RU3 zone in Kelowna
Small Lot Housing. Permits up to four dwelling units with compatible secondary uses on smaller serviced urban lots (s.11.1).
The rules
| Name | Small Lot Housing |
|---|---|
| Homes allowed | 4 per lot (s.11.6); more than 1 unit needs community water, more than 2 needs community sewer (s.11.3 fn .6/.7) |
| Floor space notes | No FAR. Secondary suite max 90 m2 net; carriage house 100 m2 (1 storey) / 90 m2 (2 storey, upper storey max 70% of footprint) in RU1/RU2 (s.11.5). |
| Height | 11 m (36 ft) · 3 storeys |
| Height notes | 11.0 m and 3 storeys; walkout basements 9.0 m at the front/flanking elevation and 12.5 m at the rear; third storey max 70% of the second storey GFA (Fig. 5.11); no occupiable roof on a 3-storey building (fn .3). Carriage house 5.7 m (6.1 m with roof slope < 3:12); accessory 4.8 m (s.11.6). |
| Lot coverage | 55% |
| Coverage notes | Buildings 40%, rising to 55% with three or more units (fn .11); buildings + structures + impermeable surfaces 70%, rising to 75% with three or more units (fn .12). Value shown = 3+ unit form (s.11.5). |
| Setbacks | front 3 m (10 ft), side 1.2 m (4 ft), rear 3 m (10 ft), flank 3 m (10 ft) |
| Setback notes | Front and flanking 3.0 m; a street-facing attached garage/carport 6.0 m from sidewalk edge (back of curb where no sidewalk), min 3.0 m from lot line (s.11.5 fn .2). Rear 6.0 m, or 4.5 m on wide lots; 3.0 m when the lot has three or more units (1.5 m if the rear abuts a lane) (fn .13). Accessory/carriage house rear 1.5 m (0.9 m on a lane, fn .4); accessory/carriage house side 1.5 m (fn .10). No side yard on a semi-detached party wall (fn .3). 2.5 m between principal buildings. Rear shown = 3+ unit form. Width 8.5 m (10.0 m corner); depth 27.0 m; new lots must take access from a side or rear lane. |
| Bylaw sections | s.11.1-11.7 (replaced by BL12619; s.11.6 amended BL12834) |
What you can use it for
Single Detached DwellingDuplex HousingSemi-Detached HousingTownhousesStacked TownhousesSecondary SuiteCarriage HouseGroup HomeShort-Term Rental Accommodation, MinorBed & Breakfast (one-unit lots only)
What BC law allows on these lots
- 4 homes (lots over 280 m²)161 lots
- 3 homes (lots up to 280 m²)4 lots
Our estimate per lot under BC's Bills 44 and 47, from lot size, transit distance and the urban boundary.
Example lots in RU3
No addressed lots in this zone on the map.
Other zones in Kelowna
RU1MF1MF2MF3UC1RU2UC5TS1RR2A1UC4UC2UC3VC1MF4A2CA1RR1RU5C1MH1
Read from City of Kelowna Zoning Bylaw No. 12375 (adopted 2022-09-26), consolidated for convenience - updated May 5, 2026. Sections 11 and 13 were replaced by BL12619 (Bill 44 small-scale multi-unit housing, 2024); later amendments incl. BL12834, BL12848 (adds TS1 zone), BL12861, BL12862, BL12886, BL12916. ↗, checked 2026-10-23. Summaries are our reading of the bylaw: confirm with Kelowna before buying or designing. Page rebuilt October 25, 2026.