R3: Island Residential

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house, with floor area at most 0.55 times the lot area (s. 7.3.1), and one secondary suite; not the second suite R1 allows (s. 6.15.2.1)

Main uses

A house; a secondary suite, boarders, daycare, a home-based business, short-term rental (ss. 7.2.1, 7.2.3)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

5,000 m², 15 m wide, 30 m deep (s. 7.4.1)

Lot coverage

35%; floor area at most 0.55 times the lot area (ss. 7.3.1, 7.6.1)

Height limit

9 m with a sloped roof (4 in 12 or steeper), 7 m with a flat one; no perimeter wall limit in this zone (s. 7.6.1)

Setbacks

Front 6.0 m, sides 1.5 m, flanking side 4.0 m, rear 7.5 m; a garage or carport door facing a street 6 m back; 2.5 m more beside a major road not yet widened (ss. 7.5.1, 7.5.3, 7.5.4)

The zone is for permanent, low-density homes on Protection Island (s. 7.1).

The lot sizes are for lots on community water, sewer and storm drains; 45 m deep beside the Nanaimo Parkway, and a watercourse leave strip or geotechnical setback doesn't count toward the area (ss. 7.4.1 to 7.4.4).

Part 7 sets lot sizes only for lots on community water, sewer and storm drains (s. 7.4.1); what it asks of a lot without them is unclear: ask the City.

Accessory buildings: at most 100 m² of floor area on the lot in all, 1.5 m from the rear line (ss. 6.6.3, 6.6.6).

Secondary suites: one per home; a house with no other main use may have two, one of them in an accessory building (not in R2 or R3). A suite inside a house is at most 40% of the house's living space and 100 m². One in an accessory building only on an R5 or R14 lot, a corner, through or lane lot, or a lot of 500 m² or more; never on its own title, with 30 m² of private outdoor space, and no bigger than the zone lets an accessory building be, up to 100 m² (s. 6.15).

Boarders: at most two people in two sleeping rooms, inside a house (s. 7.2.3).

Short-term rental (stays under 30 days) only in the operator's own primary residence, the whole home or rooms; one per lot where the home has suites (s. 6.16).

Part 6 (general regulations: accessory buildings, watercourse setbacks, flood levels, fences, home businesses) also applies.

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 Nanaimo's planning and development department before you buy or build.

Source: Part 7 of City of Nanaimo Zoning Bylaw No. 4500 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-04); zone map: Open Government Licence – Nanaimo.