PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
RC1 zoning in BC
RC1 (also written RC-1) means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial RC1 zone. 5 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 4 local governments. It goes by 4 names: Resort Commercial 1 (2 bylaws), Compact Housing, Recreational Residential/Commercial, Residential Care Housing. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
RC1 in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District Resort Commercial 1 · Electoral Area E Zoning Bylaw No. 841 | One house, a secondary dwelling unit up to 115 m², staff accommodation | 0.4 ha with community sewer; 1 ha otherwise (30 m wide) | 40% | Lodging 20 m, house 11.5 m, accessory buildings 10 m |
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District Resort Commercial 1 · Electoral Area 'B' Zoning Bylaw No. 851 | One house, secondary dwelling units under s. 3.15, staff accommodation for up to 10 | 0.4 ha with existing community sewer; 1 ha otherwise (20 m wide) | 40% | Main buildings 11.5 m, accessory buildings 10 m |
| Regional District of Central Okanagan Compact Housing · Regional District of Central Okanagan Zoning Bylaw No. 871 | One single detached house with a secondary suite inside it (s. 9.2.12) | 400 m², with 12 m of frontage | 60% | 9 m and 3 storeys; accessory buildings 5 m |
| City of Merritt Residential Care Housing · City of Merritt Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 | Care housing only: community care facilities licensed under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act | 600 m², 20 m wide, 30 m deep | 60% | 14 m or 3 storeys |
| Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Recreational Residential/Commercial · Sun Peaks Resort Area Zoning Bylaw No. 1400 | Apartments and other multi-family buildings, and homes with the zone's commercial uses, up to 55 homes per hectare | No minimum stated | 30% | No maximum stated (auxiliary buildings 5 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 RC1 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.