PlaceDossier / Zoning / Zone codes
RS-1(A) zoning in BC
RS-1(A) (also written RS-1A, RS-1a) means whatever the bylaw that zones the lot says: there is no provincial RS-1(A) zone. 7 bylaws we've summarised use it, from 3 local governments. It goes by 5 names: Residential (Semi-Rural Single Family) (3 bylaws), Residential Single Family One – Tourist Accommodation, Single Detached (Amenity) Residential, Single Family Residential (A) and 1 more. What it allows is below, bylaw by bylaw.
RS-1(A) in each bylaw
| Local government | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional District of East Kootenay Single Residential (Urban-A) · Elk Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 829, 1990 | One house or one duplex, plus a secondary suite | 1,670 m² without community water or sewer, 695 m² with one, 555 m² with both; a duplex needs 2,140, 1,170 or 700 m² (and each half of a split duplex 1,070, 585 or 350 m²) | 30% | House 9 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| Regional District of East Kootenay Single Family Residential (A) · Jaffray, Tie Lake, Rosen Lake Land Use and Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 1414, 1999 | One house; the designation lists no suite or duplex | 0.3 ha | 35% | Main building 9 m, accessory buildings 6 m |
| Regional District of East Kootenay Residential (Semi-Rural Single Family) · South Country Zoning & Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 2320, 2011 | One house, with a secondary suite inside it | 1,670 m² | 30% | House 9 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| Regional District of East Kootenay Residential (Semi-Rural Single Family) · Steeples Zoning & Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 2615, 2015 | One house, with a secondary suite inside it | 1,670 m² | 30% | House 9 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| Regional District of East Kootenay Residential (Semi-Rural Single Family) · Electoral Area C South Zoning & Floodplain Management Bylaw No. 2913, 2019 | One house, with a secondary suite inside it | 1,670 m² | 30% | House 9 m, accessory buildings 5 m |
| City of Maple Ridge Single Detached (Amenity) Residential · City of Maple Ridge Zoning Bylaw No. 7600-2019 | One house with a secondary suite and a detached garden suite. Inside the Urban Containment Boundary (Schedule A), urban infill (s. 402.29): a house, duplex, triplex, fourplex, or courtyard or townhouse homes, with secondary suites and garden suites, up to 4 homes in all on a lot over 280 m² and up to 0.4 ha (3 on a lot of 280 m² or less, 6 within 400 m of a bus stop with service every 15 minutes, as the bylaw defines it); on a lot over 0.4 ha, 3 homes: a house, a secondary suite and a garden suite. Outside the boundary, 3 homes: a house, a secondary suite and a garden suite (s. 402.29(3)). Not in a Transit-Oriented Area (Schedule H; s. 402.29(7)(e)). Whether a lot is inside the boundary or near such a bus stop we don't check: ask the City | 668 m², 18 m wide, 27 m deep (s. 606.4, Schedule B) | 40%, all buildings together; urban infill 50% (60% with up to 6 homes) | House 9.5 m; accessory buildings 4.5 m; garden suite as s. 402.11 sets |
| Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality Residential Single Family One – Tourist Accommodation · Sun Peaks Resort Area Zoning Bylaw No. 1400 | One house with up to 4 bedrooms, with a suite inside it; one of the two may be rented by the night | 700 m² | 35% | 7.6 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 RS-1(A) 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.