R-3: Residential 3

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A house, a duplex or a triplex, with at most 3 homes on a lot in all, counting secondary suites, multi-unit flex units and accessory dwelling units (s. 7.5(b)). A house or each half of a duplex can have one secondary suite, and an accessory dwelling unit (a detached or garage suite) can be added (ss. 4.5, 4.38). The lot needs community water and sewer to build (s. 7.13)

Main uses

A house, a duplex, a triplex; on properties over 0.8 ha also agriculture, a horse stable, a kennel and pet daycare; a secondary suite, an accessory dwelling unit, a multi-unit flex unit, home occupations, a home child care facility, short-term rental (rules below), accessory uses (s. 7.1)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

690 m², 18.4 m wide, 27.4 m deep; 4 ha for a property over 0.8 ha (s. 7.2)

Lot coverage

33%

Height limit

House or duplex 9 m; triplex 11 m or three storeys, whichever is less; accessory dwelling unit 8 m or three storeys; other accessory buildings 4.58 m

Setbacks

Front 7.62 m, rear 7.62 m, sides 2.13 m (4.57 m on a street); a kennel 150 m from any lot line next to a residentially zoned lot (s. 7.6)

The bylaw gives the zone's intent as small-scale housing on lots under the District's limited densification policies and in zone C4 of the Cheekeye Fan (s. 5.1); our reading is that these are hazard areas of the Official Community Plan (flood and the Cheekeye Fan's debris flows), so ask the District what the plan's hazard policies ask of a new home there.

Floor area ratio: a house 0.45 (0.5 with a secondary suite, flex unit or accessory dwelling unit), a duplex or triplex 0.5 (0.55 with them) (s. 7.5(a)). No home over 400 m² (s. 4.54). The frequent bus route rule that raises the count of homes covers R-1 and R-4 only (s. 4.55).

A secondary suite: one per home, only in a house or duplex, at most 90 m² or 40% of the building's floor area, whichever is less; no parking space needed, no strata title, no short-term rental (s. 4.5).

An accessory dwelling unit: at most 90 m² (above a garage, 180 m² for the whole building with 90 m² lived in; 90 m² in the ALR), the house's front and side setbacks and 1.5 m from the rear line (0.61 m on a lane), 8 m or three storeys high; no parking space needed, no strata title, no short-term rental (s. 4.38).

A multi-unit flex unit (a lockable unit with its own kitchen inside a home): one per strata unit, 40 to 90 m² and at most 40% of the home, not with a secondary suite, no strata title, no short-term rental. The general rule allows one in a multi-unit, townhouse or apartment home, so whether one fits in a triplex is unclear: ask the District (ss. 7.1, 4.39).

For a triplex, private open space of at least 10% of each home's floor area, which may be shared open space instead (s. 7.9).

Short-term rental (stays under 90 days, bed and breakfasts included) is a listed use, but only in the operator's principal residence (where they live at least 183 days a year), with a District licence, and never in a secondary suite, accessory dwelling unit, flex unit, accessory building, vehicle or tent (s. 4.46; definitions in Section 1).

Accessory buildings: one per lot of up to 60 m², plus up to five of 10 m² or less and 3 m high; not in the front yard, 1.2 m from side and rear lines (a garage 0.61 m from a lane), 4.58 m high; no home in one except an accessory dwelling unit. Where agriculture is allowed (properties over 0.8 ha), buildings used only for farming have no limit on number or size, within the lot coverage (s. 4.4).

Home occupations need a District business licence: one per home, at most 37 m², a resident running it and at most one employee from outside, no outdoor storage or signs beyond the sign bylaw (s. 4.18).

Landscaping (s. 4.27), fencing (s. 4.6), solid waste storage (s. 4.53) and parking (Section 41) also apply (ss. 7.7 to 7.11).

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 District of Squamish's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 7 of District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-04); zone map: Open Government Licence – Squamish.