R3r zone in Burnaby
Low-Rise Apartment 1 District (rental sub-district). Low-rise residential apartment forms of up to 4 storeys with opportunities for ground-oriented housing and limited neighbourhood-serving commercial uses (s.1.3.1). In the R3r sub-district all dwelling units must be purpose-built rental housing (s.1.3.2.2).
The rules
| Name | Low-Rise Apartment 1 District (rental sub-district) |
|---|---|
| Homes allowed | No unit cap in the bylaw; limited by height (4 storeys base); purpose-built rental only |
| Floor space notes | No floor area ratio. Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026 regulates apartment/townhouse districts by height in storeys, setbacks, floorplate caps and tower separation instead of FSR (Part 4 s.2.2.1: height = number of storeys outside R1/A1; Part 4 s.3.3.2 max floorplate for R3-R8: storeys 1-6 unrestricted, 7-12 = 1,400 m2 residential, 13+ = 900 m2). Part 5 refers only to 'floor area' for bonus calculations. |
| Height | · 4 base; up to 6 with eligible increases storeys |
| Height notes | s.1.3.4.1 base 4 storeys; conditional increases per Part 4 s.2.3 and Table 4-2.3 (max 6). Height measured in storeys (Part 4 s.2.2.1); rooftop access, mechanical penthouses and elevator overruns excluded (s.2.2.2). |
| Coverage notes | No maximum lot coverage stated for this district (district s.1.3.4.1 and Part 4 s.1.1, which lists only lot coverage exclusions). |
| Setbacks | front 3 m (10 ft), side 0 m (0 ft), rear 3 m (10 ft), flank 3 m (10 ft) |
| Setback notes | s.1.3.4.1 and Part 4 Table s.1.3.2: street yard 3.0 m (applies to front and flanking street lot lines); lane yard 1.2 m; interior side yard 0.0 m, but 3.0 m where abutting an R1 or R2 lot or where the exterior wall has windows/openings; interior rear yard 3.0 m. Part 4 s.1.3.2 adds a 3.0 m stepback above the 6th storey on street yards and a 3.0 m interior side yard from storey 7 up. Tower separation per Part 4 s.1.2.1 (e.g. 6.0 m face-to-face for storeys 1-4, 12.0 m for 5-6, 15.0 m for 7-12, 25.0 m for 13-40, 30.0 m for 41+ residential). |
| Bonus density | Table 4-2.3: max eligible increase +2 storeys (to 6); community benefit bonus discretionary (rezoning). s.1.3.4.2(2): 2 additional storeys where the development is entirely non-market rental operated by a government, non-profit or City-approved housing body. Inclusionary rental (Part 5 s.1.3.1): replacement of demolished rental units (ratio A/B) when 5+ purpose-built rental units are redeveloped. Commercial secondary uses max 1 storey, 250 m2 per unit. |
| Bylaw sections | Part 3 s.1.3 (1.3.1-1.3.5); Part 4 s.1.2.1, 1.3.2, 2.3, Table 4-2.3, 3.3.2; Part 5 s.1.0, 2.0 |
What you can use it for
Apartment dwellingsTownhouse dwellingsCongregate housingDormitoryEmergency shelterLive-work unitsSupportive housingTransitional housingActive mobility hub (secondary)Child care facility (secondary)Community garden (secondary)Energy generation (secondary)Mobile retail and restaurant (secondary)Personal and business services (secondary)Restaurant (secondary)Retail (secondary)Boarding useHome-based child care facilityHome occupationLock-off unitsShort-term rentalOther accessory buildings, structures and uses
What BC law allows on these lots
- 6 homes (near frequent transit)218 lots
- Transit-oriented area (taller buildings)147 lots
- 4 homes (lots over 280 m²)23 lots
- 3 homes (lots up to 280 m²)12 lots
Our estimate per lot under BC's Bills 44 and 47, from lot size, transit distance and the urban boundary.
Example lots in R3r
No addressed lots in this zone on the map.
Other zones in Burnaby
Read from Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 2026, Bylaw No. 14815 (adopted 2026-06-09, in force 2026-07-01; unofficial consolidation posted 2026-07, no consolidation date stated). Replaces Burnaby Zoning Bylaw 1965 (No. 4742). ↗, checked 2026-10-21. Summaries are our reading of the bylaw: confirm with Burnaby before buying or designing. Page rebuilt October 25, 2026.