RU-1: Rural

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Up to 2 houses or mobile homes on a lot, subject to the Agricultural Land Commission Act (s. 201.2); each house may hold a secondary suite (the bylaw's definition of a house, s. 102; our reading). Besides these: a temporary mobile home for family or a farm employee on 8,094 m² or more, seasonal farm worker housing on 4 ha or more, housing for full-time farm help on a working farm, and migrant farm worker housing on 4 ha or more (ss. 201.3 to 201.5)

Main uses

Farming (a bed and breakfast is part of it, on conditions), commercial greenhouses, equestrian centres and riding stables, feedlots, intensive swine operations, mushroom farms, veterinary clinics, homes, home occupations, parking of commercial vehicles (s. 108), accessory buildings

Smallest lot for a subdivision

1.7 ha (s. 110.1)

Exceptions (1)

• 0.8 ha for one lot the bylaw names by its legal description

Listed in s. 110.1, note (5) of the bylaw.

Lot coverage

33% (66% with commercial greenhouses, other buildings still 33%); accessory buildings not used for farming at most 200 m² of ground floor in all

Height limit

House 9 m; other buildings not used for farming 9 m or 2 storeys, whichever is less; the zone sets no height for farm buildings

Setbacks

House and other main buildings: front 9.75 m, rear 7.5 m, sides 3 m, street side 7.5 m. Accessory buildings: front 9.75 m, rear and sides 1.5 m, street side 4.5 m. Buildings for animals or poultry 15 m from every lot line; commercial greenhouses 15 m, and 30 m from land zoned other than rural or industrial; feedlots and swine barns much farther (ss. 201.7, 109)

The second house, the temporary mobile home and farm worker housing in the ALR also need the Agricultural Land Commission's rules to allow them; seasonal farm worker housing: 10 people per 4 ha, at most 40, lived in only from April 1 to November 30 (s. 201.3); migrant farm worker housing: a covenant, a yearly declaration and security for its removal (s. 201.5).

A temporary mobile home (s. 201.4), renewed yearly while the owner lives in the house: for a farm employee or a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister of the owner; on a lot of 8,094 m² or more or, on medical grounds, with Council's approval; additions at most 24 m²; removed within 90 days once no longer needed.

Commercial greenhouses need a noise report, a stormwater plan and an engineer's well test before a building permit (s. 201.11).

Lot sizes for subdivision are set in s. 110.1; a homesite severance in the ALR may be smaller, with the Agricultural Land Commission's approval, if the rest is at least 2 ha (s. 110.8).

Home occupations (s. 104.3): the owner lives in the home; not in a secondary suite; at most 186 m² on a lot over 1.7 ha (140 m² on smaller ones), up to 4 people with at most 3 employees who live elsewhere (2 on 1.7 ha or less); no vehicle repair, manufacturing or outdoor storage. A licensed day care for up to 8 children or adults counts as one.

Parking: one space per home, at least 2 on the lot (s. 107.3).

Along 0 Avenue, buildings stay 29.75 m from the Canada-U.S. border (s. 104.14).

A transition house run by a non-profit society for women and children leaving abuse is also allowed, on conditions (s. 104.16).

Short-term rental isn't a listed use in this zone. A bed and breakfast is part of the bylaw's farm use here (s. 102, agricultural use): at most 3 guest rooms in the house or an accessory building, one per lot, on a lot of 1.7 ha or more, with the owner living there, a business licence and the Agricultural Land Commission's permission; how that last condition applies outside the ALR is unclear. Ask the Township before renting a home by the night.

Uses the zone doesn't list aren't allowed, even where a general clause might seem to cover them (s. 101.4).

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 Township of Langley's community development division before you buy or build.

Source: Section 201 of Township of Langley Zoning Bylaw 1987 No. 2500 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-04); Section 100 (definitions and general rules), Township of Langley Zoning Bylaw No. 2500; zone map: Open Government Licence – Township of Langley.