RU-1: Rural Residential

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

One house; on a lot over 3,500 m², a duplex or a house with an auxiliary dwelling; over 8,000 m², two houses; two homes at most (s. 1011). A secondary suite is allowed where the zone allows only one house or a duplex; a lot can have one secondary suite or one auxiliary dwelling, not both, and neither counts toward the zone's limit on homes (ss. 502, 506). On SCRD sewer a suite needs the SCRD's sign-off on capacity first.

Main uses

Houses or a duplex, farming, bed and breakfast, home business; light industry over 3,500 m²; garden nursery, fish rearing for the household and a bed and breakfast inn over 8,000 m²; riding stable, campground (10 sites a hectare) and a 75 m² workshop or storage building over 1.75 ha

Smallest lot for a subdivision

Set by the lot's subdivision district, not its zone (ss. 401, 407): from 640 m² to 100 ha; a lot's report shows its district. Lots on Ruby, Sakinaw, Hotel, Garden Bay and Mixal lakes in the larger districts need 60 m of lakeshore (s. 408)

Lot coverage

35% on a lot of 2,000 m² or less, 15% above

Height limit

11 m (s. 512)

Setbacks

Front and rear 5 m, sides 1.5 m, street side 4.5 m; 15 m from the sea, 30 m from Garden Bay, Hotel, Ruby and Waugh lakes, 20 m from other lakes, 17 m from a swamp, pond or other stream (s. 515); a workshop or storage building 7.5 m

Auxiliary light industry, where listed, is up to 200 m², screened, 15 m from every lot line, with family plus two employees (s. 508).

Bed and breakfast where the zone lists it: run by someone living on the property, two guests a bedroom; an auxiliary dwelling over 55 m² can't be rented short-term (s. 509). The bylaw has no other short-term rental use, so ask the SCRD before renting a whole home by the night.

Poultry and rabbits on a lot of 1,500 m² or more, livestock on 3,500 m² or more, for the household's own use, with pens and manure 7.5 m from lot lines and 30 m from a lake (s. 503).

Accessory buildings together at most 150 m² on a lot under 1,500 m², 250 m² up to 1 ha, 350 m² above, with no sleeping in them unless an auxiliary dwelling is allowed (s. 505).

While the house is built, you can live in a mobile home or RV on the lot under a temporary building permit, until the house is occupied (s. 510).

Floors of living space at least 0.6 m above the 200-year flood level or 1.5 m above the natural boundary of the sea, a lake, swamp or pond, whichever is higher (s. 515).

Uses the bylaw doesn't list aren't allowed (s. 302).

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 SCRD's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Sunshine Coast Regional District Electoral Area A Zoning Bylaw No. 337 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-02); zone map: Open Government Licence – Sunshine Coast Regional District.