PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
RM5 zoning in BC
RM5 (also written RM-5) means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial RM5 zone. 3 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 3 local governments. It goes by 3 names: Multi-Unit 5 - High Density, Multiple Dwelling, West End, Urban Residential. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
RM5 in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Kamloops Multi-Unit 5 - High Density · City of Kamloops Zoning Bylaw No. 55, 2021 | Multi-unit housing at a floor area ratio of up to 5.0 (6.0 with the density bonus); no cap on homes per hectare; rooming houses | 1,000 m², 30 m wide | 70% | Not set for buildings; rooftop structures up to 4.5 m above the main roof |
| City of Penticton Urban Residential · City of Penticton Zoning Bylaw No. 2024-22 | Apartments, townhouses, duplexes and other homes up to 2.0 FAR, each of which may include a flex unit used as a second home or a small business space | 275 m², 10 m wide | 100% | 15 m (4 storeys per the zone's purpose) |
| City of Vancouver Multiple Dwelling, West End · Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 | Apartments, towers, townhouses and infill (conditional), and a mixed-use building (outright with a neighbourhood grocery store, conditional with other uses); a single detached house, with or without a secondary suite, or a duplex (conditional); a 2-home conversion of an existing building (outright), larger conversions (conditional); a rooming house (outright). No laneway houses or lock-off units are listed (ss. 1.1, 2.1, 2.2.6, 2.2.7) | None set in the district (our reading) | 50% of the lot. Floor space ratio 1.00; the Director of Planning or Development Permit Board may allow up to 1.50, weighing height, bulk and the effect on neighbours. Infill: the same over the whole lot, to keep an existing building; 10% more from a heritage density transfer (ss. 3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.1.2.5) | 18.3 m, under a plane from 7.4 m at the north lot lines and 11.0 m at the south ones on a street or lane; up to 58.0 m with the Director of Planning's or Development Permit Board's approval, weighing views, sunlight, privacy and open space. Infill 12.2 m under the same plane (18.3 m for secured market rental infill in RM-5, RM-5A and RM-5B). Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), in the rear yard (ss. 2.2.27, 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.6 to 3.1.2.8, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.5, 5.4) |
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 RM5 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.