Marine Zoning

•  View the Early Engagement Summary (October 2020) 
•  Submit a comment to The District of Squamish 

New marine-specific zones and regulations are proposed for Squamish. The intent of these municipal marine regulations is to provide for and enhance the coordination and regulation of shared uses and protection of marine coastal areas within the District of Squamish. Updating and refining the District’s zoning tools is identified as an immediate priority action within the  Squamish Marine Action Strategy  (endorsed in 2018).

•  View Draft Marine Zones [Zoning Amendment Text] 
• View Draft Marine Zones Reference Maps:
•  Marine Overview Map (September 2020) 
•  Marine Zoning Detailed Inset Maps (September 2020) 

*To review revised marine zoning maps for the Council workshop on October 13, 2020, please visit the main  Marine Zoning Project Webpage. 

*Scroll below to review key zoning objectives, marine backgrounder information and a summary of new marine zones and regulations.

Marine zoning aims to better align and harmonize local land and water use regulations with stewardship objectives for coastal areas set out in the Squamish2040 Official Community Plan. Zoning also aims to address and reconcile long-standing historic uses and water lot tenures along with future planned uses, while recognizing and protecting sensitive habitats and conservation areas. The overall intent is to sustain the ecological health and productivity of marine areas and the Squamish Estuary while balancing shared interests and activities that support the socio-economic base of the community. To this end, the District is working towards integration of ecosystem-based approaches in land use planning, management and regulation.

Squamish is situated at the northern reach of Átl’ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound.

Átl’ḵa7tsem is one of three Squamish Nation place names for this deep-water fjord, and describes paddling out of the fjord toward the Salish Sea. Átl’ḵa7tsem is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and borders the Tsleil-waututh, Sechelt and Musqueam Nations’ territories. For thousands of years the marine realm has provided abundant food, transportation and a vital spiritual and cultural landscape for Coast Salish peoples. Local lands and waters are subject to aboriginal rights and title and the governing laws, policies, customs and land and water use plans of these First Nations.

Marine waters and shorelines are ecologically rich, linking and supporting both aquatic and terrestrial life. The ocean and ‘ocean fringe’ or intertidal areas represent approximately 9% of the Squamish municipal area ( Squamish Sensitive Ecosystems Inventory 2016 ). Marine areas provide valuable ecological services for human health, settlements, commerce and recreation. Marine areas are subject to a variety of shared uses and coastal development: Squamish is an active hub for forestry and shipping with its tidewater port facilities and intermodal connectivity to rail and road, and has an energetic, diversifying coastal economy with growth in clean energy, manufacturing, technology and tourism. With a permanent population of over 22,000, Squamish and the Sea to Sky region continue to experience sustained growth and visitation, increasing the use, access to and interests in marine areas.

All orders of government (Indigenous, federal, provincial and local) have jurisdiction in coastal and marine areas, making it a uniquely complex regulatory realm, and one that benefits from shared leadership and improved coordination.

Marine areas encompass tidal waters below the high water mark at the natural boundary between the land and sea. Below the high water mark, the foreshore (the land between the high and low water marks) is typically provincial Crown land, except in the case of federal or reserve lands. (In some limited cases in Squamish there are privately owned foreshore areas/water lots situated in the Mamquam Blind Channel.) Squamish municipal boundaries extend seaward of the natural boundary several hundred meters. Municipal zoning applies to lands and waters within the District’s boundaries, but does not apply to Squamish Nation reserves.

Local governments may regulate the use of lands and waters, and development along the shoreline, as well as adjacent upland areas. Legal tools for local governments include establishing development permit areas and long term community plans and policies, as well as zoning to regulate the use of land and water, the density of occupation, the location, siting, size and dimensions of uses, as well as prohibit uses within a zone. Municipal zoning powers may be exercised to the extent they do not interfere with federal jurisdiction, such as navigation, fisheries and shipping.

Zoning regulations are used in combination with development guidelines to guide future development within coastal areas. In 2018, OCP Development Permit Areas were designated and applied to regulate and minimize impacts of development on foreshores and marine ecosystems. the District created new coastal flood hazard management and environmental protection policies and guidelines:

• DPA1 Environmental Protection Guidelines for Marine Aquatic Areas - apply specifically to marine and estuarine areas mapped on OCP Schedule K-1, as well as areas within 30 meters seaward (foreshore) and 15 meters upland (backshore) of the natural boundary of the sea. These areas include Howe Sound, Estuary Central Channel, Crescent Slough, Cattermole Slough, and Mamquam (and Upper Mamquam) Blind Channel.

• DPA2 Flood Hazard Management Guidelines – for coastal flood protection within primary and secondary floodways and debris hazard areas to mitigate risk to people, infrastructure and property (applied in conjunction with the Squamish Floodplain Bylaw).

New marine zones are proposed for Marine Gateway areas broadly designated in the Squamish2040 Official Community Plan. These areas apply to both navigable and non-navigable marine and foreshore areas where marine industry and employment, waterfront revitalization and recreation activities are to be balanced with the preservation and enhancement of the coastal environment of Howe Sound.

SCOPE. The initial wave of new marine zones predominantly addresses marine waters currently zoned Resource (RE), as well as former industrial marine areas within the Mamquam Blind Channel and Cattermole Slough. Intensive major waterfront industrial sites zoned I-3 (General Industrial) including Squamish Terminals, Site B, and Woodfibre are not in scope in this zoning update. Nor are recently adopted Comprehensive Development Zones for brownfield sites such as the Squamish Oceanfront (CD-69 Zone) and Waterfront Landing (CD-40 Zone). Finally, marine zones do not include the Squamish River or the Skwelwil’em Squamish Estuary Wildlife Management Area (WMA), which were rezoned as Ecological Reserve (P4) in 2018.

[*note the following descriptions are general; please see the draft zones and associated maps for full details and their geographic application]

• Allowable uses in all marine zones. New generally applicable marine regulations (i.e. to all marine zones) are defined and allow marine navigation, navigation aids, marine parks and public authority use (i.e. RCMP or police, Canadian Coast Guard, marine search and rescue). Navigation and temporary anchoring/mooring are protected under the common law right to navigate.

• Proposed regulations for anchoring and long-term moorage. Anchoring and long-term moorage of vessels outside of marinas, private moorage facilities, community docks, floats or piers, or ferry terminals for a continuous period exceeding 48 hours, or more than 72 hours within a 30-day period, are prohibited. The intent of these general regulations is to focus long-term and visitor moorage within supported moorage areas, while proactively addressing the issue of long-term moorage as well as derelict vessels in navigation channels and sensitive marine areas. Note marine navigation and temporary moorage cannot be prohibited by local government and intrude on federal jurisdiction over navigation and shipping. The right to anchor is part of the common law right of navigation; marine vessels are free to anchor temporarily wherever it is safe. Vessels at anchor are governed under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001, and enforced by Transport Canada.

• Minimum servicing standards and specific marine calculations. General regulations also establish required servicing standard for commercial uses and float homes, as well as the calculation of height of floating structures, and water lot coverage. Boatsheds or shelters are not permitted except where used by a public authority or as community a recreational storage facility.

The M1 Zone is assigned to undeveloped foreshores, navigation channels as well as the outlying marine coastal area of Squamish Harbour. This zone pertains to general and commercial marine navigation and public recreation activities. Public boat ramp is noted as a permitted use in the M1 Zone. The limited allowance for private moorage facilities accessory to upland residential use (1 per upland lot) is under review and for community and Council discussion.

The M2 Zone provides for a variety of commercial and recreation uses and the orderly development of marina infrastructure with associated moorage and related marine retail. Permitted uses include marinas and associated marine fuel sales, boat rentals and charters, restaurant, outdoor recreation storage, and community uses. In addition, accessory uses are proposed (marine retail, sales and repairs in marinas, portable food and temporary commercial vending). Live-aboard accessory to marina use is proposed (subject to 1 live-aboard for marina caretaker). Maximum water lot coverage of 60% and densities for specific uses and on-water structures (such as boatsheds) as well as setbacks are proposed.

The M2 Zone is applied to existing long-standing and future planned marinas (with tenures) on the west side of the MBC; the zone is generally aligned with similar on-water marina uses regulated within the Oceanfront CD69 Zone and marine waterfront uses in the CD40 Zone (Waterfront Landing).

The M3 Zone establishes and provides regulation pertaining to water lots dedicated to marine recreation and civic uses with access and moorage associated with upland uses. The zone allows community docks, floats and piers, public boat launch or ramp, boatsheds for public authority or community uses, marine-oriented tourist and recreation uses, marine park, interpretive centre, and a number of accessory uses. Maximum water lot coverage of 40% (10% for for boatsheds) as well as setbacks are proposed.

The M3 Zone is proposed for the water lot fronting Xwu’nekw Park on the west side of Mamquam Blind Channel.

The M4 Zone establishes use regulations for provincially-tenured on-water log storage activities outside of the Site B intensive industrial site, situated on the east side of Mamquam Blind Channel. In limited areas it allows water-based log-handling where it is adjacent to an immediate upland log sort (I-5 Zone) – e.g. near Watt’s Point. Water-based log-handling areas are to be offset from any watercourse in mouth or wetland by at least 100 metres. Log storage areas are to be located in sufficient water depths so as to preclude tidal grounding on the foreshore. Minimum setbacks for log storage structures are proposed.

The M4 Zone is assigned to and recognizes provincial tenure areas (licenses of occupation and long-term leases) for log storage on water lots north of Darrell Bay and south of Watt’s Point.

The M5 Zone is a spot-zone applied to the Darrell Bay Ferry Terminal for major marine transportation infrastructure. The M5 Zone encompasses the majority of the area under a provincial Ministerial Order administered by the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure restricting use of the lands and water for the Ferry Terminal. Darrell Bay is also identified as critical emergency marine evacuation facility in the Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan (2019). Side setbacks for ferry terminal buildings and structures are proposed from adjacent foreshore areas and properties.

Note the adjacent North Bay area at Darrell Bay is alternatively proposed and designated as part of the M1 Zone, as this area is distinctly separate from the Ferry Terminal operational area.

While research on marine zoning was initiated as early as 2012 with the Squamish Marine Strategy, drafting of new marine zones began in 2019. Work to date has involved early and ongoing engagement with all orders of government as well as key sectors, local knowledge holders and representatives across stewardship groups, industry, business, community and commercial recreation, aquatic tenure holders and upland owners. The District held initial focus groups in late 2019 and early 2020 to preview draft zones and collect information, marine perspectives and inputs on initial proposed regulations. Draft marine zones and mapping were presented for broad community input through a public survey open from September 11 through 29, 2020. A summary of this early stage engagement is linked below. Intergovernmental outreach with provincial and federal government agencies as well as Squamish Nation is ongoing.

 View the Early Engagement Summary (October 2020) 

Next Steps

Prior to bringing forward a formal amendment bylaw, draft marine zones will be brought to Council for introduction and initial input in mid October 2020. Forthcoming zoning bylaw amendments will eventually be presented as District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw 2200, 2011 Amendment Bylaw (Marine Zones) No. 2771, 2020.

1  Marine Zoning Backgrounder (June 2020)        2  Squamish Marine Action Strategy  (2018)

Sarah McJannet, Senior Planner, District of Squamish

smcjannet@squamish.ca 604-815-5096