, Title](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) - Official wording: "TOWN OF SMITHERS ZONING BYLAW NO. 1987" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works The [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) was adopted June 17, 2025. It has been amended four times: by Bylaw 1991 (August 12, 2025), Bylaw 2001 (January 13, 2026), Bylaw 2006 (June 9, 2026) and Bylaw 2015 (October 13, 2026). The Town lists these as separate documents, and we found no combined copy. Each zone lists permitted uses and rules such as parcel size, coverage, setbacks, building height and density. Anything not specifically permitted is prohibited. For example, LDR-1 has a 460 m² minimum parcel, 50% maximum coverage and 9 m building height. General rules in Division 2 (home occupations, short-term rentals, suites, fences, parking, accessory buildings) apply across zones. Your property may also lie in an Environmental or Form and Character development permit area under the Official Community Plan. ## Steps 1. Open the Zoning Map (Schedule A to Bylaw 1987) on the Town's OCP and Zoning page, or use the web map linked from the Engineering and Mapping page, which searches by address or PID. 2. Find your zone in the Zoning Bylaw and read its permitted uses and rules. 3. Call Development Services at 250-847-1600 (1027 Aldous Street) to confirm, or email devserv@smithers.ca with mapping questions. 4. For written confirmation, ask for a Land Use Information (Comfort) Letter: $55 for single-family residential, $80 for other property. ## Good to know - The web map is shared with the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako and the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George, and is hosted off the Town's own domain. - Older Town guides may still cite Zoning Bylaw No. 1936 or 1403, which are out of date. ## Zones 25 zones are listed from [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987 (adopted June 17, 2025)](https://www.smithers.ca/sites/default/files/2025-06/Town%20of%20Smithers%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%201987_Deepa%20Chandran.pdf). Each zone has its own page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning/index.json Look up the zone of an address: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning/lookup?address=123+Main+St ## Official forms and pages - [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) ## Related questions - [Smithers building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/building-permit.md) - [Smithers fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/fence-rules.md) - [Smithers permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/deck-shed-garage-permit.md) - [Smithers secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/secondary-suite.md) - [Smithers home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/home-based-business.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup.md) - [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/zoning-lookup.md) - [Houston](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning-lookup.md) - [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/zoning-lookup.md) - [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/zoning-lookup.md) - [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/zoning-lookup.md) - [Terrace](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/zoning-lookup.md) ## Sources - [OCP and Zoning, Town of Smithers](https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/ocp-zoning) (read 2026-11-06) - [Engineering and Mapping, Town of Smithers](https://www.smithers.ca/business-building/building-development/engineering-mapping) (read 2026-11-06) - [Zoning Bylaw No. 1987, Town of Smithers](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/265053/) (read 2026-11-06) - [Application, Permit and Licence Fees guide (PDF), Town of Smithers](https://www.smithers.ca/sites/default/files/2026-10/GUIDE%20-%20Development%20Services%20Fees.pdf) (read 2026-11-06) - [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/268986/](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/268986/) (read 2026-11-06) - [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/277192/](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/277192/) (read 2026-11-06) - [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/287201/](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/287201/) (read 2026-11-06) - [https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/297266/](https://smithers.civicweb.net/document/297266/) (read 2026-11-06) _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 Town of Smithers. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning-lookup/_