RU1: Residential Urban Infill

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Up to four homes a lot (s. 10.1.5(b)): houses, duplexes or small multi-unit buildings, with secondary suites and carriage houses; a house up to 200 m² of floor area (s. 10.1.5(c))

Exceptions (1)

• A duplex suite, under the secondary suite rules, on two lots the bylaw names

Listed in s. 10.1.8(a) of the bylaw.

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, multi-unit housing, manufactured homes; secondary suites, carriage houses, home occupations, small child care and group homes, short-term rental (ss. 10.1.2, 10.1.3)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

260 m²; 7.5 m wide and 30 m deep with lane access, 11 m wide and 20 m deep without; 20 m deep for a corner lot (s. 10.1.4)

Exceptions (2)

• 524 m², 15.2 m wide, and half that for each side of a side-by-side duplex, on two lots the bylaw names
• 490.6 m², 11.15 m wide on one lot the bylaw names

Listed in s. 10.1.8(a), (d) of the bylaw.

Lot coverage

50% (s. 10.1.5(a))

Exceptions (1)

• A floor area ratio of 0.93 on two lots the bylaw names

Listed in s. 10.1.8(a) of the bylaw.

Height limit

The lesser of 11 m or 3 storeys; accessory buildings 7.5 m or 2 storeys (s. 10.1.6)

Exceptions (1)

• 11.05 m and 3 storeys on two lots the bylaw names

Listed in s. 10.1.8(a) of the bylaw.

Setbacks

Front 3 m (a garage door facing the street 6 m; one facing a lane 1.5 m, or more than 6 m), rear 3 m, sides 1.2 m (3 m on one side without a way to the back of the lot), 3 m beside a street; accessory buildings 3 m from the front, 1.5 m from the side and rear, 3 m beside a street (s. 10.1.6)

Exceptions (1)

• Rear 6 m on one lot the bylaw names

Listed in s. 10.1.8(d) of the bylaw.

The zone is for houses, duplexes and small multi-unit buildings on compact, narrow lots with full urban services, ideally with a rear lane (s. 10.1.1).

New lots in this zone don't need the 100 m² building envelope other new residential lots must hold (s. 4.9.1).

A carriage house (a home in an accessory building, s. 7.4) is no larger than the main home and must be on municipal water and sewer, unless the lot is 1 ha or more and has a septic system; a secondary suite (s. 7.3) is one in the house, no larger than the rest of it.

Short-term rental is allowed (s. 7.2): one home on the lot, run by someone living on the lot as their primary residence (in the house, the suite or the carriage house), up to four bedrooms and eight guests.

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 Summerland's development services department before you buy or build.

Source: Section 10.1 of Zoning Bylaw No. 2000-450 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – District of Summerland.