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Comment by tynan | Hacker News Reader

I'm curious about this, too. We've done a little research, and it seems like building non-permanent things like sheds and yurts will be fine, but docks, septic, permanent buildings that cost over $5k will need permits.

Then again, there are some pretty janky home-made docks in the bay that seem to have been there for a while.

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If it is anything like in the US, old stuff is grandfathered when things tighten up. This is why it is often advisable to look for property that already has a dock or other permanent structures on or near the shoreline. It is quite likely that none of that janky stuff could be built today.

This is exactly how it works in most of Canada. The new laws are strict to an extreme measure, in some cases you are not even allowed to add a window to a wall that is facing water (reflection and glare issues) or cut down any fauna within 60 feet of the waters edge. Docks usually have a permit but are limited to a specific size, and you cannot alter the general structure of grandfathered objects.

I think you mean flora... and even then I'm guessing it only applies to trees and large shrubs. I'm Canadian and all the anti-cutting laws I've heard about only restrict you from removing plants over a certain size. So you can remove saplings and small shrubs, but if you wait for them to get big it'll be too late.

Those docks might not be permanent structures, which probably removes any permit requirements. You might want to go this route too if you all won't be visiting much or at all during the winter months. Remove your dock to 'winterize' your island.

You might like https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6355488

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