PlaceDossier / Zoning / Regional District of North Okanagan
Regional District of North Okanagan Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 2023
The Regional District of North Okanagan's zoning bylaw, which applies in North Okanagan, Electoral Area B. Our summary of its 29 zones, read from the consolidation to 2026-07-22.
The zones side by side
| Zone | Homes allowed | Smallest lot for a subdivision | Lot coverage | Height limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C.1 General Commercial | Apartments above the first storey, up to 30 homes per hectare, only with community water and community sewer; or one home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (15 m frontage); 1 ha without them | 50% | 12 m or three storeys, whichever is less |
| C.2 Highway and Tourist Commercial | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (2,000 m² for a hotel or motel; 15 m frontage); 1 ha without them; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves) | 50% | Motels 10 m or two storeys, hotels 12 m or three storeys, other buildings 10 m |
| C.3 Neighbourhood Commercial | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (15 m frontage); 1 ha without them | 50% | 8 m |
| C.4 Service Commercial | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (15 m frontage); 1 ha without them | 50% | 10 m or two storeys, whichever is less |
| C.5 Recreation Commercial | One home (a manufactured home allowed) for the owner, operator or an employee | 1 ha (8 ha in the ALR, or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves); frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 30% | Main buildings 10 m or two storeys, whichever is less; accessory buildings and park model units 6 m |
| C.6 Recreation Vehicle Campground / Resort Commercial | Seasonal single family dwellings on their own sites, and one home for the owner, operator or an employee | 4 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter. Each RV space or seasonal home site at least 560 m² with community water and community sewer, or 1 ha with a septic system, and 18 m of road frontage (9 m for a pie-shaped site) | 30%, on the lot and on each RV space or seasonal home site | 8 m |
| I.1 Light Industrial | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (15 m frontage); 1 ha without them | 60% | 12 m |
| I.2 General Industrial | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 560 m² with community water and community sewer (15 m frontage); 1 ha without them; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves) | 60% | 18 m |
| I.3 Agricultural Industrial | One home or manufactured home for the owner, operator or an employee | 8 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 30% | Farm buildings and alcohol production 20 m; cannabis production 10 m; other buildings 12 m |
| R.1 Residential Single Family | One single family house with a secondary suite (s. 15.1(5)); secondary dwellings were removed from the zone in 2024 (Bylaw 3001) | 560 m² with community water and community sewer; 1 ha without them; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves) | 35% (accessory buildings 7.5%) | House 11 m or three storeys, whichever is less; restricted farm buildings 10 m or two storeys; other accessory buildings 6 m |
| R.2 Residential Two Family | Without community water and community sewer: one house with a secondary suite, or on a lot of 1 ha or more a duplex instead (s. 15.2(5)). Secondary dwellings were removed from the zone in 2024 (Bylaw 3001) | 560 m² for a house, 700 m² for a duplex, 350 m² for each half of a duplex split along its party wall, with community water and community sewer (frontage 18 m for a house, 23 m for a duplex, 11.5 m for each half); 1 ha without them; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves) | 35% (accessory buildings 7.5%, restricted farm buildings 10%) | House or duplex 11 m or three storeys, whichever is less; restricted farm buildings 10 m or two storeys; other accessory buildings 6 m |
| R.3 Residential Multi-Family | Without community water and community sewer: one house and a secondary suite. With both: apartments (five or more homes) up to 45 homes per hectare; retirement housing (55+) and clusters of houses up to 20 per hectare; on a lot under 1,300 m², four homes, attached or detached (s. 15.3(3), (4)) | 560 m² with community water and community sewer; 1,300 m² for apartments, retirement housing or clusters of houses; 220 m² per row house (330 m² at the ends); 350 m² for each half of a duplex, or each unit of a retirement or cluster building, split along a party wall; 1 ha without community water and community sewer | 40% (50% for retirement housing and clusters of houses) | Homes 12 m or three storeys, whichever is less; additional dwellings 8 m; other accessory buildings 6 m |
| R.4 Residential Manufactured Home Subdivision | One manufactured or modular home | 450 m² with community water and community sewer (frontage 15 m, 7 m for a pie-shaped lot); 1 ha without them; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves) | 35% (accessory buildings 7.5%) | Home 8 m; accessory buildings 6 m |
| R.5 Residential Manufactured Home Community | One manufactured or modular home per rented site, and one home for the owner, operator or an employee | 2 ha, with community water and community sewer; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter. Sites: 320 m² for a single-wide and 400 m² for a double-wide (380 m² and 425 m² on a corner), 560 m² for the operator's home | 50% of each site | Homes 8 m; accessory buildings 5 m; other buildings 12 m |
| R.6 Residential Seasonal Single Family | One seasonal single family house | 560 m² with community water and community sewer; 1 ha with a septic system; frontage 18 m (9 m for a pie-shaped lot) | 35% (accessory buildings 7.5%) | House 10 m or two storeys, whichever is less; accessory buildings 6 m |
| R.7 Residential Dwelling and Recreational Vehicle | On a lot of 700 m² or more with community water and community sewer: one house with a secondary suite, or a duplex. Or, on a lot with no dwelling, one RV lived in seasonally | 700 m² with community water and community sewer (350 m² for each half of a duplex split along its party wall); 1 ha without them. Frontage 18 m for a house, 23 m for a duplex, 11.5 m for each half | 35% | Homes 10 m or two storeys, whichever is less; accessory buildings 4 m |
| R.8 Residential Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing | On a lot connected to community water and community sewer run by a local government: up to four homes, attached or detached (houses, duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, secondary suites, additional dwellings). Otherwise one house and a secondary suite (s. 15.8(3)) | 560 m² connected to local government community water and community sewer; 1 ha otherwise; frontage 18 m (9 m for a pie-shaped lot) | 40% (accessory buildings 7.5%) | Homes 12 m or three storeys, whichever is less; additional dwellings 8 m; other accessory buildings 6 m |
| S.H Small Holding | Under 1 ha: one house and a secondary suite, or (in Electoral Areas D, E and F only) one manufactured home. 1 ha or more: one house with either a secondary dwelling or a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex (s. 16.1(3)) | 1 ha (8 ha in the ALR, or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves); frontage 20 m | 20% (accessory buildings 7.5%) | Main buildings 12 m; restricted farm buildings 10 m; secondary dwelling 8 m; other accessory buildings 6 m |
| C.R Country Residential | Under 1 ha: one house and a secondary suite, or (in Electoral Areas D, E and F only) one manufactured home. 1 to 2 ha: one house with either a secondary dwelling or a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex. 2 to 4 ha: one house with a secondary dwelling and a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex with a secondary dwelling. 4 ha or more: the same, and outside the ALR one more house (with a suite in some combinations) (s. 16.2(5)). In the ALR, more homes only with the Agricultural Land Commission's approval | 2 ha (8 ha in the ALR, or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves); frontage 20 m | 35% for buildings other than greenhouses; up to 75% with greenhouses | Farm buildings and alcohol production 20 m; cannabis production 10 m; accessory buildings and secondary dwellings 8 m; other buildings 12 m |
| N.U Non-Urban | Under 1 ha: one house and a secondary suite, or (in Electoral Areas D, E and F only) one manufactured home. 1 to 2 ha: one house with either a secondary dwelling or a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex. 2 to 14.4 ha: one house with a secondary dwelling and a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex with a secondary dwelling. 14.4 to 21.6 ha: the same, and outside the ALR one more house. 21.6 ha or more: the same, and outside the ALR two more houses (some combinations add a suite) (s. 16.3(4)). In the ALR, more homes only with the Agricultural Land Commission's approval | 7.2 ha (8 ha in the ALR, or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves); frontage 20 m | 35% for buildings other than greenhouses; up to 75% with greenhouses | Farm buildings and alcohol production 20 m; cannabis production 10 m; accessory buildings and secondary dwellings 8 m; other buildings 12 m |
| L.H Large Holding | Under 1 ha: one house and a secondary suite, or a duplex, or (in Electoral Areas D, E and F only) one manufactured home. 1 to 2 ha: one house with either a secondary dwelling or a secondary suite, or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling. 2 to 30.5 ha: one house with a secondary dwelling and a secondary suite; or a manufactured home with a secondary dwelling; or a duplex with a secondary dwelling. 30.5 to 45 ha: the same, and outside the ALR one more house. 45 ha or more: the same, and outside the ALR two more houses (some combinations add a suite) (s. 16.4(4)). In the ALR, more homes only with the Agricultural Land Commission's approval | 30.5 ha, in or out of the ALR; frontage 20 m | 35% for buildings other than greenhouses; up to 75% with greenhouses | Farm buildings and alcohol production 20 m; cannabis production 10 m; accessory buildings and secondary dwellings 8 m; other buildings 12 m |
| S.1 Spray Irrigation | None: the zone lists no dwelling | 2 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 10% | 8 m |
| S.2 Residential Attendance Program | One home for the owner, operator or an employee, and a residential attendance program building (not a permanent home) | 16 ha outside the ALR; 8 ha in the ALR (or as the Agricultural Land Commission approves); frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 10% | 12 m |
| S.3 Community Park and Public Use | One home for the owner, operator or an employee | 1 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 10% | Assembly and civic buildings 20 m; accessory buildings 8 m; other buildings 12 m |
| CD.1 Fairhaven Ministries Comprehensive Development | Three single family houses, and one home in the lodge | 19 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 30% | 12 m |
| CD.2 Mabel Lake Comprehensive Development | Up to 106 lease strata lots, each with one single family house, one RV or one park model; and one home for the golf course's owner, operator or an employee | Lease strata lots of at least 560 m²; the zone sets no minimum for other new lots (frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter) | 30% | Two storeys plus a basement (no height in metres is set) |
| CD.3 Cottonwoods Comprehensive Development | Up to 49 seasonal single family houses of up to 100 m² each | 60 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 10% | Measured from the water, not the ground: cabins 10.3 m and sheds 8 m above Mabel Lake's natural boundary on the lakefront; 9.3 m and 7 m above Tsuius Creek's natural boundary on its north-east side; 8.3 m and 6 m above natural ground on its south-west side |
| CD.4 Mabel Lake Seasonal Comprehensive Development | Seasonal multi-family buildings (five or more homes lived in seasonally), and one home for the owner, operator or an employee; the zone sets no number of units | 1 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 50% | Main buildings 12 m; accessory buildings 5 m |
| CD.5 Sugar Lake Comprehensive Development | Up to 11 seasonal single family houses of up to 115 m² each, one per site | 60 ha; frontage 10% of the lot's perimeter | 10% | Cabins 10 m or two storeys, whichever is less; sheds 5 m |
"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.
- I.2: The rear setback beside a residential or rural lot: s. 14.2(7)(c) is about the rear lot line but sets 9 m for an interior side lot line (the Light Industrial zone sets 9 m at the rear), so which line the 9 m applies to is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- R.1: Since 2024 the zone's count of homes covers only lots not on both community water and community sewer (one house and a secondary suite), so how many homes a lot with both may have is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- R.2: The zone's count of homes now covers only lots not on both community water and community sewer. A duplex on a lot under 1 ha needs both (s. 3.26), which suggests it is allowed there, but how many homes a lot with both may have is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- R.3: The 2024 amendment (Bylaw 3001) renamed this zone's secondary dwellings "additional dwellings", a term s. 2 doesn't define, so whether the size and servicing rules for secondary dwellings in s. 3.25 apply to them is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- R.7: The zone sets its count of homes only for lots of 700 m² or more on community water and sewer, so what a smaller or unserviced lot may have is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- R.8: "Additional dwelling" isn't defined in s. 2, so how it differs from a secondary dwelling is unclear; ask the RDNO.
- L.H: The zone lists a duplex on lots under 1 ha but not on lots of 1 to 2 ha (s. 16.4(4)(a), (b)), so whether a duplex is allowed on a lot of 1 to 2 ha is unclear; ask the RDNO.
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 RDNO's planning department before you buy or build.
Source: Regional District of North Okanagan Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 2023 (summarised in our words); zone map: RDNO Digital Data Files terms of use; Source: Regional District of North Okanagan GIS Department.