PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
RH zoning in BC
RH means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial RH zone. 4 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 2 local governments. It goes by 2 names: Rural Holdings (3 bylaws), Recreational Home. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
RH in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District Rural Holdings · Ranchero / Deep Creek Zoning Bylaw No. 751 | One house on lots under 8 ha, two on 8 ha or more, plus secondary dwelling units under s. 3.16 | 60 ha (100 m wide) | 25% | Main buildings 11.5 m, accessory buildings 10 m |
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District Rural Holdings · Electoral Area 'B' Zoning Bylaw No. 851 | One house on lots under 8 ha, two on 8 ha or more, plus secondary dwelling units under s. 3.15; or a standalone residential campsite | 60 ha (100 m wide) | 25% | Main buildings 11.5 m, accessory buildings 10 m |
| Columbia Shuswap Regional District Rural Holdings · Salmon Valley Land Use Bylaw No. 2500 | One house on lots under 2 ha, two on 2 ha or more, plus secondary dwelling units under s. 2.2.19 | 8 ha | No maximum stated | Main buildings 11.5 m, accessory buildings 10 m |
| Thetis Island Local Trust Committee Recreational Home · Valdes Island Rural Land Use Bylaw, 1998 (Thetis Island Bylaw No. 42) | One dwelling per parcel and one guest cottage up to 65 m² (s. 5.2.5); no secondary suite (our reading) | 1 ha (s. 5.2.5) | 5%, the house, cottage and accessory buildings together (s. 5.2.5) | 8 m for a dwelling, 6 m for accessory buildings and structures (s. 4.1.4); barns and water tanks aren't limited (s. 4.1.5) |
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 RH 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.