RT-3: Two-Family Dwelling, Strathcona character

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

Every new home is conditional: a single detached house, with or without a secondary suite; a duplex; infill; a multiple dwelling; a micro dwelling; a rooming house; more than one principal building on a lot; or a conversion of a building that stood on November 3, 1992 (a 2-home conversion with no additions or outside changes is outright). No laneway houses or lock-off units are listed (ss. 2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.4, 2.2.5)

Main uses

The homes above, seniors housing, an artist studio with a home, a mixed-use building with a neighbourhood grocery store; child day care, community care, churches, schools, bed and breakfast and short-term rental, all conditional (ss. 2.1, 2.2.3)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

260 m² for a house or duplex (less for a lot on title before November 3, 1992), 418 m² for infill, 510 m² for a multiple dwelling or rooming house; a multiple dwelling on at most one lot or two adjoining lots on title before November 3, 1992, no more than 15.3 m wide together (ss. 3.1.2.1, 3.1.2.2, 3.1.2.9, 3.1.2.10)

Lot coverage

45% of the lot (50% with infill or more than one building, with the Director of Planning's approval). Floor space ratio 0.60; the Director of Planning may allow 0.75 for homes and 0.95 over the lot for infill that keeps an existing building; 1.00 for a multiple dwelling or seniors housing with a quarter of its homes owned or leased by government or a non-profit and kept for people with disabilities or low incomes (ss. 3.1.1.1, 3.1.1.2, 3.1.2.8, 3.1.2.20)

Height limit

10.7 m and 3 storeys, the third a partial storey of at most half the one below; a building in the rear yard 8.5 m. Accessory buildings 3.7 m (4.6 m at the peak), in the rear yard (ss. 2.2.8, 3.1.2.3, 3.1.2.11, 3.1.2.13)

Setbacks

Front the average of the two neighbouring lots' front yards on each side, and at most 3.7 m; sides 10% of the lot's width on a lot up to 15.0 m wide, else 1.5 m; rear 20.0 m. Where the rear of the lot meets a lane, the rear yard shrinks by the distance from the rear line to the lane's centre line (ss. 3.1.2.4 to 3.1.2.7, 3.1.2.14, 3.1.2.17)

The schedule's aim is to keep Strathcona's pre-1920 character: the outside design of additions and new buildings is weighed, and the Director of Planning may relax the rules to keep or restore pre-1920 buildings (ss. 1.1, 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).

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 RT-3 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.