PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
RL-1 zoning in BC
RL-1 means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial RL-1 zone. 3 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 3 local governments. It goes by 2 names: Rural (2 bylaws), Low-Density Residential. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
RL-1 in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson-Nicola Regional District Rural · TNRD Zoning Bylaw No. 2400, 2012 | One house (a secondary suite is allowed inside it), or one duplex, or one manufactured home | 4 ha (16 ha for intensive farming) | Not set | Not set |
| District of Clearwater Rural · District of Clearwater Zoning Bylaw No. 133, 2016 | One house or one manufactured home, or off ALR land one duplex; a secondary suite in a house; off ALR land on a lot over 2 ha, one carriage suite or garden suite | 4 ha; 8 ha in the ALR | No maximum | No maximum |
| Town of Gibsons Low-Density Residential · Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 | Up to four homes on a lot over 280 m², three on a smaller one, at most four in a building; a home built on its own up to 325 m² (s. 2.2.1(4)) | 280 m², 25 m deep, 10 to 15 m wide by corner and lane (s. 2.2.1(8))Exceptions (1)
Listed in s. 2.2.1(8.7) of the bylaw. | 50% | 8.5 m; 6.5 m within 7.5 m of the rear lot line; a building at most 20 m long |
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 RL-1 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.