GRD-1: General Residential District-1 Zone

What the zone allows

Homes allowed

No set number of homes: anything from one house to an apartment building, with secondary suites and a garden suite, as long as the density, height, siting and lot rules fit. With fewer than 3 homes on the lot, floor space ratio 0.5; with 3 or more, 1.6 (Schedule C's higher densities need a lot in a Priority Growth Area or a Transit Oriented Area). The bylaw doesn't use the Province's small-scale multi-unit housing wording; 3 or more homes need at least 360 m² of lot (s. 4.1.2, 4.1.7)

Main uses

Homes of any kind (houses, duplexes, houseplexes, townhouses, apartments, garden suites), heritage conserving infill, home occupations, accessory buildings; the other uses (retail trade, personal service, food and beverage service, assembly, civic facility, utility) only on the first storey of a building more than half homes by floor area, and only on a lot beside a Transit Priority Network street, beside an LVD-1, CVD-1 or TCD-1 lot, or on a corner lot (s. 4.1.1)

Smallest lot for a subdivision

No subdivision minimum as such: the minimum lot by what is built is 460 m² with fewer than 3 homes, 360 m² for 3 or more homes in 3 storeys or less, 540 m² taller (none for heritage conserving infill); street frontage at least 10.0 m (taller than 3 storeys: 15.0 m up to 4 storeys, 30.0 m for 5, 36.0 m for more) (s. 4.1.7)

Lot coverage

With fewer than 3 homes 40%, heritage conserving infill 50%, 3 or more homes in 3 storeys or less 45%, taller 55%; open lot space at least 30%; landscape area at least 35 m² (3 or more homes in 3 storeys or less: 6% of the lot or 35 m², whichever is more, up to 612 m², 10% on bigger lots; taller: 10%) (s. 4.1.6)

Height limit

With fewer than 3 homes 7.6 m; 3 or more homes in 3 storeys or less 12.0 m; taller 14 m and 4 storeys. Buildings over 4 storeys only in a Priority Growth Area (the GRD-1 (PGA) lots) or a Transit Oriented Area (Schedule E): there 17 m for 5 storeys and 20.5 m for 6, or 32 m and 10 storeys in a Transit Oriented Area's 200 m tier (s. 4.1.3). Whether a lot is in a Transit Oriented Area we don't check: ask the City

Setbacks

Fewer than 3 homes: front 4.0 m, flanking street 4.0 m, sides 1.5 m, rear 6.0 m. Heritage conserving infill: front and flanking street 4.0 m, sides 2.0 m on one side where there's no flanking street and 3.0 m elsewhere, rear 5.0 m. 3 or more homes in 3 storeys or less: front 4.0 m (on a corner lot 2.0 m for the first 15.0 m from the flanking street), flanking street 2.0 m, sides 4.0 m to a primary façade and 1.5 m to other walls, rear 5.0 m on a corner lot and 8.0 m otherwise. Taller: front and flanking street 4.0 m, sides 7.5 m to a primary façade up to 4 storeys and 9.0 m above, 1.5 m to other walls up to 4 storeys and 3.0 m above, rear 8.0 m or 25% of the lot's depth, whichever is more. Balconies, porches and the like may reach 2.0 m into a setback, steps 4.0 m, eaves 0.75 m; an underground parkade 1.0 m into the front and 2.1 m into the rear setback (s. 4.1.4)

Density: floor space ratio 0.5 with fewer than 3 homes, 1.6 with 3 or more or heritage conserving infill (s. 4.1.2). Off a Priority Growth Area, Schedule C raises it only in a Transit Oriented Area's 200 m tier: 3.51 where all floor area above 1.6 is homes in an affordable housing development (60-year agreement, run by a public housing body or a co-op).

Where a lot has more than one form of housing, the highest density among them applies (Part 1 s. 18). More than one building is allowed on a lot (s. 4.1.1).

Heritage conserving infill (new homes beside or added to a heritage-designated building used for homes): floor space ratio 1.6, height 7.6 m or 80% of the heritage building's height, whichever is more.

On a waterfront lot nothing is built more than 36.5 m from the front lot line (s. 4.1.1).

Rooftop structures may rise 1.0 m above the height limit with fewer than 3 homes, 3.0 m otherwise; they cover at most 20% of the roof and sit 3 m back from its edge (s. 4.1.3, Part 3 s. 21).

Every home at least 33 m²; in buildings of 3 storeys or less at least 30% of the homes with three bedrooms or more; in taller buildings at least 10% with three bedrooms and another 20% with two (15% with the density of Schedule C e.); not for assisted living or affordable housing developments (Part 3 s. 30).

A garden suite (a home in its own building on a lot with a house or duplex): one per lot, in the rear yard, at most 56 m² and 4.2 m high, 0.6 m from the side and rear lines, 3.5 m from a flanking street, 2.4 m from the main building, at most 25% of the rear yard; an accessory building may become one only if built before July 11, 2019 or at least 5 years earlier (Part 3 s. 28).

Accessory buildings: in the rear yard, at most 37 m² and 3.5 m high, 0.6 m from the side and rear lines, 3.5 m from a flanking street, 2.4 m from the main building, at most 25% of the rear yard; no home, shower, bath or toilet in them (Part 3 s. 27).

Parking (Part 5, Table 1): a house or duplex 1 space a home; none for a secondary suite or garden suite, or for converting an existing house or duplex to more homes; townhouses, houseplexes and heritage conserving infill 0.77 a home plus 0.1 for visitors; apartments by size (rental 0.75, 0.90 or 1.30 a home under 45 m², to 70 m², over 70 m²; others 0.85, 1.00 or 1.45; affordable 0.20, 0.50 or 0.75) plus 0.1 for visitors; bicycle parking for 3 or more homes. The bylaw sets no reduction near transit; ask the City.

Short-term rental (under 30 nights) and bed and breakfast only as a home occupation in the operator's principal residence: at most two guest bedrooms, never a whole home, except the whole residence while the operator is away for no more than 160 nights a calendar year; no liquor for guests (Part 3 s. 20(e), (i)).

Home occupations: residents of the home, a City business licence, no sales on the premises except as part of the business, no nuisance beyond the home, at most three in a home and only one with customers coming (Part 3 s. 20).

A child care facility is allowed, but not in a garden suite unless the main building is one too; in a building of three or more homes, only on the first storey; a house or duplex converts only if built before September 14, 2023 or at least 5 years earlier (Part 3 s. 29).

On a waterfront lot (on tidal water), garden suites, accessory buildings, landscape structures and retaining walls between the main building and the water keep the main building's setbacks (Part 3 s. 35).

Fences: 1.22 m in the front yard setback and 1.83 m in other setbacks on a lot with homes (Part 3 s. 25).

A building legally built before this zone came in may keep a density over today's limit until it is damaged beyond 75% of its value (Part 1 s. 20).

The zone's site-specific table lets named lots have other uses or densities, and wins where it differs (Part 1 s. 5); ask the City whether a lot is listed.

Parts 1, 2, 3 (general regulations) and 5 (parking) and Schedules B (urban agriculture) and C (density benefits) also apply.

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 Victoria's planning department before you buy or build.

Source: Part 4.1 of Zoning Bylaw 2018, No. 18-072 (summarised in our words, checked 2026-10-05); zone map: Open Government Licence – City of Victoria.