RS-2: Rural Residential

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

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))

Main uses

A house, farming (at most one horse, cow, sheep or goat per 1,000 m² of lot; no mushroom growing, commercial pigs, poultry or fur animals, dog kennels or cannabis), produce sales (at most 12 m² of building), boarding, an accessory dwelling unit, home occupations, accessory residential uses (s. 1001(2), (3), (11))

Smallest lot for a subdivision

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))

Lot coverage

45% for all buildings; farm buildings 20% (s. 1001(6))

Height limit

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))

Setbacks

House and attached accessory buildings: front 7.6 m, rear 7.6 m, sides 1.8 m, street side 3.8 m. Detached accessory buildings at least 1.6 m from the house: front 7.6 m, rear and sides 1.2 m, street side 3.8 m. Farm buildings: front 30 m, rear 15 m, sides 15 m, street side 30 m, 30 m from wells and streams and 15 m from the house (s. 1001(8))

The zone is for one home and some farming on large lots (s. 1001(1)). It sets no floor area ratio.

Parking: two spaces for the house and one for the accessory dwelling unit (s. 706(1)).

On a private septic system, an accessory dwelling unit needs written confirmation from the licensing body that the system can take it (s. 508(2)).

Subdivision without City water and sewer: at least 1.25 ha (0.4 ha with City water but no sewer) (s. 602(2)). The Approving Officer may cut the zone's minimum width by up to 10% for the last lot of a subdivision (s. 603(2)).

Boarding: at most two boarders in a home; a bed and breakfast counts as boarding, for one family or two boarders, inside the building (s. 508(1)).

Home occupations: licensed, run by someone who lives there with at most one employee from elsewhere, indoors, at most 40% of the home's floor area, no sales of goods made elsewhere and nothing that shows from outside but a small sign (s. 508(3)).

Tourist accommodation (stays of 60 days or less) isn't a residential use under the bylaw (Part 2) and isn't listed in this zone; a bed and breakfast counts as boarding (above). Ask the City whether and how a home here may be rented by the night.

Parts 2 to 7 of the bylaw also apply: setbacks can grow for arterial roads, flood and slope protection and streamside areas (ss. 518, 519, 523) or shrink for allowed projections (s. 514); Part 7 sets parking.

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 1001 of City of Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Coquitlam.