HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE
TO THE
FLOAT HOME STANDARDS

Standards for float homes vary from one municipality to another, and are non-existent in others. The floating home association has collaborated with the Association of Marine Surveyors of B.C. in developing a list of standards for float homes for consideration by the B.C, Provincial Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Building Standards Branch. These standards are similar to those adopted by the Fraser River Harbours Commission, the City of Richmond and others. These standards apply to new construction, and may or may not apply to existing float homes.

Requirements for Float Homes Exemptions
Standards for Marinas Site Development Standards
Spacing Resident Access
Water Supply Sewage Disposal
Solid Waste Collection & Disposal Rodent & Insect Control
Electrical Power General Safety
Floatation Sprinkler Systems
New Canada Marine Act  

1. Requirements / Standards for Float Homes:

(a) A float home shall not be located other than within land designated in the [municipality name] zoning and developed bylaw as permitting Waterborne residential use.

(b) A float home shall contain not more than one dwelling unit, nor shall it exceed in height three stories.

(c) The floatation system shall be designed according to accepted marine engineering and architectural principles, and shall be approved by a qualified member of the Association of Marine Surveyors or the Professional Engineers Association of British Columbia.

(d) The floatation device shall be durable and not subject to deterioration by water, mechanical damage due to floating debris, electrolytic action, water-borne solvents, organic infestation or physical abuse, to the satisfaction of a marine surveyor or professional engineer.

(e) Where solid floatation devices are not used, an adequate portable bilge pump shall be maintained in proper working order and sounding pipes provided for each compartment. Material and construction to maintain a minimum of 12" of freeboard, and less than two inches of trim and list. Logs, untreated wood and exposed foam is not considered suitable.

(f) The overall buoyancy and stability of the floats and superstructure shall be sufficient (in the opinion of a marine surveyor) to accommodate local wind and water turbulence, moving and launching, wave action, tides, loads imposed by vessels and walkways moored to the structure, and snow loads, or the possibility of water flooding associated with fire fighting.

(g) The floatation system of a floating home shall be designed as an independent unit to work in conjunction with the superstructure and to provide overall stability of the float home.

Special Note: Positive floatation is required to qualify for a CMHC mortgage.

Floatation Systems: www.floatingstructures.com

(h) The framing of the float home shall conform to either of the following standards:

  1. CSA structural standards for mobile homes provided that construction is carried out under controlled conditions with proper inspections and is CSA certified. Structural components shall be designed and utilized only as component parts of a unified system; or

  2. the relevant sections of the British Columbia Building Code, together with Provincial Government Standards developed from time to time and specifically related to float home design and construction.

(i) All fastenings shall be hot dip galvanized marine grade bronze, copper, stainless steel or other material suitable for marine use.

(j) All electrical systems on float homes shall comply with CSA residential standards intended for connection to a 120/240 volt, 3 wire, single phase AC supply. Electrical equipment on board shall be restricted to those appliances which conform to the standards of the Canadian Electrical Code.

(k) All float homes shall be connected to an approved source of potable water, and shall have plumbing systems which conform to either of the following standards:

  1. CSA plumbing standard for mobile homes provided that these are assembled, inspected and approved by CSA; or

  2. plumbing as per the British Columbia Plumbing Code.

(l) Liquid petroleum gas, including propane naphtha, butane, natural gas and gasoline systems shall not be permitted on float homes unless the design and installation of the entire lighting, heating and cooking systems have been inspected and approved by the local fire authorities.

(m) Fireplace and flue construction shall comply with the relevant section of the British Columbia Building Code.

(n) All float homes shall be equipped with smoke alarms to the satisfaction of the local fire authorities.

(o) Guard rails at least 1.1 metres (3.609 feet) high shall be provided at the edges of all decks not encompassed be the exterior walls of the float home superstructure and otherwise shall be provided as required by the British Columbia Building Code.

(p) Safety equipment within a float home shall include one fire extinguisher of a type and in a location to be established by the local fire authority, one axe for cutting mooring lines, and one life ring 76 centimetres (30 inches) in diameter.

(q) A float home shall have prominently affixed to it a numbered and dated decal issued by the Building Inspector to indicate that he is of the opinion that the float home has met the standards required in the Agreement.

2. Exemptions:

Notwithstanding requirements to the contrary contained in Subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), 1. and (m) of Section 1 of this Part, float homes which were located within a Marina Class 1 prior to 30 June 1990 shall meet all of the following conditions:

(a) The float home must have been completely finished both inside and out prior to 30 June 1990.

(b) The float home must have been occupied and in actual use as a dwelling unit prior to 30 June 1990.

(c) The float home's floatation system shall be certified by a qualified member of the Association of Marine Surveyors or the Professional Engineers Association of British Columbia as having been constructed to acceptable marine engineering standards.

(d) The superstructure of the float home shall have been certified as to its structural integrity be a qualified member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia or the Professional Engineers Association of British Columbia.

(e) The internal layout of the float home, including physical, electrical and plumbing arrangements, shall be certified by a qualified member of the Professional Engineers Association of British Columbia as to its safeness for the intended life of the structure. Proposals for equivalency shall be submitted to the Building Inspector for his consideration and approval.

(f) Equivalent to part 9 of the B.C. Building Code, with some additions (for compliance with marine code) and exceptions as allowing no railing on deck less than 18" wide or less than 3'3" above the water, and allowing wood stoves as primary heat source.

3. Standards for Marinas:

(a) No person shall construct marina or make structural or mechanical renovations to a marina without first obtaining the necessary permits from the Building Inspector.

(b) Each marina shall continuously conform to a moorage site plan which has been approved by the municipal council. The site plan shall include:

  1. legal description of the property;
  2. dimensions of the site;
  3. location of abutting public waterways;
  4. location and dimensions of access to the moorage;
  5. written statement re maximum allowable number of float homes or facilities and the off-street parking spaces provided;
  6. water service system;
  7. on-site sewer system;
  8. electrical service and lighting system;
  9. overall locational situation vis-a-vis the physical and municipal planning elements listed in the regulations;
  10. an area for garbage collection facilities.

(c) Any deviations from the plans approved by the Building Inspector shall be authorized in writing by him before construction proceeds.

(d) Submissions for approval of marina plans shall be made to the Building Inspector.

(e) No person shall operate a marina unless he is the holder of a valid business license issued by the [municipality name].

(f) The Medical Health Officer and the Building Inspector shall be authorized and directed to make such inspections as are necessary to determine compliance with the regulations, and they shall have free access to the marina at all reasonable times for this purpose.

(g) Each marina owner or operator shall be responsible for the dredging and maintenance of the marina to the standards prescribed by the Fraser River Harbour Commission.

(h) The owner of a marina shall provide adequate staff to supervise the operation of the marina and to maintain the operation in conformity with the standards described herein.

(i) Each marina owner or operator shall maintain a current register of every float home moored at the marina to record:

  1. name and address of legal owner of float home;
  2. name (if any) of float home;
  3. registration number (if any) of float home;
  4. length and size of float home;
  5. length of time in residence.

(j) The register shall be available for inspection by municipal officials at any time.

4. Site Development Standards:

(a) The planning of floating communities shall be carried out in conjunction with any upland development in order that facilities and services can be easily and readily shared.

(b) The water level at zero tide (hydrographic datum - the level of the lowest normal tides) shall be sufficient to provide 0.6 metre (1.968 feet) of water depth beneath all watercraft and float homes moored in the marina.

(c) The upland area shall be landscaped to the satisfaction of the [municipality name].

(d) Open space on the upland portion of the marina site shall be made available for regulated public access and shall be located in order to provide visual access to the water.

(e) Road access to the site of the marina shall be provided by the developer by a route approved by the Municipal Engineer.

(f) Off-street parking spaces shall be provided in accordance with the requirements of [municipality zoning and bylaw regulation].

5. Spacing:

(a) The minimum distance between the floats or walls of adjacent float homes shall be 3 metres (9.843 feet).

(b) The minimum distance between the walls of float homes on opposite sides of a moorage walkway shall be 3 metres (9.843 feet).

(c) Float homes shall have sufficient direct access to open water, as determined by the local fire authorities, to allow for access in and out of moorage berths in a case of emergency. Each float home shall abut open water of a least 6 metres (19.685 feet) in width.

(d) Access shall be provided to at least two adjoining sides of the float home be walkways either on the base of the structure itself or on the floats of the marina. Access on the structure shall be a minimum of 1 metre (3.937 feet) in width.

(e) At least one habitable room within a float home shall overlook an unobstructed area having a width of 5 metres (16.404 feet) measured horizontally at right angles to the exterior wall of the room, and having a breadth equal to the full length of the exterior wall of the room.

6. Resident Access:

(a) A float home shall have access to the upland area by a float or wharf of at least 1.5 metres (4.921 feet) in width, except where entry is gained directly to the float home by a gangway in which case the gangway shall be not less than 1 metre (3.937 feet) in width.

(b) Float walkways shall be a minimum of 1.5 metres (4.921 feet) in width. Slip walkways or finger piers shall be a minimum of 1 metre (3.937 feet) in width.

(c) All walkway surfaces shall be covered with a nonslip surface and shall be stable.

7. Water Supply:

(a) An adequate supply of pressurized potable water shall be available at all marinas at a walking distance of not greater than 150 metres (492.126 feet) from any watercraft moored at the marina.

(b) Potable water shall be available 24 hours a day and should be conveyed in such a manner as to maintain the quality of water from its source.

(c) All moorage spaces for float homes shall be provided with potable water connections.

(d) The potable water supplied to dockside watering points and watercraft connections shall be protected with backflow prevention devices and to the standards provided by the British Columbia Plumbing Code.

(e) Fire standpipes, hydrants or other fire fighting apparatus shall be provided to the approval of the municipals fire department. Pressure and flow shall at all times be adequate to meet fire fighting requirements.

(f) All water supply mains shall be located beneath the walkway surface of the dock walkway or, alternatively, if above the level of the walking surface, shall not diminish the effective width of the dock walkway below the width required in Section 6 "Resident Access".

8. Sewage Disposal:

(a) All float homes shall have provision for connection to an approved municipal sewage system; or into an alternative sewage system approved by; either the Medical Health Office or the Waste Management Branch, B.C. Ministry of the Environment.