P-1: Civic Institutional

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

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)

Main uses

Civic uses (schools, colleges, hospitals, community centres, courts, police stations, libraries, museums, parks, cemeteries, works yards; Part 2), child care, community care, congregate housing and care, transitional housing, an emergency shelter, assembly, offices, an animal shelter, a community garden, public services (rail spurs serving neighbouring land among them), parking as a use of its own; commercial uses only as retail sales and services accessory to a civic use, and physiotherapy; event vending (s. 2001(2))

Smallest lot for a subdivision

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))

Lot coverage

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))

Height limit

11.0 m; parking structures 12.5 m (s. 2001(10))

Setbacks

Buildings and structures: 7.6 m from a street, rear 6.0 m, inside sides the greater of 1.8 m and a quarter of the facing wall's average height; parking 1.5 m from every lot line; an animal shelter 7.6 m from a lot line beside a residential zone (s. 2001(8))

The zone is for educational, governmental and institutional uses serving the public, with commercial uses that go with them (s. 2001(1)).

Parking areas bounded by landscaping at least 0.6 m wide; an animal shelter within 200 m of a residential zone entirely indoors, runs and pens included, and never with an incinerator (s. 2001(3)).

Most land in this zone is the City's or another public body's, so a lot here is rarely for sale (our reading); ask the City what a lot here may be used for before you buy.

No homes here but those listed above, so no short-term rental; ask the City.

Prohibited in every zone: living in a mobile home, tent, trailer or recreational vehicle, casino or electronic gaming, pawnshops, massage parlours and escort services, and a lot the City finds has no usable street access (s. 503).

Parts 2 to 7 of the bylaw also apply: setbacks can grow for arterial roads and flood and slope protection (ss. 518, 519) or shrink for allowed projections (s. 514); towers, tanks, antennas and the like may exceed the height (s. 515); Part 7 sets parking and loading by use.

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: Section 2001 of City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Coquitlam.