What is the difference between a building permit, a development permit, and a development variance permit?
• A building permit is required prior to the construction of any structure on a property, including retaining walls. Contact the Building Department at 604-885-6803 for more details. • A Development Permit is a specific permit that is required prior to issuance of a building permit when there are geotechnical or environmental concerns, or a form and character permit area has been established. • A Development Variance Permit (DVP) is a permit that allows a change to a Bylaw. The DVP process permits an applicant to request a variance to a bylaw that affects a property or building. Please note that development variance permits may vary aspects such as height and setbacks, but not use (ie. Residential vs. commercial) or density (number of dwellings on a lot). DVPs are not guaranteed to be approved.
