In Britannia Beach and other properties within Area D, there are covenants on the title of many properties that forbid any tree or vegetation pruning or cutting without the express permission of the SLRD due to slope stability and other issues. All landowners are responsible for ensuring that they adhere to any covenants that are registered on the title of their property.
Lands within the Britannia North Neighbourhood with slopes of 30% or greater are subjected to the Steep Slope Protection Development Permit as per the map below. This permit is required for development activities that involve any of the following:
- Removal, alteration, disruption or destruction of vegetation on land with slopes of 30% or greater, and land within 20 m of land with slopes of 30% or greater.
- Alteration of land with slopes of 30% or greater, including clearing, grading, blasting and other site preparation activities;
- Construction of, addition to or alteration of a building or structure on slopes of 30% or greater; and
- Subdivision of land with slopes of 30% or greater, where the number of parcels is increased.
Gardening and yard maintenance activities within an existing landscaped area, such as lawn mowing, minor pruning of trees and shrubs, and planting of vegetation are exempted from the Steep Slope Protection Development Permit. However, those activities are not exempted from the covenant area, where present on a lot. Any of those activites that have occured within a covenant area without the approval of the SLRD would be in violation of the terms of the covenant. In other words, no land alteration, tree/vegetation cutting/pruning, including gardening and yard maintenance activities can occur in a covenant area without the prior approval of the SLRD.
More information on these development permit areas can be found in the Electoral Area D Official Community Plan (OCP) Bylaw No. 1135. Development Permit application forms can be found on the Application Forms & Guides page.