PlaceDossier / Zoning / City of Port Coquitlam
City of Port Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw, 2008, No. 3630
The City of Port Coquitlam's zoning bylaw, which applies in Port Coquitlam. Our summary of its 6 small-scale residential (RS1 to RS4), compact townhouse (RTh3) and apartment (RA1) zones, read from the consolidation to 2026-07-14 and checked 2026-10-05. Its other zones aren't summarised here.
The zones side by side
| Zone | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS1 Residential Small-Scale 1 | Up to 4 homes on a lot over 280 m² and under 4,050 m², or 6 within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop (Schedule D); up to 3 on a lot of 280 m² or less (s. 2.5). The forms: a house with a secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit (a detached home); a duplex; a triplex only within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; each home of a duplex or triplex may have a secondary suite. Accessory dwelling units, duplexes and triplexes aren't allowed on lots exempt under s. 481.4 of the Local Government Act or inside a transit-oriented area (Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4). On 4,050 m² or more the bylaw sets no count, so how many homes a larger lot may have is unclear: ask the CityExceptions (1)
Listed in Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4 of the bylaw. | 500 m², 15 m wide, 9 m of frontage, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 50%; 55% for a triplex within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; impervious surfaces at most 70% (Table 2.4, Note 2) | 10.5 m and 3 storeys, basements counted (Table 2.4, Note 1); an accessory dwelling unit 7.5 m to the top of the roof, 8.5 m with a roof of 9 in 12 or steeper (Section III, s. 13-5); accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
| RS2 Residential Small-Scale 2 | Up to 4 homes on a lot over 280 m² and under 4,050 m², or 6 within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop (Schedule D); up to 3 on a lot of 280 m² or less (s. 2.5). The forms: a house with a secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit (a detached home); a duplex; a triplex only within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; each home of a duplex or triplex may have a secondary suite. Accessory dwelling units, duplexes and triplexes aren't allowed on lots exempt under s. 481.4 of the Local Government Act or inside a transit-oriented area (Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4). On 4,050 m² or more the bylaw sets no count, so how many homes a larger lot may have is unclear: ask the CityExceptions (1)
Listed in Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4 of the bylaw. | 375 m², 12 m wide, 7.5 m of frontage, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 50%; 55% for a triplex within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; impervious surfaces at most 70% (Table 2.4, Note 2) | 10.5 m and 3 storeys, basements counted (Table 2.4, Note 1); an accessory dwelling unit 7.5 m to the top of the roof, 8.5 m with a roof of 9 in 12 or steeper (Section III, s. 13-5); accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
| RS3 Residential Small-Scale 3 | Up to 4 homes on a lot over 280 m² and under 4,050 m², or 6 within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop (Schedule D); up to 3 on a lot of 280 m² or less (s. 2.5). The forms: a house with a secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit (a detached home); a duplex; a triplex only within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; each home of a duplex or triplex may have a secondary suite. Accessory dwelling units, duplexes and triplexes aren't allowed on lots exempt under s. 481.4 of the Local Government Act or inside a transit-oriented area (Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4). On 4,050 m² or more the bylaw sets no count, so how many homes a larger lot may have is unclear: ask the CityExceptions (1)
Listed in Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4 of the bylaw. | 4,000 m², 30 m wide, frontage a tenth of the lot's perimeter, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 50%; impervious surfaces at most 65% (Table 2.4) | 10.5 m and 3 storeys, basements counted (Table 2.4, Note 1); an accessory dwelling unit 7.5 m to the top of the roof, 8.5 m with a roof of 9 in 12 or steeper (Section III, s. 13-5); accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
| RS4 Residential Small-Scale 4 | Up to 4 homes on a lot over 280 m² and under 4,050 m², or 6 within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop (Schedule D); up to 3 on a lot of 280 m² or less (s. 2.5). The forms: a house with a secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit (a detached home); a duplex; a triplex only within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; each home of a duplex or triplex may have a secondary suite. Accessory dwelling units, duplexes and triplexes aren't allowed on lots exempt under s. 481.4 of the Local Government Act or inside a transit-oriented area (Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4). On 4,050 m² or more the bylaw sets no count, so how many homes a larger lot may have is unclear: ask the CityExceptions (1)
Listed in Table 2.3, Notes 2 to 4 of the bylaw. | 300 m², 9.5 m wide, 9.5 m of frontage, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 50%; 55% for a triplex within 400 m of a prescribed bus stop; impervious surfaces at most 70% (Table 2.4, Note 2) | 10.5 m and 3 storeys, basements counted (Table 2.4, Note 1); an accessory dwelling unit 7.5 m to the top of the roof, 8.5 m with a roof of 9 in 12 or steeper (Section III, s. 13-5); accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
| RTH3 Residential Townhouse 3 | Townhouses, at most one home per 220 m² of lot (s. 2.5.7)Exceptions (2)
Listed in s. 2.5.7 of the bylaw. | 1,000 m², 30 m wide, 18 m of frontage, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 40% (Table 2.4) | 10.5 m (Table 2.4); accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
| RA1 Residential Apartment 1 | Apartments (a building of three or more homes, some or all entered from a shared corridor, lobby or enclosed parking); the number of homes is set by the floor area ratio, not a count (Section 1; Table 2.3) | 1,000 m², 30 m wide, 18 m of frontage, 28 m deep (Table 2.2) | 35%, rising by 15% of the share of required parking put underground or in a structure, to at most 50% (Table 2.4, Note 11) | 18 m (Table 2.4); the zone is meant for buildings of 3 to 4 storeys (Table 2.1). Accessory buildings 3 m to 4.8 m by roof slope (Section III, s. 2-7) |
"Not set" means the zone itself sets no figure; general rules elsewhere in the bylaw may still apply. Each zone's page has its uses, setbacks and the general rules that apply to it.
Where the bylaw is unclear
Points we couldn't settle from the bylaw's text. Ask before you rely on them.
- RS3: Floor area ratio 0.50 for a house, 0.60 with a secondary suite, 0.75 for a duplex, with or without suites (Table 2.4, Note 4). Not counted: accessory buildings, an attached garage or carport up to 46 m² for a house or 23 m² for each duplex or triplex home or accessory dwelling unit, up to 90 m² for an accessory dwelling unit, and crawl spaces; floor more than 4.3 m below its ceiling counts twice (Section 1; Table 2.4, Note 3). Table 2.4 lists RS3's ratio as 0.50, 0.60 and 0.75 only, while Note 4 gives a triplex 1.0 in every RS zone, so a triplex's floor area here is unclear: ask the City.
- RA1: Floor area ratio 1.0, rising by 75% of the share of required parking (visitor parking aside) put underground or in a structure, to at most 1.75 (Table 2.4, Note 13). Not counted: shared entrances, halls, stairs, elevators and service rooms, balconies and decks, basements and underground structures, parking and bicycle parking inside the building, and 2 m² of each adaptable home (Table 2.4, Note 12). Table 2.1 describes the zone as up to 1.5 while Table 2.4 allows up to 1.75, so the ceiling is unclear: ask the City.
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 Port Coquitlam's development services department before you buy or build.
Source: City of Port Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw, 2008, No. 3630 (summarised in our words); zone map: Open Government Licence – City of Port Coquitlam.