RS1: Residential Low Density One

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Up to 4 homes on a lot over 280 m², 3 on a smaller one, on Town water and sewer; without them, one house and a secondary suite (s. 10.1.5)

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, townhouses and apartment buildings within the zone's home count; bed and breakfast, home occupation, secondary suite, vacation rental

Smallest lot for a subdivision

350 m² on Town sewer, 1 ha without; 12 m wide and 25 m deep

Lot coverage

50%

Height limit

11 m; accessory buildings 5 m

Setbacks

Front 3 m (6 m to a garage or carport facing the street), rear 3 m (6 m for a third storey), interior sides 1.2 m, exterior side 3 m (6 m to a garage or carport); accessory buildings front 4.5 m, rear 1.5 m, sides 1.2 m, exterior side 3 m

The zone is for low density housing of up to four homes on a lot (s. 10.1). Each home is at least 30 m² (s. 10.1.9). On a bare land strata the setbacks apply to the whole parcel; an existing accessory building turned into a home keeps its setbacks (s. 10.1.6).

Secondary suite (s. 6.7): one in a house or in each half of a duplex, up to half its floor area, never on a separate title.

Vacation rental (stays under a month, s. 4.0; s. 6.12): one per lot, in a house, a legal secondary suite or one half of a duplex, run by the owner, who lives on the lot, with a Town business licence; up to 2 adults and 2 children per bedroom; not on a lot with a bed and breakfast.

Bed and breakfast (s. 6.11): in the home, up to 4 bedrooms and 8 guests, run by someone who lives there and is there during each stay; not with a vacation rental.

Home occupation (s. 6.9): one per lot, up to 40% of the home or accessory building and 90 m²; one employee from outside, three clients at a time; no outdoor storage, vehicle repair, trades yards or cannabis.

Accessory buildings together cover at most 90 m² on a residential lot, go up only with or after the main building (a single shed of 10 m² aside), and one fabric-covered structure is allowed (s. 6.8).

Parking (s. 8): 2 spaces for a house, 2 per duplex home, 1 per secondary suite, 1.5 per townhouse or apartment home.

Site-specific (s. 10.1.11): smaller setbacks in the subdivisions on Plans EPP67772, EPP77635, EPP106441 and EPP123497 and at 6833 Meadows Drive (Plan KAS2813, with front fences to 1.8 m); two houses and a suite at 1171 Fairview Road.

Floodplain (s. 7): living space stands at or above the provincial map's flood level along the Okanagan River and its channel, 299.5 m (geodetic) around Tuc-el-nuit Lake, and 1.5 m above any other watercourse; no building within 7.5 m of a lake or the river channel's flood control right-of-way, or 15 m of another watercourse.

Fences up to 1.2 m in the front setback and 1.8 m elsewhere; no barbed or electric wire; retaining walls 1.2 m in a setback, 3 m elsewhere (s. 6.6).

Living in an RV only during permitted construction of a home (up to 6 months, with a permit) or up to 7 days in a row and 14 a year; no mobile homes as homes (s. 6.3).

Every zone also allows public parks, utilities, emergency services, licensed day care for up to 8 and a residence for up to 10 (6 in care) (s. 6.2).

Only the uses the zone lists are allowed (s. 5.4).

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 Town of Oliver's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 10.1 of Town of Oliver Zoning Bylaw No. 1423 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Regional District Okanagan Similkameen.