MC-2: Industrial-Residential Mixed Use, homes limited

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

No homes, except a caretaker's home where it is essential to the business, and a home with a Class B artist studio in floor space that stood on February 26, 2013 (additions up to 10%); both conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.4, 2.2.8)

Main uses

Offices, banks, health care offices, retail stores, a grocery or drug store, Class 1 restaurants, barbers, light manufacturing (bakeries, clothing, furniture, electronics, printing and the like), labs, motor vehicle repair and washes, catering, studios, schools, libraries and bed and breakfast, outright; Class 2 restaurants, a pub, liquor stores, gas stations, vehicle dealers, storage warehouses, wholesaling, child day care, churches and a social service centre, conditional. Carried on inside a building, with no bulk storage of fuel, chemicals, explosives or the like, and outside storage fenced and screened (ss. 2.1, 2.2.1, 2.2.2)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

None set in the district (our reading)

Lot coverage

None set. Floor space ratio 0.75; the Director of Planning may allow up to 2.50, of which each group of uses (offices, industry, services and others) at most 1.50, shops at most 1,300 m², homes at most 1.00 (ss. 3.1.1.2 to 3.1.1.5)

Height limit

12.2 m, up to 13.8 m with the Director of Planning's or Development Permit Board's approval. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), in the rear yard, at most 15% of the lot together (ss. 2.2.10, 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.6)

Setbacks

No front yard (none allowed, but 1.2 m for parking; the Director of Planning may allow one for a courtyard or to make homes more liveable); no side yards (0.9 m where one is given); rear 3.1 m, with homes, the third storey and anything above the second 7.6 m back and the fourth storey up 9.1 m, less the distance to a lane's centre line (ss. 3.1.2.2 to 3.1.2.5, 3.1.2.7 to 3.1.2.12)

The schedule's aim is to keep the area's mix of homes, businesses and light industry, with designs that let them sit together and make the street interesting (s. 1.1).

Each window needs a clear view of 24.0 m across a 50° angle, which the Director of Planning may reduce to 3.7 m (ss. 4.2.3 to 4.2.6).

Each habitable room needs a window on an outside wall (s. 4.2).

Outright uses get a permit once they meet the rules; conditional uses are at the Director of Planning's discretion, weighing the schedule's intent, Council's policies and guidelines and what neighbours, owners and tenants submit (s. 2.1).

Bed and breakfast is an outright use here; short-term rental isn't listed (s. 2.1).

Bed and breakfast: at most 2 bedrooms and 4 guests, the operator living in the home, and no boarders at the same time (s. 11.9.2).

Sections 2 (definitions), 10 (general regulations) and 11 (use-specific regulations) of the by-law also apply. Parking is set by the separate Parking By-law, which we haven't summarised.

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 City of Vancouver's development, buildings and licensing department before you buy or build.

Source: the MC-1 and MC-2 Districts Schedule (June 2026) of Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05 and 2026-10-06); Section 11, Use-Specific Regulations (February 2026), Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575; Section 2, Definitions (June 2026), Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575; zone map: Open Government Licence – Vancouver.