R1-1: Residential Inclusive

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A single detached house (outright) with a secondary suite and a laneway house (conditional): up to 3 homes. Or a duplex (outright), each half with a secondary suite or a lock-off unit (conditional): up to 4. Or a multiplex (conditional): 3 or 4 homes on a lot of 306 m² and 10.0 m frontage (3 only on a lot of at most 463 m² and 13.3 m), 5 on 464 m² and 13.4 m, 6 on 557 m² and 15.1 m; up to 8 when every home is secured rental (one may be the owner's). Multiplexes only on a lot on title before October 17, 2023 or created by subdivision, with car access from the rear, outside the designated flood plain (ss. 2.1, 2.2.3, 2.2.7, 2.2.10, 3.1.1.3)

Main uses

Houses, duplexes, multiplexes, laneway houses, suites and lock-off units; infill or a multiple conversion dwelling where a character house is kept (conditional); seniors housing, child day care, community care (Class A outright), churches, schools, a neighbourhood grocery store, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, all conditional (s. 2.1)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

306 m² and 7.3 m frontage for a house or duplex, which the Director of Planning may reduce; multiplexes as under Homes, and at least 30.4 m deep (33.5 m for a courtyard layout) (ss. 3.1.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.2.9)

Lot coverage

Houses and duplexes: 50% of the lot, and at most 75% under hard surfaces (coverage included). Floor space ratio 0.60 for a house, 0.70 for a duplex, 1.00 for a multiplex (laneway houses not counted) (ss. 3.1.1.2, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.2.7, 3.2.2.8, 4.1.2)

Height limit

11.5 m and 3 storeys, the third a partial storey of at most half the one below for houses and duplexes; a multiplex's rear building 8.5 m and 2 storeys. Accessory buildings 4.6 m, at most 48 m² together, in the rear yard (ss. 2.2.13, 3.1.2.5, 3.2.2.3, 3.2.2.10)

Setbacks

Front 4.9 m, sides 1.2 m (for a house or duplex, 1.0 m with approval on a lot under 10.1 m wide), rear 10.7 m (0.9 m behind a courtyard multiplex). Multiplexes: buildings at most 19.8 m deep and 17.4 m wide; 2.4 m between buildings side by side and 6.1 m between a front and a rear building (ss. 3.1.2.6 to 3.1.2.11, 3.2.2.4 to 3.2.2.6, 3.2.2.11)

A multiplex needs homes with 2 or more bedrooms: 2 of 3 or 4 homes, 3 of 5 or 6; when all are secured rental, 1 of 3 or 4, 2 of 5 to 7, 3 of 8 (s. 2.2.8). Each home gets 7.4 m² of outdoor space (s. 4.3.5).

A multiplex of up to 6 strata homes on a lot of 623 m² or more, 17.1 m wide, west of Ontario Street and Carrall Street must make 5% of its floor area social housing or pay cash in lieu (s. 3.1.1.3).

New suites, laneway houses, multiplexes and character-house infill need 1 tree in the front yard (2 on a lot 15.1 m wide or more), kept or planted (s. 2.2.1).

Where a character house is kept, the Director of Planning may allow a floor space ratio of 0.65 for an addition, 0.75 for a multiple conversion dwelling and 0.85 with infill (s. 5.1).

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).

A secondary suite: a smaller home inside a house or duplex with its own outside door (an inside door to the main home is allowed), one kitchen and a full bathroom, at least 37 m² (29.7 m² with the Director of Planning's approval); it may be in a basement (Section 2, ss. 10.20.3, 11.3.1.2, 11.3.3).

A lock-off unit: a smaller home inside a larger one with its own outside door and a shared inside door that locks, 26 to 29.7 m² (19 m² with the Director of Planning's approval), one kitchen and a full bathroom (Section 2, ss. 11.3.1.2, 11.3.1.3, 11.3.3).

A laneway house: only behind a single detached house (with or without a suite) on a lot with access from a lane, at least 9.8 m wide (7.3 m with the Director of Planning's approval); floor area at most 0.25 times the lot area or 186 m², whichever is less, not counted in the lot's floor space ratio (s. 4.1.2); 8.5 m and 2 storeys; 4.9 m from the house, 0.9 m from the rear line, 1.2 m from the sides; coverage with it up to 50% of the lot; no deck on its roof (s. 11.3.8).

One family to a home, plus at most 2 boarders or lodgers; no home rented for less than 30 days except as a hotel, bed and breakfast or short-term rental (ss. 11.3.1.1, 11.3.1.7). The smallest home is 37 m² (29.7 m² with the Director of Planning's approval) (s. 11.3.1.2).

Short-term rental is a conditional use, only in the operator's principal residence (a home, secondary suite, laneway house or lock-off unit); never in an accessory building or a vehicle, or alongside a bed and breakfast; at most 2 adults to a bedroom and one booking at a time; its permit lasts 2 years (s. 11.9.1).

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 R1-1 District Schedule (June 2026) of Zoning and Development By-law No. 3575 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); 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.