R2: Townhouse

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Townhouses and rowhouses up to 4 storeys, with no number of homes set (one secondary suite allowed in each townhouse); and whatever the R1 district allows (s. 1.2.2). Whether R1's limits on homes, coverage and height also bind small-scale housing built here is unclear: ask the City

Main uses

The R1 district's uses, townhouses, congregate housing, dormitories, an emergency shelter, live-work units, supportive and transitional housing; Shops, restaurants and personal and business services, a child care facility (up to 25 children), a community garden, energy generation, an active mobility hub and mobile vendors, only alongside a principal use, under the C1 district's conditions: one storey above ground, at most 250 m² a unit (a corner unit isn't limited to shops, restaurants and services); boarders, home-based child care, home occupations, secondary suites, short-term rental, accessory buildings (ss. 1.2.2, 1.2.3)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

None set in the district; subdivision goes to the City's Approving Officer (our reading)

Lot coverage

None set in the district; at least 30% of the lot left permeable, shown on a landscape architect's plan (Part 4-4.3)

Height limit

4 storeys (s. 1.2.4); storeys are counted through the part of the building with the most of them (Part 4-2.2)

Setbacks

Street 3.0 m, lane 1.2 m, sides 1.2 m, rear 3.0 m (s. 1.2.4). Between buildings on a lot 6.0 m face to face, 4.5 m corner to corner up to 4 storeys (Part 4-1.2)

The district sets no floor area ratio or homes per hectare; the size of a building comes from its storeys, setbacks, separations and the permeable surface required (our reading).

Each townhouse at least 5 m wide (Part 4-3.2.2.2).

Parking under Part 7: none for homes in a Transit-Oriented Area or Frequent Transit Network Area (Part 7-1.3).

A secondary suite: at most one in each primary home (in small-scale multi-unit housing, a rowhouse or a townhouse), wholly inside it, at least 32.52 m², never on a title of its own; no boarders, child care centre or home occupation with clients on site in a home that has one (a licensed home-based child care may run in the suite where it has no inside door to the main home) (Part 6-3.1, Part 4-3.2.2).

Boarding: at most 2 boarders or lodgers in a home, for 30 days or more at a time (Part 2).

Home occupations: no outside sign of the business, no manufacturing or welding, no outside storage, residents only (one employee for a home-based child care), at most one customer and one customer vehicle at a time (Part 6-3.4).

Short-term rental (at most 4 unrelated guests, or 6 related) only in the principal residence of an owner on title; never in a rental unit, a secondary suite, an accessory building or a home with boarders, child care or a home occupation with clients on site; in a home with a suite, only while the suite is rented to a long-term tenant for 30 days or more. Small-scale housing and rowhouses need one more parking space for it (Part 2, Part 6-3.3, Part 7-1.3).

A temporary use permit can't add a use to small-scale multi-unit housing, rowhouses, townhouses, apartments, suites, lock-off units or purpose-built rental housing (Part 6-1.3).

Uses the district doesn't list aren't allowed (Part 1, s. 4.1), besides transit, public utilities, civic facilities and public parks, allowed everywhere (Part 6-1.4).

Parts 4 (general regulations), 6 (use-specific regulations) and 7 (parking) of the bylaw also apply.

Site-specific exceptions listed in the bylaw by legal description can add or change uses for one property, and development permit areas, the ALR and building rules apply on top. Confirm with the City of Burnaby's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Part 3, Section 1.2 of Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, No. 14815 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Burnaby.