PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
R-1(C) zoning in BC
R-1(C) (also written R-1C) means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial R-1(C) zone. 3 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 2 local governments. It goes by 3 names: Residential, Single Family Residential – Secondary Suite, Single Family Residential – Small Lot. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
R-1(C) in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional District of East Kootenay Single Family Residential – Small Lot · SweetWater Zoning & Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 2127, 2009 | One house under 93 m² of floor area, with a secondary suite inside it | 225 m² | 50% | House 8 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| Regional District of East Kootenay Single Family Residential – Secondary Suite · Columbia Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 3255, 2023 | One house and a secondary suite | 555 m² | 30% | House 9 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| Township of Langley Residential · Township of Langley Zoning Bylaw 1987 No. 2500 | One of these (s. 402.2): small-scale multi-unit housing, up to 4 homes (3 on a lot of 280 m² or less) where the lot meets the conditions below; or one house with either a secondary suite or one accessory dwelling unit (such as a coach house), not both. In the ALR, subject to the Agricultural Land Commission Act | 464.5 m², 15.25 m wide, 25 m deep, with lots in the subdivision averaging at least 557.4 m² (s. 110.1) | 35%, or 45% where new homes are added beside a kept older house (infill housing) (s. 402.3) | Homes 9.0 m; infill housing within 7.5 m of the rear lot line 4.5 m (a coach house on a lane excepted); accessory buildings that aren't homes 3.75 m |
Listed by local government, not ranked. "Not set" means the zone itself sets no figure; general rules elsewhere in its bylaw may still apply. Each zone's page has its uses, setbacks and the bylaw's sections.
Two lots both zoned R-1(C) under different bylaws can allow quite different things, and provincial law sets a floor of homes on most house zones in towns (how many homes can I build?). Site-specific exceptions, development permit areas and the ALR apply on top. Find the lot's own zone with the search above, then confirm with the local government before you buy or build.
Sources: each zone's bylaw, linked from its page, summarised in our words. Other councils' zones aren't here: the zoning we cover.