How
much time does this take?
How much
will this cost?
What
do you look at during the review process?
What
could cause the application to take longer?
What
are referral agencies?
What
if my land is in the ALR?
How
can approved consultants help?
Can
you point me to an approved list of professionals?
How
can I get help filling in the application?
What
are the applications for road closure and works on highway right-of-way used for?
What
is a Plan Examination Fee?
What
are my payment options? Can I pay online?
How
long is preliminary layout approval valid for?
How
long does Final Approval last?
Who
are my local contacts?
Development Approvals are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and
both the number of applications in the system, and the complexity of each one
can affect the timing. A proposal which comes in with a complete application
and all the supporting documents takes at least six weeks to reach Preliminary
Layout Approval stage, depending on the nature of the proposal. The average time
for approval varies around the province due to seasonal conditions and staffing
levels within and outside the Ministry of Transportation. Sixteen to 24 weeks
is not atypical for processing a preliminary subdivision application. Ministry
of Transportation staff can give you a time estimate when you apply.
After you have received Preliminary Layout Approval, you have a year to complete
servicing of your development and submit plans for the Final Approval. Final
Approval takes up to 60 days maximum.
Expect delays if you hand in incomplete information, if referring agencies
delay making recommendations to the Ministry of Transportation, or if your application
requires numerous site visits. Plans must be registered at the Land Title Office
within 60 days.
One of the main factors that will influence the time it takes to process your
application is whether you have provided complete information. Applications are
dealt with on a “first come, first served” basis, and your proposal can spend
time in the queue, only to be handed back with a request for more information.
Please make sure you have included all the information listed on our checklists
as you prepare your preliminary application.
Another potential bottleneck is when your application is referred to other
agencies for their comments and recommendations. While the Ministry makes
every effort to expedite the process, you may wish to contact the referral agency
directly to try to resolve issues which have reached an impasse or are delayed
due to lack of information. For instance the Health Authorities may not understand
your intent with respect to drinking water or sewage disposal. These issues can
often be resolved by discussion and perhaps modifications to your proposal. A
Regional District may have a land use or zoning concern which can often be resolved
by direct contact rather than the Ministry acting as an intermediary for you.
Add more time, if applicable, for the Agricultural
Land Commission, the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Islands
Trust to comment. Any investigation by professionals will also take additional
time.
The Ministry of Transportation charges fees
at the initial application stage, and again at the final stage of subdivision
approval. Local governments and referral agencies may also charge a fee for examining
or processing a development proposal. You are responsible for any engineering
and works on-site, such as roads and utilities; as well, you can expect to pay
current taxes and professional fees, servicing costs, and perhaps development
cost charges and fees for a review of site profile. Ministry fees are payable
by cash or cheque, and made out to the Minister of Finance.
Ministry staff evaluates each application for road
and access requirements, land
use issues and health
and safety considerations. Where other authorities need to provide comments,
Ministry staff refers the application to these agencies.
Referral agencies are other government administrative and regulatory bodies,
such as the Regional
Health Authority, the Department
of Fisheries and Oceans, or Regional
Districts, who give their recommendations and comments to Transportation Ministry
staff before your application receives preliminary layout approval. Your proposed
development may have to address issues raised by the referral agencies before
it is granted final approval.
Before you receive permission to subdivide, you will need approval from the
Agricultural
Land Commission to go ahead. You should show the approval of the Land Commission,
or at least written evidence that your application is being considered by them,
as part of your complete Preliminary Subdivision Application. To find out more
about subdividing in ALR lands, go to the ALC
website.
Depending on the scope and complexity of your development, the advice of a
professional surveyor
or engineer,
contracted early in your development planning, can prevent expensive mistakes
and delays. Ultimately, your final plans will need to be drafted by a BC
Land Surveyor, so it makes sense to develop a professional relationship with
one as early as feasible.
The Ministry’s interests are in approving Land
Title Act lots in the province which are safe for the current and subsequent
owners of your property. We ensure that it is free from natural
hazards and traffic problems and that environmental
and heritage values, and future access and development
opportunities are protected. You may not be aware of these concerns or may
not have the expertise to resolve them. The solutions often rest in the hands
of professionals licensed in the province to deal with such complexities. Expertise
can cost money, and only you can determine the economic worth of such an investment.
While it’s beyond our mandate to name any individuals, we have provided
links to useful professional organizations for your reference. These include the
BC
Land Surveyors, the Professional
Engineers, Registered
Professional Biologists, hydrologists and more.
We have provided an interactive help feature on the Preliminary
Subdivision Application form. While this should help you complete the form,
you can contact your nearest District
Office if you still have questions.
Sometimes a proposal for subdivision will include the discontinuance (road
closure) of a dedicated, or gazetted road. This requires an Application
for Permission to Discontinue, Close and Acquire the Land in a Public Road.
Road closure can be a complex process and must be done prior to, or concurrent
with, the final approval of a subdivision plan.
Sometimes the construction of works on an existing Highway Right-of-Way are
required to facilitate a proposed subdivision. An application for Permission
to Construct Works Within Highway Right-of-Way is required to construct these
works.
The plan examination fee is paid to the Provincial Government for the final
checking, approval, and signing of the subdivision plans.
Where the Ministry of Transportation is the subdivision approving
authority it does not collect fees required by other agencies. However, the Provincial
Approving Officer will reject the final plan for non-payment of fees.
Preliminary Layout Approval (PLA)
is a procedure that the Provincial Government has developed to review subdivision
plans prior to preparation of the survey. This permits most of the analytical
work to be done before developers incur substantial costs. The PLA is usually
valid for one year and subsequent extensions may be granted for 180-day periods.
Once all the terms and conditions necessary for approval are revealed on the PLA,
the developer can decide whether to proceed. Sometimes these terms and conditions
make the subdivision uneconomical and the developer does not proceed with the
subdivision. If an applicant prepares a final subdivision plan, a fee is charged
for its review when it is submitted. The PLA fee was established to offset the
costs for the initial analysis and to discourage frivolous applications.
Sorry, but at this time, we can only accept payment by cash or certified cheque,
payable to the Minister of Finance.
Preliminary Layout Approval is valid for one year, during which time you should
during which time you should complete
all the work necessary to meet the conditions of the PLA.
It is up to you to register the plans and other required documents in the Land
Title Office. You must do this within two months after final approval is granted.
Subdivision plans that are not deposited in the Land Title Office within
two months of approval must be approved again, or the Land Title Office may reject
them. If there has been no change in legislation, regulation, or bylaw, it is
not necessary to go through the full application process again. However, you must
produce another Tax Clearance Certificate and pay another plan examination fee.
You can find your local contacts by referring to our map
which lists the District Offices.
FAQ
FAQ
Glossary
