RM3: Multi-Family Residential (Medium Density)

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Apartments, townhouses and duplexes up to 112 two-bedroom homes a hectare (smaller homes count less, larger more, s. 16.6) and 0.80 floor area ratio; congregate care; secondary suites

Main uses

Apartment buildings, townhouses, duplexes, congregate care housing; minor home occupation, secondary suite

Smallest lot for a subdivision

669 m² fully serviced; 18 m of frontage with a lane, 21.3 m without

Lot coverage

45%

Height limit

18 m or 4 storeys; accessory buildings 7.5 m

Setbacks

Front 6 m, rear 6 m, interior sides 2.4 m (2 m for a duplex), exterior side 4 m; accessory buildings front 6 m, rear 3 m, sides 2.4 m, exterior side 4 m

The zone is for medium density multi-family housing up to four storeys (s. 16). Homes are at least 40 m² (bachelor) or 55 m² for one bedroom plus 15 m² for each more.

Open space per home (s. 16.3): 15 m² for a bachelor, 23 m² for one bedroom, 45 m² for two, 75 m² for three or more; a quarter of it at ground level outside.

Secondary suite (ss. 6.30 to 6.32): inside a house or half a duplex, one per home, 32 m² to 125 m² and at most 40% of the home; not on a lot with a carriage house; 15 m² of outdoor space each for the home and the suite, and one more parking space with its own way to the street.

Minor home occupation (s. 6.26): inside the home, carriage house or suite, up to 50 m² or 20% of the home; residents only, one client visit a day, no change to the home's look; no vehicle repair, trades or industrial uses.

The bylaw doesn't list short-term rental of a whole home as a use in this zone, and the zone allows only the uses it lists: ask the Town of Princeton before renting a home short term.

Garages, carports, sheds and greenhouses together cover at most 75 m² on a residential lot, stand behind the house's front, and go up only with or after it; accessory buildings and a carriage house together are no larger than the house (ss. 6.3, 6.4).

Flood protection (s. 6.12): no building within 7.6 m of the landward toe of the Tulameen and Similkameen River dyke or 15 m of another watercourse's natural boundary; living space at least 0.6 m above the 200-year flood level, or 3 m above the watercourse's natural boundary where that level isn't known.

Fences up to 1.2 m in the front setback and 1.8 m in side and rear setbacks (ss. 6.10, 6.11).

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 Princeton's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 16 of Town of Princeton Zoning Bylaw No. 880, 2013 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Regional District Okanagan Similkameen.