R3: Low Rise Residential

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Apartment buildings, townhouse complexes and other buildings of two or more homes (plex homes and rowhouses among them by the bylaw's definition), seniors' buildings with personal care (55 and over) and congregate housing (55 and over, rented, each home at most 70 m²); the zone sets no count of homes, held by a floor area ratio of 2.1, or 2.6 with the density bonus (s. 5, R3 zone; ss. 1.3, 2.6)

Main uses

Multiple unit residential (apartment buildings, townhouse complexes, rowhouses and plex homes), seniors-oriented multiple unit residential and congregate housing; home occupations (no bed and breakfast or child care), a child care centre of up to 230 m² indoors, a real estate sales office for a building on the lot; where the Official Community Plan designates Corner Commercial, small shops (under 400 m², no pharmacy), general and personal services (no laundry or dry cleaning), offices, a restaurant, cultural facilities, an assembly hall, community services, an artist studio, a brew pub, brewers and vintners (s. 5, R3 zone; ss. 1.3, 2.4(j))

Smallest lot for a subdivision

1,000 m², 26.0 m of frontage (s. 5, R3 zone)

Lot coverage

None set; floor area at most 2.6 times the lot area (2.1 without the density bonus) (s. 5, R3 zone; s. 2.6(a))

Height limit

Main buildings 6 storeys (the zone sets no height in metres); accessory buildings and structures 7.0 m (s. 5, R3 zone)

Setbacks

Main building: front 3.0 m, rear 6.0 m (2.0 m beside a lane), interior sides 6.0 m (1.5 m for a building with a single exit stair whose homes along the side also face the front or rear), street side 3.0 m (2.0 m beside a lane). Accessory buildings: front 6.0 m, rear, sides and street side 3.0 m (0.0 m beside a lane), no nearer the front than the main building and at least 1.0 m from it (s. 5, R3 zone; s. 2.4(d))

The zone is for low-rise, high-density apartment buildings and townhouse complexes in the Official Community Plan's Low Rise Residential land use (s. 5, R3 zone's intent). A home here is most often in a strata: what an owner may do (renting, changes) is in the strata's bylaws as well, so read them.

Density (s. 2.6(a)): outside a Transit-Oriented Area the base floor area ratio is 2.1, and the last 0.5 comes as a bonus when 13% of the bonus floor area is rental homes at least 20% below market, secured by a housing agreement, or cash in lieu. Inside a Transit-Oriented Area, 2.5% of the residential floor area is such rental homes, or cash in lieu (s. 2.6(b)); there, on rezoning, a lot may reach the provincial minimums: 20 storeys and 5.0 within 200 m of the Langley City Centre or Willowbrook SkyTrain station, 12 storeys and 4.0 within 400 m, 8 storeys and 3.0 within 800 m; 12 storeys and 4.0 within 200 m of the Langley Centre bus exchange, 8 storeys and 3.0 within 400 m, heights subject to the airport regulation (s. 2.5).

Homes: at least 5% of them with 3 or more bedrooms, except in congregate housing, seniors' buildings and student housing (s. 2.4(k)); an apartment building of 25 or more homes provides amenity space of 3 m² a home for the first 100, 2 m² for the next 100 and 1 m² beyond (s. 2.4(l)).

A child care centre's indoor area, up to 230 m², isn't counted in the floor area ratio; it needs 8 m² indoors and 6 m² outdoors a child (s. 2.4(j)).

Parking (s. 3.7): 2.0 spaces a townhouse home; apartments 1.0 for a studio or one bedroom, 1.25 for two bedrooms, 1.45 for three or more, fewer for below-market and non-market rentals; seniors' homes 1.0, congregate housing 0.5; plus visitor parking. Inside a Transit-Oriented Area homes need only accessible spaces, 0.05 a home and at least one (s. 3.5).

Short-term rental isn't a listed use in this zone, and uses the zone doesn't list aren't allowed (s. 1.4.7); the zone excludes bed and breakfast by name. Ask the City before renting a home by the night.

Landscaping, screening and fencing (Section 4) and amenity space apply; development permits may be needed under the Official Community Plan (s. 5, R3 zone).

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 Langley's development services department before you buy or build.

Source: the R3 zone (Section 5) of City of Langley Zoning Bylaw, 2025, No. 3300 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-06); zone map: Open Government Licence – City of Langley.