The Provincial Government has provided municipal councils with the ability to regulate certain aspects of a development that are not directly addressed in the Zoning Bylaw or the Building Bylaw. For instance, for commercial development, the Council can establish guidelines for the general type of exterior finish of the buildings and landscapes features, and then require that all proposals meet these guidelines. Once the council is satisfied that a proposal would satisfy all the guidelines that have been established, a Development Permit can then be issued.

A Development Permit is not a Building Permit. Once you have obtained your Development Permit, you can then apply for a Building Permit.

For applications and guides on various Development Permits visit the Development Permits page.

Find the list of active development applications here: Current Development Application Listings

For more information on Development Permits, please refer to Development Procedures Bylaw No. 887, 2020.

Before applying for a permit, a pre-application meeting with the Village’s Development Services team, is required. Email developmentservices@pemberton.ca to schedule a meeting.

The Village of Pemberton has a list of currently active development permit applications with supporting documentation dependent on the application status. The chart is updated monthly.

View the current active applications under Current Development Applications. 

The Board of Variance is an independent tribunal appointed by Council that considers appeals for minor variances to the Village of Pemberton Zoning Bylaw and rules on appeal applications as set out in Section 536 of the Local Government Act.

Find out more on the Board of Variance page. 

Owners or prospective owners of Property within the Village can request a Letter of Comfort from the Village of Pemberton for the fee of $100 an hour (minimum $25 fee) as per Fees and Charges Bylaw No 905, 2021 Schedule A.

The Village of Pemberton has established several advisory planning commissions that provide Council and Municipal Staff with expertise and advice on matters respecting land use, community planning and proposed bylaws and permits.

They include the

• Advisory Land Use Commission
• Advisory Design Review Commission and
• The Agricultural Enhancement Advisory Commission.

Head to the Development Commissions page for applications, meetings, and more. 

Local governments in BC use Development Cost Charges (DCCs) levied on new projects to help fund the cost of hard infrastructure: water, sewer, drainage, road and parkland needed to accommodate growth.

Head to the DCC page for more information. 

The Village of Pemberton has a number of plans and guides that assist in the development of its communities, such as:

• Community Climate Action Plan, 2022
• Housing Needs Report, 2023
• Official Community Plan, 2010
• Area C and Pemberton Agricultural Area Plan
• Guide to Edge Planning, Ministry of Agriculture Province of British Columbia

For more information on the following items, visit the Policies and Plans page.

The Village of Pemberton also has a number of regulatory bylaws mandating land use, development procedures, and more. Some examples are the Zoning Bylaw and Board of Variance Bylaw. 

For more information and digital copies of the bylaws, visit the Regulatory Bylaw page. 

For building bylaw information, visit the Building Services page. 

For general bylaw services, visit the Bylaw Services page.

Tree removal and soil deposit/removal within the Village of Pemberton is governed by the Site Alteration Bylaw No. 822, 2017. 

If the soil deposit or removal is under 10 cubic meters, then you do not need a Site Alteration Permit. However, for any amount over 10 cubic meters of soil deposit or removal, you must apply for a Site Alteration Permit.

Go to the Building Services page and apply for a Site Alteration Permit. 

For more information or any questions, contact mbojic@pemberton.ca or by telephone at 604-894-6135 extension 249.

What is Zoning? 

Every parcel within the Village of Pemberton boundaries is categorized within a 'zone'. The zone will prescribe the use, height/width of buildings, and more within the corresponding section in the Zoning Bylaw No. 832, 2018. 

Launch the Village of Pemberton GIS web map and use the 'planning' tab to find out what zone your property lies in. 

To learn how to use the web maps select the "Help" tab at the top of the mapping page.
There you will find tips for using the layers and accessing information related to your parcel. Alternatively, access a written manual on how to use the GIS webmaps.

For more information, visit the Municipal Services: Mapping page. 

When is Rezoning Required?

In the case where a property owner wants to use his or her land in a manner that is not permitted under the present zoning, a change in the zoning classification through a formal amendment of the Municipality's Zoning Bylaw of the property is required. This process is called rezoning.

A property owner begins by submitting a Rezoning Application to the Manager of Development Services. The process is not completed until the Council has given Fourth Reading to the amending rezoning bylaw, and the bylaw has been registered by the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development.

Please contact the Development Services Department to review your project and obtain a Rezoning Application at developmentservices@pemberton.ca.

Zoning Bylaws:

Consolidated Version

Zoning Bylaw No 832, 2018 - Amended December 2024
Zoning Bylaw 832, 2018 Maps - Updated October 9, 2024

Amending Bylaws:

Amendment Bylaw No. 975 – Adopted December 10, 2024
Amendment Bylaw No. 966 – Adopted October 22, 2024
Amendment Bylaw No. 960 – Adopted May 29, 2024
Amendment Bylaw No. 948 – Adopted April 9, 2024                                              
Amendment Bylaw No. 936 – Adopted October 17, 2023
Amendment Bylaw No. 924 – Adopted May 17, 2022
Amendment Bylaw No. 889 – Adopted October 20, 2020
Amendment Bylaw No. 883 – Adopted June 16, 2020
Amendment Bylaw No. 862 – Adopted May 7, 2019
Amendment Bylaw No. 847 – Adopted October 16, 2018
Amendment Bylaw No. 841 – Adopted October 16, 2018