RS1: Low Density Residential One

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house, mobile home or duplex (a duplex only on community sewer and water, s. 16.1.8), and one secondary suite or one accessory dwelling (s. 16.1.4)

Main uses

Single detached house, duplex or mobile home; bed and breakfast, home occupation

Smallest lot for a subdivision

500 m²; 225 m² for each half of a duplex split under the Strata Property Act; either only for a new lot on community water and sewer (s. 8.1.3)

Lot coverage

50% on lots under 500 m², 40% up to 1,000 m², 35% over 1,000 m²

Height limit

11 m; accessory buildings 4.5 m, an accessory dwelling 8 m

Setbacks

Front 6 m, rear 6 m, sides 1.2 m (3 m beside a road); accessory buildings 1 m from the rear; none between the halves of a side-by-side duplex split along its shared wall

The zone is for houses and duplexes on town-sized lots, as in Tulameen (s. 16.1).

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, up to 125 m² unless the zone allows more, 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.

Bed and breakfast (s. 7.4): in the house, up to 4 bedrooms and 8 guests, stays of at most 30 days in a row, run by people who live in the house and are there during each stay.

Vacation rental (stays under a month in a whole home) isn't a listed use in this zone, and uses the zone doesn't list are prohibited (s. 5.4); ask the RDOS before renting a home short term.

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 16.1 of Electoral Area H Zoning Bylaw No. 3065, 2024 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – Regional District Okanagan Similkameen.