PlaceDossier / Zoning / City of Coquitlam
City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996
The City of Coquitlam's zoning bylaw, which applies in Coquitlam. Our summary of its 14 low-density residential (RS-2, R-1 to R-4, RT-2), legacy single family and infill (RS-1, RS-3, RS-4, RT-1, RT-3), General Industrial (M-1), Civic Institutional (P-1) and Special Park (P-5) zones, read from the consolidation to 2026-07-27 and checked 2026-10-05. Its other zones aren't summarised here.
The zones side by side
| Zone | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-2 Rural Residential | One house (single-detached dwelling) with one accessory dwelling unit, which must be inside the house; one principal building per lot (ss. 1001(3), (7), (9)) | 4,050 m² for a house, farming or produce sales, 22.7 m deep; at most 2.5 homes per hectare, accessory dwelling units not counted (s. 1001(4), (5)) | 45% for all buildings; farm buildings 20% (s. 1001(6)) | House 7.3 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 1001(10)) |
| R-1 Small-Scale Residential | Up to 4 homes on a lot, accessory dwelling units counted, in one or more buildings (ss. 1002(3), (7)) | 650 m², 18.5 m wide (s. 1002(4)) | 50% for all buildings, not counting enclosed garbage and recycling structures (s. 1002(6)) | Principal buildings 11.0 m and three storeys on any face (a basement more than 1.3 m out of the ground counts as a storey); accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 1002(10)) |
| R-2 Compact Small-Scale Residential | Up to 4 homes on a lot (3 on a lot of 280 m² or less), accessory dwelling units counted, in at most two principal buildings (ss. 1003(3), (7)) | 465 m², 12.5 m wide (s. 1003(4)) | 50% for all buildings, not counting enclosed garbage and recycling structures (s. 1003(6)) | Principal buildings 11.0 m and three storeys on any face (a basement more than 1.3 m out of the ground counts as a storey); accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 1003(10)) |
| R-3 Transitional Small-Scale Residential | At most two principal homes and two accessory dwelling units (on a lot of 280 m² or less, three homes, at most two of them principal), all in one principal building joined by a common wall over living space (ss. 1004(3), (7)) | 650 m², 18.5 m wide (s. 1004(4)) | 45% for all buildings, not counting enclosed garbage and recycling structures (s. 1004(6)) | Principal buildings 11.0 m and three storeys on any face (a basement more than 1.3 m out of the ground counts as a storey); accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 1004(10)) |
| R-4 Intensive Small-Scale Residential | At least 3 homes on a lot; no upper limit set beyond the floor area ratio; more than one principal building allowed (ss. 1005(3), (7)) | 930 m² (no width set) (s. 1005(4)) | 50% (s. 1005(6)) | Principal buildings 9.5 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 1005(10)) |
| RT-2 Townhouse Residential | Townhouses; the number of homes is set by the floor area ratio, not a count; lock-off units only in the Evergreen Line station areas (Schedule O) (ss. 1007(2), (9)) | 1,110 m² for townhouses (s. 1007(4))Exceptions (1)
Listed in s. 1007(4)(b) of the bylaw. | 45% (s. 1007(6)) | Townhouses three storeys on any face; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper, or two storeys for a shared indoor amenity building (s. 1007(10)) |
| RS-1 One-Family Residential | One house with one secondary suite inside it; one principal building per lot (s. 2202(2)); at most 18 homes per hectare, suites not counted (ss. 2203(5), (7)) | 4,050 m² for a new lot by subdivision (s. 602(3)). For a house, the zone asks 650 m² (555 m² for a lot cut from one of 1,110 to 1,951 m² that existed before February 19, 1996), 13.5 m wide and 22.7 m deep (s. 2203(4)) | 45% (s. 2203(6)) | House 7.3 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 2203(10)) |
| RS-3 One-Family Residential | One house with one secondary suite inside it; one principal building per lot (s. 2202(2)); at most 18 homes per hectare, suites not counted (ss. 2204(5), (7)) | 555 m², 13.5 m wide, 22.7 m deep (s. 2204(4)) | 45% (s. 2204(6)) | House 7.3 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 2204(10)) |
| RS-4 One-Family Compact Residential | One house with one secondary suite inside it; one principal building per lot (s. 2202(2)); at most 27 homes per hectare, suites not counted (ss. 2205(5), (7)) | 375 m², 12.5 m wide, 22.7 m deep (s. 2205(4)) | 45% (s. 2205(6)) | House 7.3 m, or 9.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 2205(10)) |
| RT-1 Infill Residential | One building per lot: a house with a secondary suite, or a duplex; a triplex or fourplex, or a house with a carriage house or garden cottage instead of the suite, only on lots the Partington Creek Neighbourhood Plan designates Neighbourhood Attached Residential or Baycrest Low Density Residential; a Neighbourhood Attached Residential lot over 555 m² may have the suite as well. Anything but a house needs the street (and lane) in front built, or given land to be built, to the width Schedule R sets (ss. 2206(3), (4)(g), (7)) | House 650 m² (555 m² for a lot cut from one of 1,100 to 1,951 m² that existed before February 19, 1996), 13.5 m wide, 22.7 m deep; duplex 740 m², 22.7 m deep; triplex 650 m², 18.5 m wide; fourplex 740 m², 20 m wide. On Neighbourhood Attached Residential lots: house 370 m², duplex 465 m², each 10 m wide with a lane, 12 m without or on a corner (s. 2206(4)) | 50% (s. 2206(6)) | House 7.3 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; duplex, triplex or fourplex 9.5 m, or 11.0 m the same way; carriage house 5.0 m, or 7.0 m the same way; garden cottage and other detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 2206(10)) |
| RT-3 Multiplex Residential | A multiplex: three or more homes on the lot, attached, detached or semi-detached (not apartments, townhouses, or a triplex or fourplex in one building as the bylaw defines them); no count set beyond the floor area ratio (ss. 2201, 2207(2), (7)) | 930 m² (740 m² for a lot zoned RT-3 before July 8, 2019) (s. 2207(4)) | 50% (s. 2207(6)) | Principal buildings 9.5 m, or 11.0 m where at least 80% of the roof is pitched 3 in 12 or steeper; detached accessory buildings 3.7 m, 4.6 m with a roof of 4 in 12 or steeper (s. 2207(10)) |
| M-1 General Industrial | No homes except one caretaker's unit for an employee, inside the principal building, at most 60 m², and only on a lot of 8,100 m² or more (s. 1901(2), (3)(c), (4)) | No minimum lot size set in the zone, except 8,100 m² for a caretaker's unit (s. 1901(4)). Subdivision without City water and sewer: at least 1.25 ha (0.4 ha with City water but no sewer) (s. 602(2)) | None set (s. 1901(6)); floor area at most 1.5 times the lot area (s. 1901(5)) | Buildings six storeys; other structures 19 m; stored goods and materials 3.7 m, stacked shipping containers 8.8 m (s. 1901(10)) |
| P-1 Civic Institutional | No ordinary homes. Congregate housing and care (a building of licensed care, assisted living or supportive housing units with shared dining or care services), transitional housing for people who are or may become homeless, and emergency shelters are allowed (s. 2001(2); Part 2) | No minimum set in the zone; an assembly use needs at least 555 m² (s. 2001(4)). Subdivision without City water and sewer: at least 1.25 ha (0.4 ha with City water but no sewer) (s. 602(2)) | Buildings and structures 40%; parking, or parking structures with all other buildings, 95% (s. 2001(6)); floor area at most 2.5 times the lot area (s. 2001(5)) | 11.0 m; parking structures 12.5 m (s. 2001(10)) |
| P-5 Special Park | None (s. 2005(2)) | No minimum set in the zone; an assembly use needs at least 555 m² (s. 2005(4)) | Buildings and structures 40%, parking 95% (s. 2005(6)); floor area at most 0.1 times the lot area (s. 2005(5)) | 11 m (s. 2005(10)) |
"Not set" means the zone itself sets no figure; general rules elsewhere in the bylaw may still apply. Each zone's page has its uses, setbacks and the general rules that apply to it.
Where the bylaw is unclear
Points we couldn't settle from the bylaw's text. Ask before you rely on them.
- R-3: Because the homes must share one principal building, a detached carriage house or garden cottage looks unclear here: ask the City (s. 1004(7); our reading).
Site-specific exceptions listed in the bylaw by legal description can add or change uses for one property, and development permit areas, the ALR and building rules apply on top. Confirm with the City of Coquitlam's planning and development department before you buy or build.
Source: City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996 (summarised in our words); zone map: Open Government Licence – Coquitlam.