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RT-A zone in New Westminster

Townhouse Residential District. With the OCP townhouse design guidelines, allow townhouses on sites that also allow single detached dwellings, secondary suites and laneway or carriage houses (s.405.1).

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322lots in this zone on the map

598 m²median lot size (6,442 ft²)

80–1,198 m²smallest to largest lot

12 mmaximum height (39 ft)

The rules

Name	Townhouse Residential District
Homes allowed	Townhouses with no unit cap beyond FSR, on consolidated sites of at least 836.1 m2 and 20 m frontage with lane access (s.405.4); otherwise a house + suite (+ laneway house) under NR-1/RS-1 rules.
Floor space ratio	1.2
Floor space notes	FSR 1.2 (s.405.14), on gross site area; excludes up to 3.23 m2 mechanical room per unit, underground parking, areas 1.22 m or lower, common amenity up to 5% (s.405.7).
Height	12 m (39 ft)
Height notes	Peak height 12.0 m (peaked) or 11.0 m (pitch 4:12 or less) from averaged existing grade (s.405.20).
Lot coverage	50%
Coverage notes	Building coverage 50% (s.405.16 building coverage); impervious surfaces max 65%; pervious at least 35%; planted site space at least 15% (s.405.16-405.19). Detached accessory buildings max 15%.
Setbacks	front 3.5 m (11 ft), side 1.22 m (4 ft), rear 7.62 m (25 ft), flank 3.5 m (11 ft)
Setback notes	Front 3.5 m, rear 7.62 m, interior side 1.22 m, exterior side 3.5 m; max building length 38.1 m (s.405.20).
Bonus density	No density bonus. Parking: 1.0 per principal unit, 0.5 per suite, 0.1 visitor per unit on sites with 10+ units (Mainland) (s.140.9 as amended).
Bylaw sections	s.405.1-405.23 (replaced by Bylaw 8524, 2025)

What you can use it for

TownhousesSingle detached dwelling (NR-1 or RS-1 rules)Detached accessory dwelling unitSecondary suiteHome based businessFoster/child careWomen's transition housePublic utilities

What BC law allows on these lots

4 homes (lots over 280 m²)242 lots
6 homes (near frequent transit)65 lots
3 homes (lots up to 280 m²)15 lots

Our estimate per lot under BC's Bills 44 and 47, from lot size, transit distance and the urban boundary.

Example lots in RT-A

No addressed lots in this zone on the map.

Other zones in New Westminster

RGO-A RM-4 RGO-B RM-6B RM-2 RM-5A RS-1 RQ-1 RM-6A NR-1 RS-2 RMW-2A RM-2A RMW-3B RT-3A RT-3 RMW-3 NR-2 RT-2D RS-4 RT-1 RM-1A RM-1 RQ-5 RT-2E RT-2B RM-5 RS-5 RT-2F RT-3B RW-1 RT-B RS-6 RT-2 RM-6 NR-5

Read from New Westminster Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001 (section consolidations to 2025-05-26, plus adopted amendments Bylaw 8524 (Townhouse Zoning Update) and Bylaw 8578, 2026 (Infill Housing Program, footer-dated 2026-06-08); official consolidation to 2025-11-17 not retrievable) ↗, checked 2026-10-21. Summaries are our reading of the bylaw: confirm with New Westminster before buying or designing. Page rebuilt October 25, 2026.