FAQs

Any land alteration on a steep slope, or within the 20-metre buffer can require a development permit. Some common examples include site grading, drainage improvements and service connections, the construction of buildings and other structures, retaining walls, significant new landscaping and some tree removal. This means a Development Permit process may be triggered and require a technical report by a qualified landslide assessment professional.

Property owners will need a development permit if activities on a steep slope or within the buffer area are not listed in the Steep Slopes Exemptions Table.

Amendments are being proposed to the Hazard Conditions Development Permit Area guidelines for steep slopes to improve human safety, protect property and address landslide risks.

The proposed amendments, including the exemptions are needed to keep up-to-date with current knowledge for landslide assessments in the Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia’s professional practice guidelines. Landslides are typically caused by a combination of factors, some of which can exist for years without causing slope failure but then a landslide can be triggered by a change in conditions, often weather and water-related. The typical contributing factors are the terrain, loss of trees and vegetation, fill placement including compost, concentrated drainage and removal of the base or toe of the slope.

A steep slope is a slope that has at least:

• A 30 per cent grade or more AND
• Is 10 metres high (or more) from its crest to its toe

Any work on a steep slope has to follow the requirements of the Hazard Conditions Development Permit Area in the  City of Campbell River Official Community Plan. This includes work on/around the slope itself and all land within 20 metres of the crest and the toe of the slope (also known as the “buffer area”). The proposed amendments would update the existing guidelines and exemptions in the Official Community Plan.

Please contact the City’s Development Services Department to determine if a permit is required: 250-286-5725 or email planning@campbellriver.ca.

Exempt activities on the steep slope still require an Exemption Form filled out by a Certified Arborist and submitted to the City for approval prior to undertaking any work. You can find the form at www.campbellriver.ca/steep-slopes

Exempt activities in the 20-metre buffer area extending from the crest and the toe of the slope do not require the submittal of an Exemption Form.

The new guidelines prohibit yard waste dumping on steep slopes. Piles of yard waste retain water, smother the growth of native vegetation and increase the spread of invasive plants, which contribute to soil instability and increase landslide risk. 

 By responsibly disposing of yard waste, the risk of surficial landslides can be minimized. All hill slopes have a trigger, and more often than not, all that’s required is gravity, a steep incline and the right amount of water. In our costal climate, heavy rain and snowmelt can seep into the spaces of left behind yard waste to divide dirt, rock and roots which will slowly lubricate the earth and trigger the soil’s friction to its limit

Pruning and limbing on steep slopes requires the submission of an Exemption Form, filled out by a Certified Arborist. Exemption permission is subject to the Arborist’s written opinion that the requested activity will not kill the tree and that professional pruning standards are utilized (ANSI A300).

 Efforts should be made to remove branches from the slope at the time they are cut. If it is not possible to safely remove branches, they must be dispersed in a manner that does not smother the natural vegetation on the steep slope.

 Pruning activities listed under the buffer zones in the following Exemption Table do not require the submission of an exemption form.

Under most circumstances, removing or modifying trees that are hazardous will continue to be permitted under the Hazard Conditions Development Permit Area exemptions. An exemption form can be accessed here, with guidelines for requesting a hazard tree removal exemption: Exemption Form

Depending on the scale of the removal (how many trees are involved), the City reserves the right to require a steep slope landslide assessment to determine if additional measures are needed to manage landslide risks.

Many trees, especially large conifers, do not respond well to topping and become weakened. This matters when we are relying on large trees to help manage water and stabilize soils. Tree topping is not a recommended practise in the tree care industry.