{"title":"Wells zoning: find your zone and what it allows","question":"How do I find out how my property is zoned in Wells and what I can build on it?","slug":"zoning-lookup","place":{"path":"ca/bc/wells","name":"Wells","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":"District of Wells","url":"https://www.wells.ca"},"short_answer":"In Wells, your zone is shown on two zoning maps, Upper Wells and Lower Wells, posted as PDFs on the District's Planning Bylaws page. No online address search is mentioned. The Zoning Bylaw sets the rules for each zone.","aliases":["zoning map wells","what is my zoning wells bc","district of wells zoning bylaw","zoning lookup wells"],"cost":"No fee is stated.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"online","label":"Planning Bylaws and zoning maps","value":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","note":"Zoning Map Upper Wells and Zoning Map Lower Wells (Schedule B)."},{"type":"phone","label":"District Office","value":"250-994-3330"},{"type":"email","label":"District Office","value":"clerk@wells.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"District Office","value":"4243 Sanders Ave, Wells, BC V0K 2R0","note":"Office hours are not stated on the District website."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000 (PDF)","url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"tree-removal","title":"Wells tree removal rules and permits","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/tree-removal/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/quesnel","name":"Quesnel","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/williams-lake","name":"Williams Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/mcbride","name":"McBride","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mcbride/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-george","name":"Prince George","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/zoning-lookup/"},{"place":"ca/bc/valemount","name":"Valemount","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/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 District posts two zoning maps (Schedule B) on its Planning Bylaws page: Zoning Map Upper Wells and Zoning Map Lower Wells. No online lookup tool or address search is mentioned.","short":"PDF zoning maps; no online lookup","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","section":"Planning Bylaws page","quotes":["Zoning Map Lower Wells","Zoning Map Upper Wells"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"zoning_bylaw":{"label":"Zoning bylaw","value":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw, Bylaw No. 26, 2000, amended by Bylaw No. 123, 2013 and Bylaw No. 125, 2013. The posted copy is not consolidated and states no 'current to' date.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","section":"Planning Bylaws page","quotes":["Bylaw No. 26, 2000 Zoning Bylaw","Bylaw No. 123, Zoning and Tree Protection Amending Bylaw","Bylaw No. 125, 2013, Zoning and Tree Protection Amending Bylaw"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"what_zone_controls":{"label":"What the zone controls","value":"For each zone, the permitted uses, minimum lot area, yard setbacks, lot coverage and building height (for example R 1: lot coverage 50%, height 10.67 m, front yard 4.5 m).","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000 (PDF)","section":"s. 4.8.2 (R 1 zone)","quotes":["LOT COVERAGE (maximum): = 50%","HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS (maximum): = 10.67 metres (35 feet)","Front Yard - Setback = 4.5 metres (14.76 feet)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"contact":{"label":"Contact","value":"District of Wells office: 250-994-3330, clerk@wells.ca.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/contact","title":"Contact, District of Wells","section":"Contact page footer","quotes":["4243 Sanders Ave PO Box 219 Wells, BC V0K 2R0 Tel: 250-994-3330 Email: clerk@wells.ca - -","PO Box 219 Wells, BC V0K 2R0 Tel: 250-994-3330 Email: clerk@wells.ca - - © DISTRICT OF WELLS"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw (Bylaw No. 26, 2000; the amending bylaws call it the Zoning and Tree Protection Bylaw), as amended by Bylaws No. 123 and 125, 2013","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","section":"Planning Bylaws page","quotes":["Bylaw No. 26, 2000 Zoning Bylaw"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"zoning":{"bylaw":{"title":"District of Wells Zoning and Tree Protection Bylaw No. 26, 2000 (with Amending Bylaws No. 123 and 125, 2013 not consolidated)","url":"https://www.wells.ca/download_file/view/176/379","accessed":"2026-11-08","note":"This is the original 2000 bylaw text. The District posts amending bylaws separately and not folded in: No. 6 1998 (an older CRD bylaw), No. 123, 2013 (adds single family dwelling as permitted use in CW, s. 4.1.A.1(a)iii) and No. 125, 2013 (adds RV seasonal temporary dwelling rules, s. 3.13(g),(h)). Neither adds a zone."},"zones":19,"zone_pages":19,"index_url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/zoning/index.json","lookup_url":null,"map":{"has_map":false,"has_addresses":false,"zones_geojson":null,"addresses_json":null,"source_url":null,"viewer":{"title":"District of Wells Planning Bylaws page (Zoning Map Lower Wells and Upper Wells PDFs)","url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws"},"caveat":null,"accessed":null}},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe District posts two zoning maps (Schedule B) on its [Planning Bylaws page](https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws): Zoning Map Upper Wells and Zoning Map Lower Wells. No online lookup tool or address search is mentioned.\n\nThe rules for each zone are in section 4 of the [Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000](https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf), as amended by Bylaws No. 123 and No. 125, 2013. For each zone it sets permitted uses, minimum lot area, yard setbacks, lot coverage and building height. For example, the R 1 zone has lot coverage of 50%, height of 10.67 m and a front yard of 4.5 m.\n\nThe posted bylaw is not consolidated and states no \"current to\" date, so ask the District whether other amendments exist.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Open the Planning Bylaws page and find your lot on the Upper Wells or Lower Wells map.\n2. Note the zone, then read that zone's section in the Zoning Bylaw.\n3. If you cannot read the map or are unsure, call or email the District Office to confirm your zone.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Other rules in the Zoning Bylaw apply across zones, such as ancillary buildings, home occupations and bed and breakfasts.\n- Wells' Official Community Plan also applies to development, including a development permit in the 1930's Mining Town area.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/district-wells/bylaws/planning-bylaws","title":"Planning Bylaws, District of Wells","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/application/files/5615/9373/3636/Bylaw_No._26_2000_Zoning_Bylaw.pdf","title":"District of Wells Zoning Bylaw No. 26, 2000 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.wells.ca/contact","title":"Contact, District of Wells","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","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/wells/zoning-lookup/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/zoning-lookup.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/zoning-lookup.json"}}