RA-1: Limited Agricultural (Southlands)

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A single detached house: outright up to 280 m² of floor area, conditional above. A caretaker's home (conditional), inside the house or as an infill house, on a lot of 2,020 m² or more where the house, the lot or its uses need one, at most 70 m² (140 m² on a lot over 4,045 m²), held by a registered covenant; or an infill house of up to 186 m² (conditional) on a lot of 9,100 m² boarding at least 10 horses, at most 2 homes in all. No suites, duplexes or laneway houses are listed (ss. 1.1, 2.1, 2.2.4 to 2.2.7)

Main uses

Field crops, fruit farms and nurseries outright; greenhouses, stables (1 horse for every 232 m² of open lot), riding rings, a small garden shop or tack shop with them, a golf course, a marina, a farmers' market, seniors housing, community care (Class A outright), group residences, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.1 to 2.2.3, 2.2.10, 2.2.11)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

9,100 m², which the Director of Planning may reduce for a lot on title before October 4, 1955 (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.9)

Lot coverage

Homes 8% of the lot or 242 m², whichever is more, and with their yards within 6.4 m, pools, courts and driveways at most 30% of a lot of 9,070 m² (40% from 4,045 m², 50% below); other uses 12%. Floor area for homes 0.10 of the lot or 334 m², whichever is more, at most 836 m², garages and covered pools counted; other uses 0.12 (ss. 3.1.1.1, 3.1.2.6, 3.1.2.13, 4.1.1)

Height limit

9.2 m and 3 storeys, the third a partial storey of at most half the one below, inside a plane from 6.4 m at the side yards; up to 10.7 m with the Director of Planning's approval. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), at most 48 m² together (ss. 2.2.12, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.10 to 3.1.2.12)

Setbacks

Front 7.3 m, sides 4.5 m, rear 4.5 m; homes and their garages at most 36.6 m or 65% of the lot's depth deep and 30.5 m or 75% of its width wide, whichever is less (ss. 3.1.2.3 to 3.1.2.5, 3.1.2.7, 3.1.2.8, 4.3)

The schedule's aim is to keep Southlands semi-rural, equestrian and lightly farmed, with single detached houses and, in some cases, an infill house (s. 1.1).

The Director of Planning may relax the yards where the lot or the project would make them a hardship (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).

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 RA-1 District Schedule (May 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.