Vancouver’s New Zoning Bylaws

Vancouver city council has recently passed zoning bylaw amendments to allow for increased density across all residential neighbourhoods, this comes as the most significant zoning change in decades. These changes hope to add the increased density “missing middle housing” option of multiplexes as well as modernizing the residential zones throughout the City of Vancouver.

What are the new zoning bylaw changes?

  • Reduces the complexity of zoning regulations

  • Makes it easier to build new housing and increases design flexibility

  • Simplifies and streamlines the review process

A new multiplex option to add missing middle housing:

  • Incentivized options for increasing density on single residential lots

  • Further incentives for below-market rental units and energy efficient homes

  • More family-oriented design and building choices

Consolidating the current 9 low density zones into a single new zone:

How does this affect your lot?

Apart from more options for increasing density on a single residential lot, changes to building envelopes have been passed. These changes will affect the allowable size, shape and location of building envelopes. If you have begun work under the old zoning regulations and want to explore the new building envelope options, please reach out to our office and we’d be happy to help.

How can Lyon & Phillips help you?

At Lyon & Phillips we draw from our nearly 50 years of experience in the Lower Mainland and expertise in a wide variety of projects specifically on single residential lots. We are in constant contact with architects, home designers, developers and City officials and as a result are positioned to be able to assist with these new zoning bylaw changes. Feel free to call, email or use our contact page to inquire with any questions you may have.

A copy of the new R1-1 zoning district schedule can be found on the City of Vancouver’s website here. Information presented and images shown are from City of Vancouver’s Public Hearing on Amendments to the Zoning and Development By-law from September 14, 2023 which can be found here.

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