DPA 2 Galiano Island Fact Sheet

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Galiano Island Local Trust Committee, 2014 
 
FACT SHEET 
SHORELINE AND MARINE DEVELOPMENT  
PERMIT AREA 2 
 
What is the Shoreline and Marine Development Permit Area (DPA 2)? 
British Columbia’s Local Government Act enables communities to designate parts of their planning area as Development 
Permit Areas (DPAs) so they can set objectives and guidelines for development within those areas. The Galiano Island 
Official Community Plan (OCP) designates seven DPAs generally designed to protect sensitive ecosystems or to guide 
development in areas with special circumstances. Depending on the particular Development Permit Area and its 
exemptions, the requirement to obtain a Development Permit may be triggered by any building construction, 
demolition, land alteration, or subdivision of land that occurs in the DPA. 
The Shoreline and Marine DPA was adopted by the Galiano Island Local Trust Committee (LTC) in order to protect 
sensitive coastal areas and processes. The objectives of the DPA include: 
 Manage development to protect the physical and ecological integrity of shorelines. 
 Maintain appropriate public access to the shoreline. 
 Protect development from erosion hazards and the coastal effects of climate change. 
 Ensure that marina development respects the aquatic environment and the rural nature of Galiano. 
Why are marine and shoreline areas important? 
With 78 kilometres of shoreline surrounding only 60 square kilometres of land, shorelines are the definitive physical 
characteristic of Galiano Island. They are an essential facet of island identity, and provide a key aesthetic and 
recreational resource for residents and tourists alike. Healthy and responsibly-developed shorelines also command 
superior real estate prices.  
Likewise, shorelines are dynamic and important habitats for terrestrial and marine fish and wildlife. They provide critical 
feeding, rearing, and migratory habitat to species such as salmon, forage fish, eelgrass, and shellfish. Shoreline 
vegetation is beneficial for limiting erosion and stabilizing banks, absorbing and filtering rain water and contaminants 
carried in stormwater, and providing nutrients and shading that are critical for forage fish habitat.  
With relatively small watershed areas and such extensive shorelines, what happens on the land almost always affects 
the marine environment, from shoreline marshes to eelgrass beds. Shoreline development can alter natural 
sedimentation processes, induce additional pollution, and modify the infiltration of sunlight to marine species.  
How do I know whether my land is affected by the DPA? 
The DPA includes all land 15 metres upland of the natural boundary of the sea, and seaward to the boundary of the area 
of bylaw application. Approximately 143 hectares of land on Galiano Island are designated within the Shoreline and 
Marine DPA, accounting for about 2.4% of the total land area.  

Galiano Island Local Trust Committee, 2014 
 
When do I need a developmen

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