Regulations and Guidelines

Some key regulations for laneway housing are:

• Allowed in RS-1 and RS-5 single family zones
• Can be located on lots 33 ft. wide and wider, with an open lane, on a double fronting street, or on a corner with a lane dedication
• Generally located in the space where a garage would be permitted, i.e., in the rear 26 ft. of the lot (with a minimum of 16 ft. separation between the laneway house and the main house)
• Rental or family use only: no strata-titling
• Minimum of one on-site parking space must be provided
• Maximum allowable unit size is based on lot size, to a maximum of 750 sq. ft. (A maximum unit size of approximately 500 sq. ft. is allowed on a 33 ft. x 122 ft. lot)
• 1 and 1½ storey configurations are possible, with guidelines to address upper storey massing, privacy and shadowing
• Homeowners can add a laneway house while retaining their existing main house, with or without a secondary suite. A laneway house can also be built with a new house.

Detailed regulations and guidelines are available online to help prospective applicants determine whether their lot is eligible for a laneway house, and what kind of laneway house they can build. Links to some key resources are below:

• Laneway Housing Regulations (143kb) (See Section 11.24)
  Regulations governing laneway housing are included in the Zoning and Development By-law.
• Laneway Housing Guidelines (72kb)
  Laneway housing guidelines focus on creating neighbourly relationships with adjacent properties, a positive lanescape, and enhanced environmental performance of the entire site. Development Services staff work with applicants to determine how design on a specific site can best meet these guidelines.
• Laneway Housing Illustrative Examples (3.45mb)
  This visual guide illustrates some key principles from the regulations and guidelines, including where a laneway house can be located on a lot, size, parking, and possible laneway house configurations and plans.

If you are interested in building a laneway house, please call or visit the Enquiry Centre to learn more about the regulations, the approval process and whether your lot is eligible.

Enquiry Centre
City Hall, East Wing, 2nd Floor
Phone: 604.873.7611
Email: csg.enquiry.centre@vancouver.ca

View a detailed checklist of submission requirements (90kb)

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