R.8: Residential Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

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))

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, triplexes and four-plexes; secondary suites and additional dwellings; home occupation, boarding house, minor group home

Smallest lot for a subdivision

560 m² connected to local government community water and community sewer; 1 ha otherwise; frontage 18 m (9 m for a pie-shaped lot)

Lot coverage

40% (accessory buildings 7.5%)

Height limit

Homes 12 m or three storeys, whichever is less; additional dwellings 8 m; other accessory buildings 6 m

Setbacks

Front and exterior side 4.5 m (6 m to a garage or carport entrance); rear 6 m (additional dwellings and accessory buildings 2 m); interior sides 2 m

Added in 2024 (Bylaw 3001) for the province's small-scale multi-unit housing law; lots around Pleasant Valley Road and Rimer Road in Area B and in Kingfisher in Area F were rezoned to it. A private water or sewer system doesn't count toward the four homes: it has to be provided by a local government.

The general rules for secondary suites (s. 3.24) don't apply in this zone. Section 15.8(4) points to s. 15.1(10) for lot sizes, but the zone's own sizes are in s. 15.8(9).

"Additional dwelling" isn't defined in s. 2, so how it differs from a secondary dwelling is unclear; ask the RDNO.

Home occupation (s. 3.17): run full time by the owner or a resident, entirely inside the home or an accessory building with nothing showing outside, up to 50 m² of floor space and one employee from elsewhere; it sells only what it makes on the lot; no auto body or paint shops, car sales, wrecking or heavy equipment work; no on-street parking from it.

Boarding house (s. 3.20): inside a single family house, up to five sleeping units rented monthly or longer, not on a lot under 1 ha with a septic system; in the ALR only with the Agricultural Land Commission's approval.

The bylaw doesn't list short-term or vacation rental of a home, nor a bed and breakfast, in this zone, and uses it doesn't list are not allowed (s. 3.2). Ask the RDNO before renting a home short term.

The access strip of a panhandle lot narrower than 14 m doesn't count toward the minimum lot size.

Parking and storage (s. 3.28): no more than one truck or commercial vehicle up to 6,350 kg, one RV up to 10 m and one boat up to 10 m on the lot, plus building materials while a building permit is open.

Parking (s. 8.1): 1.5 spaces per home in houses and duplexes up to four-plexes, 1.25 per home in multi-family buildings, and 1 per secondary suite or secondary dwelling up to 90 m² (1.5 if larger); gravel without curbs is fine in residential, rural and special use zones (in a residential zone only where three spaces or fewer are needed).

Fences and hedges up to 1.2 m anywhere on the lot, and up to 2 m outside the front and exterior side setbacks; retaining walls up to 1.2 m inside setbacks and 2.4 m outside them (s. 9.2).

Heights are measured from finished grade to the highest point of the building (s. 2); antennas, spires and fire towers are exempt, and chimneys, stair and elevator towers and rooftop equipment may rise 2.5 m above the limit (s. 4.3). Eaves, steps, decks and balconies may reach 1 m into a setback, chimneys and bay windows 0.6 m; sheds under 10 m² and 2.5 m tall that don't drain onto a neighbour are exempt from side and rear setbacks (s. 4.4).

Public parks and playgrounds are allowed in every zone except the comprehensive development zones (s. 3.2(3)). Banned everywhere (s. 3.3): living in a cellar; living or working in a tent, RV, park model or container, except one tent or one RV up to 10 m for 30 days a year outside a campground; storing wrecked vehicles in the open; pulp mills; and sewage plants that discharge to surface water.

Floodplain (s. 6.1): floors for living, business or storing goods sit above the flood construction level: the provincial floodplain maps where they exist; 351.1 m beside Mara Lake, 393.2 m beside Kalamalka Lake and 604.72 m beside Sugar Lake; 3 m above the natural boundary of Mabel Lake and of the Shuswap River between Shuswap Falls and Sugar Lake; 1.5 m above the natural boundary of any other stream, lake, marsh or pond. Buildings and fill stay 30 m from the Shuswap and Kettle rivers and Ashton, Bessette, Cherry, Duteau, Ferry, Kingfisher, Monashee, Tsuius and Wap creeks, and 15 m from other water bodies and dykes. Garages, carports, entrance foyers, renovations and most farm buildings are exempt from the level; the RDNO Board may grant exemptions on an engineer's report.

Streamside (s. 6.2): no development in the riparian assessment area (generally 30 m from a stream, lake or wetland under the provincial Riparian Areas Protection Regulation) unless a qualified environmental professional's assessment sets a smaller setback or the province approves.

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.