RU2: Small Lot Small-Scale Multiple Housing

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house with one secondary suite or one accessory suite; or, where small-scale multiple housing is allowed (below), 2 to 4 homes, and then up to two suites (two secondary, two accessory, or one of each). Whether those suites count toward the 4 homes the bylaw doesn't say: unclear (s. 15.2)

Main uses

A house, small-scale multiple housing, a small group home; a secondary suite or accessory suite, a small care centre, minor utility services (s. 15.2)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

400 m², 13.5 m wide, 30.0 m deep (s. 15.2)

Lot coverage

House 40% (50% with driveways and parking); small-scale multiple housing 50% (60% with driveways and parking) (s. 15.2)

Height limit

House 9.5 m or 2½ storeys; small-scale multiple housing 11 m or 3 storeys; accessory buildings 4.5 m, or 8 m and 2 storeys with an accessory suite (s. 15.2)

Setbacks

House: front 4.5 m (6.0 m to a garage door facing the street), sides 1.5 m, 1.8 m from any part of 2 or 2½ storeys (4.5 m on a street, 6.0 m to a garage door facing it), rear 6.0 m, 7.5 m from any part of 2 or 2½ storeys. Small-scale multiple housing: front 4 m (6.0 m to a garage door), sides 1.5 m (4.0 m on a street, 6.0 m to a garage door), rear 3 m, 3 m between main buildings. Accessory buildings: rear 1.5 m, 3 m with an accessory suite; an accessory building with a suite 3 m from other accessory buildings (s. 15.2)

The zone is for up to four homes with compatible secondary uses on small serviced urban lots (s. 15.2).

Small-scale multiple housing (2 to 4 homes, attached or detached, each with its own outside door) only on a lot inside the urban containment boundary, connected to municipal water and sewer, and 4,050 m² or smaller; at least 7.5 m² of private open space per home, and 3 m between main buildings (s. 15.2).

A secondary suite: one per main home, inside it, at most 90 m² or 40% of the building's floor area, whichever is less; one property with the home, and not alongside lodgers, a bed and breakfast or a group home (s. 10.7).

An accessory suite: in an accessory building, at most 90 m² or 75% of the house's floor area, whichever is less; it needs community sewer unless the lot is at least 1.0 ha and passes the District's septic capacity requirements; one property with the home, and not alongside lodgers, a bed and breakfast or a group home (s. 10.8).

Accessory buildings together at most 14% of the lot or 90 m² in the bylaw's "Residential Urban" zones (s. 7.6), which we read as including RU2.

Accessory buildings: not in the required front yard and at least 1 m from the house; 18 m from the front line unless set back at least twice the zone's front yard and as far from the sides as the house; 1 m from side lines (0 m for one under 2.0 m high and 10 m²); a building with a suite keeps the house's front yard (s. 7.6, s. 15.2).

Where the lot has a rear lane, cars reach it from the lane unless that access would be steeper than 15% (s. 15.2).

A bed and breakfast, short term vacation rental, home occupations and backyard chickens aren't listed in RU2 (the RU1 zone lists them; s. 10.15 applies only where a zone lists short term vacation rental), so ask the District before renting a home here by the night or running a business from it.

Sections 7 (general development rules), 8 (landscaping and fencing), 9 (parking), 10 (specific uses) and 11 (signs) also apply.

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 District of Lake Country's community services department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 15.2 of District of Lake Country Zoning Bylaw 561, 2007 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-06); zone map: Open Government Licence – District of Lake Country.