Board of Variance

Meetings

  • 7 p.m.
  • 4th Tuesday of every month except for August and December. If there are no applications to be heard the Board does not meet.

Overview

The Board of Variance is an independent body which considers requests for minor variances to the Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw regarding the siting, size and dimensions of buildings. The Board, which consists of five members appointed by Coquitlam City Council, has the authority to grant variances in situations where compliance with the Zoning Bylaw would cause a person undue hardship. The term "undue hardship" limits the Board to considering only hardships that result from aspects of the site as opposed to those which are personal to, or generated by, the owner.

How to Apply

  1. Before applying to the Board of Variance, you should review your plans and drawings with the City’s Building Permits Division to determine if a variance is required for building permit approval. Review our Board or Variance Guide (PDF) or email the Building Permits Division or call 604-927-3441.
  2. Once it has been determined that a bylaw variance appeal is required, applicants must submit a Board of Variance Application (PDF), and provide all requested supporting documents to the Building Permits Division.  The included Board of Variance Checklist (PDF) must be followed and submitted with your application.
  3. We encourage you to engage the services of a building design professional to assist you in preparing your plans submission if you are unfamiliar with building permit processes and construction matters. It is critical to submit as much detailed relevant information as possible to assist staff and the Board in completing their review of your application.

Applications for the Board of Variance are handled in person by the Building Permits Division, Main Floor, City Hall. If you have any questions about the function of the Board of Variance, please email the City Clerk's Office or call 604-927-3010.

Participating in the Board of Variance Consultation Process

If you would like to participate in the Board of Variance consultation process, we encourage you to register as far in advance of the meeting as possible. A comprehensive list of participation methods is provided below.

There are no items for the March 26, 2024 meeting therefore the next meeting has  been tentatively set for April 23, 2024.

Board of Variance Meeting  - April 23, 2024
Board of Variance Agenda  -TBD
Submission Package -TBD

Please note, you may register to attend the meeting remotely without signing up to speak to an item. The City Clerk’s Office will compile a speakers list for each item. Everyone will be permitted to speak at the verbal input opportunity but those who have registered in advance will be given first opportunity. Once the speakers list has been exhausted, you will be asked to use the raise hand feature to indicate if you would like to speak. For participants using the telephone, the raise hand feature can be activated by dialing *9. For participants using a computer/smart phone/tablet, the raise hand feature can be activated by selecting the raise hand button found in Webinar Controls. For more information on using the raise hand feature, and to see what the feature looks like on the various platforms, please consult this help article at the Zoom support website.

Please also note that there is a short delay between the broadcast of the meeting available at Agenda and Minutes page and the Zoom meeting. It is not advisable to use both methods to view the proceedings at the same time. 

Presentations or submissions must be received by the Board before the Meeting for that application is concluded as the Board will vote on the item. 

Speaking Tips for remote participants:

  • Limit your comments to the proposed application.
  • You will have 5 minutes to speak.
  • You will be muted when you join the webinar.
  • Make sure that you are in a quiet area with no background noise.
  • Ensure that your device is fully charged and that you have access to a charging station should your device need it.
  • Do not put your phone on speaker phone.
  • If using a computer, it may be better to use a headset with a microphone to talk so that you can be heard.
  • When it is your turn to speak, the Chair or a member of the City Clerk’s Office will call your name and you will be un-muted.
  • Additional instructions may be given by the Chair or the Secretary to the Board.

Important Notice

Remote participation will be conducted by Zoom. Zoom can be used via a computer with a microphone, a tablet or smart phone, or by a land line. Zoom is a US based video conferencing solution used extensively by cities and the provincial government. Like most similar programs/software/services, Zoom will collect a limited amount of personal information about you when you register to join the meeting. If you are not comfortable with this collection of personal information, please participate by writing to Council.