Click to view larger image

Building By-law Amendments Enabling Construction of Five and Six Storey Residential Wood Frame Buildings

On Tuesday, July 21, 2009, City Council adopted proposed amendments to the Building By-law to enable construction of five and six storey residential wood frame buildings. With the exception of two enhancements aimed at providing a greater level of fire and life safety, these amendments are identical to those enacted by the Province of BC earlier this year. The two enhancements are intended to mitigate the spread of fire in vertical concealed cavities and provide greater reliability of the exit system in five and six storey residential wood frame buildings.

View the text of Building By-law No. 9905, which amends Building By-law No. 9419 (119kb)

From a Zoning perspective, five and six storey residential wood frame buildings can be constructed in any City zone where buildings are permitted to be taller than four storeys in height. The Building By-law amendments provide new material options to the design community. Building Permit applications for five and six storey residential wood frame buildings can be accepted immediately through the regular Building Permit process or the Certified Professional Building Permit process.

It should be noted that, with respect to the enhancement related to restriction of contiguous exit stairs, alternative solutions are possible should the design team desire to incorporate a contiguous exit stair system into a five or six storey residential wood frame building. The CBO's Office will evaluate all such submissions and monitor their performance over time. Once proven in the field, alternative solutions regarding contiguous stairs will be evaluated for codification into the "acceptable solutions" in Part 3 of the Building By-law.

[top]