RM-7: Multiple Dwelling, townhouses

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

A single detached house (outright) with a secondary suite and a laneway house (conditional), under the R1-1 district's rules when it is the lot's only building; a duplex (outright), each half with a secondary suite (conditional); a triplex (conditional) on 303 m²; townhouses or freehold rowhouses (conditional) on 445 m², more than one building on 703 m²; a house in the rear yard behind a house or duplex, or infill keeping a building from before 1940, on a corner lot, one backing onto a park or school, or one over 52.0 m deep, with up to 3 homes besides suites; a 2-home conversion of an existing building (outright, no additions). Townhouses and rowhouses at most 100 homes per hectare (132 above a floor space ratio of 0.90), lock-off units aside: at most 1 for every 3 homes (ss. 2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.4 to 2.2.11, 3.2.1.2)

Main uses

Townhouses, rowhouses, triplexes, houses, duplexes, laneway houses, infill, conversions, seniors housing, a mixed-use building with a neighbourhood grocery store; child day care, community care (Class A outright), churches, schools, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, mostly conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.3)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

303 m² for a triplex, duplex, two houses, infill or conversion; 445 m² and 12.8 m of frontage for a townhouse or rowhouse building, 703 m² for more than one; a house alone as in R1-1 (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2, 3.3.2.1, 3.4.2.1, 3.5.2.1)

Lot coverage

Townhouses, rowhouses and triplexes 55% of the lot, duplexes and two houses 45%; at most 70% under hard surfaces. Floor space ratio 0.60 for townhouses and rowhouses (1.20 with the Director of Planning's approval) and triplexes (0.90 on a lot under 445 m² or 12.8 m wide); 0.75 for a duplex (0.85 with a rear house); 0.60 for two houses, infill and conversions (0.85 with approval; 0.90 with infill keeping a building from before 1940), a rear house at most 0.20 (ss. 3.1.1.1 to 3.9.1.1, 3.2.2.7, 3.5.2.6, 5.1)

Height limit

10.7 m and 3 storeys for townhouses, rowhouses, triplexes and duplexes (a duplex's third storey a partial storey of at most half the one below); a rear building 7.7 m and 2 storeys; a house with a rear house 9.5 m and 2 storeys; infill 7.7 m or 2 storeys; conversions 9.5 m or 2 storeys (ss. 3.1.2.3, 3.2.2.3, 3.4.2.2, 3.5.2.2, 3.5.2.10, 3.6.2.2, 3.7.2.2, 3.8.2.2, 3.9.2.2)

Setbacks

Front 6.1 m on a lot 27.4 m deep or more, else 4.9 m; sides 1.2 m; rear none set; townhouses, rowhouses, triplexes and duplexes at most 40% of the lot's depth, buildings at most 22.0 m wide on a lot 24.0 m wide or more; 2.4 m between townhouse buildings; 4.9 m between a front and a rear house (ss. 3.1.2.4 to 3.1.2.10, 3.2.2.4 to 3.2.2.11, 3.6.2.8, 3.7.2.8)

The schedule's aim is townhouses alongside other housing, keeping character buildings, with new buildings compatible with what stands (s. 1.1).

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; 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 RM-7 and RM-7A 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.