R5-1: High-Rise Apartment

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

High-rise apartments and mixed-use buildings (conditional) up to 84.0 m, any tenure; low-rise apartments under the R3-1 district's rules; townhouses of more than 8 homes under the RM-8A schedule, which we haven't summarised; and everything the R1-1 district allows, under its rules (houses with a suite and a laneway house, duplexes, multiplexes of up to 8 homes) (ss. 1.1, 2.1, 2.2.1 to 2.2.4)

Main uses

Apartments and mixed-use buildings, which may hold any non-dwelling use listed; retail stores, offices, banks, a neighbourhood grocery store and hair salons outright; restaurants, a hotel, a grocery or drug store, a fitness centre, bed and breakfast and short-term rental as conditional uses, weighing traffic, parking and noise (ss. 2.1, 2.2.5, 2.2.10)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

1,532 m² and 45.7 m of frontage for a high-rise (1,348 m² and 40.0 m on a corner), at most 60.7 m of frontage; houses, duplexes and multiplexes as in R1-1 (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.7)

Lot coverage

None set. Floor space ratio for high-rises: when every home is secured rental, 6.50 for apartments and 6.80 for mixed-use buildings, with 20% of the floor area below-market rental or every home social housing; otherwise 5.00 and 5.30 with 20% of the floor area social housing (6.60 for a mixed-use building that also gives the City a child day care of 464 m²). The schedule sets no high-rise floor space ratio without these; a mixed-use building needs at least 139 m² of non-dwelling space. Other uses 1.45 (ss. 3.1.1, 3.2.1.1)

Height limit

High-rises 84.0 m; low-rise apartments 23.0 m (27.5 m with 20% of the floor area below-market rental in a transit-oriented area, or all social housing); other uses 11.5 m (ss. 1.1, 3.1.2.3, 3.2.2.1)

Setbacks

High-rises: front 3.7 m, sides 3.7 m, rear 6.1 m, which the Director of Planning may vary. Other uses: front 3.7 m, sides 1.2 m, rear 3.1 m (ss. 3.1.2.4 to 3.1.2.6, 3.1.2.9, 3.2.2)

High-rises need at least 35% of homes with 2 or more bedrooms, and 10% with 3 or more unless every home is rental, except all-social housing for people 55 and over (s. 2.2.7).

Below-market rental and social housing are as Schedule J, the Affordable Housing Schedule, sets them; we haven't summarised it (s. 3.1.1.1).

Whether a lot is in a transit-oriented area is set by the Transit-Oriented Areas Designation By-law; we don't check it: ask the City (Section 2).

Each habitable room needs a window on an outside wall (s. 4.3).

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).

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 R5 Districts 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.