RS3: Low Density Residential Three

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house, and one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling (s. 16.3.4)

Main uses

One single detached house; home occupation, short-term rental

Smallest lot for a subdivision

1,000 m² on community water and sewer, otherwise 1 ha (s. 8.1.4)

Lot coverage

35%

Height limit

10 m; accessory buildings 4.5 m

Setbacks

Front 7.5 m, rear 7.5 m, sides 1.5 m (4.5 m beside a road); accessory buildings 1 m from the rear and sides

The zone is for houses on larger residential lots (s. 16.3). The house is at least 5 m wide (s. 16.3.8).

Secondary suite (s. 7.10): inside the house, sharing one unbroken foundation and roof with it (a garage, carport or breezeway counts as a break); on a lot under 1 ha it uses the house's own septic system or community sewer.

Accessory dwelling (s. 7.2): a separate home, not joined to the house, up to 125 m² unless the zone allows more, with at least 15 m² of its own outdoor space; never strata-titled; not on a lot under 1 ha unless it is on community sewer; on a lot over 1 ha it may be a mobile home.

Short-term rental (s. 7.11) is a listed use: in a home someone lives in, or on a lot with a home someone lives in; up to 2 guests per bedroom; one rental unit per lot in Areas E and F (Naramata, Okanagan Lake West and West Bench), two in Areas A, C, D and I; in Areas A, C and E the operator lives in the same home and is there during the stay. In the ALR only as far as provincial law or the Agricultural Land Commission allows.

A minimum lot size under 1 ha applies only to a new lot on both community water and community sewer; otherwise the smallest new lot is 1 ha (s. 8.1.4; in Areas C and E a system run by a strata, private utility or company counts).

New lots must be at least a quarter as wide as they are deep.

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 RDOS's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 16.3 of Okanagan Valley Zoning Bylaw No. 2800, 2022 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Regional District Okanagan Similkameen.