RM-9B: Multiple Dwelling, 4-storey apartments, shops kept

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Apartments and townhouses of 4 storeys (conditional) on a lot of 445 m² with 12.8 m of frontage (at most 50.0 m), more than one building with approval, at most 100 homes per hectare up to a floor space ratio of 0.90, 132 up to 1.20 and 140 above (180 or 240 with the Director of Planning's approval); a triplex (conditional) on 303 m²; a house or duplex with another building (conditional) on 334 m², with a secondary suite in each home; infill keeping a building from before 1940 (conditional); a 2-home conversion of an existing building (outright, no additions), 3 homes in a building that stood on May 27, 2014 (conditional); a mixed-use building with a neighbourhood grocery store (conditional). A single detached house alone (outright, with a secondary suite and a laneway house conditional) only on a lot on title before January 16, 2018, under the R1-1 district's rules. Lock-off units, at most 1 for every 3 homes (ss. 2.1, 2.2.1 to 2.2.9, 3.1.1.2, 3.1.1.3, 3.1.2.1 to 3.1.2.3)

Main uses

Apartments, townhouses, triplexes, houses, duplexes with another building, laneway houses, infill, conversions, seniors housing, a mixed-use building with a neighbourhood grocery store, a retail store where one stood on October 4, 2016; child day care, community care (Class A outright), churches, schools, a hospital, a social service centre, a farmers' market, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, mostly conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.4)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

445 m² and 12.8 m of frontage for apartments, townhouses and seniors housing; 334 m² for a house or duplex with another building; 303 m² for a triplex, infill or a conversion of more than 2 homes (less for a lot on title before May 27, 2014, with approval); a house alone as in R1-1 (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.2, 3.3.2.1, 3.3.2.8, 3.4.2.1, 3.5.2.1, 3.6.2.1, 3.7.2.1, 3.7.2.8, 3.8.2.1)

Lot coverage

55% of the lot, and at most 75% under hard surfaces. Floor space ratio for apartments, townhouses and seniors housing 0.70; 1.20 from 12.8 m of frontage, 1.50 from 15.2 m, 2.00 from 27.4 m. Triplexes 0.70 (0.90 on a lot under 445 m² or 12.8 m of frontage); other homes and uses 0.70, a conversion or infill keeping an older building up to 0.90 with approval (ss. 3.1.1.1, 3.1.2.8, 3.1.2.9, 3.3.1.1, 3.4.1.1, 3.5.1.1, 3.6.1.1, 3.7.1.1, 3.8.1.1, 3.9.1.1, 5.1)

Height limit

Apartments and townhouses 12.2 m and 4 storeys (a townhouse's fourth a partial storey), up to 13.7 m with approval; rear buildings 10.7 m and 3 storeys (12.2 m and 4 with approval); other buildings 10.7 m. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), at most 48 m² together, within 7.9 m of the rear line (ss. 2.2.12, 2.2.13, 3.1.2.4, 3.1.2.11 to 3.1.2.13, 3.3.2.2, 3.4.2.2, 3.5.2.2, 3.6.2.2, 3.7.2.2, 3.8.2.2, 3.9.2.1)

Setbacks

Front 4.9 m. Apartments and townhouses: sides 2.1 m; rear 3.7 m for apartments, 1.2 m for townhouses round a courtyard, 7.6 m for others; 7.3 m between front and rear buildings. A house or duplex with another building: sides 2.1 m, rear 1.2 m. Triplexes and conversions of more than 2 homes: sides 1.2 m, rear 7.6 m; seniors housing, a 2-home conversion and other uses: sides 2.1 m, rear 7.6 m; infill sides and rear 1.2 m (ss. 3.1.2.5 to 3.1.2.7, 3.1.2.10, 3.3.2.3 to 3.3.2.5, 3.4.2.3 to 3.4.2.5, 3.5.2.3 to 3.5.2.5, 3.6.2.3, 3.6.2.4, 3.7.2.3 to 3.7.2.5, 3.8.2.3 to 3.8.2.5, 3.9.2.2 to 3.9.2.4)

The schedule's aim is a variety of multiple dwellings, 4-storey apartments and townhouses among them, with homes of many sizes including family homes (s. 1.1).

Each habitable room needs a window on an outside wall (s. 4.5).

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-9 and RM-9B 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.