---
title: "C3 zone in Colwood: District Commercial"
place: Colwood, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/colwood
zone: C3
bylaw: Colwood Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989 (with amendments to August 24, 2026)
bylaw_read: 2026-11-07
review: draft
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/zoning/c3/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/zoning/c3.json"
---

# C3 zone in Colwood: District Commercial

Main uses: Animal Hospitals in enclosed buildings, Auction rooms, Bakery, Business colleges and trade schools, Daycare as regulated by the Community Care and Assisted Living Act, and 15 more.

## Zone rules

- **Main uses:** Animal Hospitals in enclosed buildings; Auction rooms; Bakery; Business colleges and trade schools; Daycare as regulated by the Community Care and Assisted Living Act; Funeral parlours; Gasoline service stations and car wash; Hotels; Offices; Personal service; Post office; Premises licensed pursuant to the Liquor Control and Licensing Act; Printing, publishing and bookbinding; Private clubs and lodges; Assembly and entertainment uses (indoor movie theatres, auditoriums, billiard and pool halls, bowling alleys, catering establishments, dance and fitness studios, gymnasiums, martial arts studios, schools and assemblies for educational and philanthropic purposes); Public transportation depots; Restaurants; Retail stores; Shopping centres; Taxi offices (Uses in Section 2.1.10 are also permitted.)
- **Also allowed (secondary uses):** Accessory buildings and structures
- **Extra uses on specific lots:** Lot 3, Section 1, Esquimalt District, Plan 30085 (310 Goldstream Avenue): a Cannabis Retail Store up to 204m² floor area is permitted
- **Minimum lot area:** 695 m² (minimum lot that may be created by subdivision)
- **Minimum lot width:** 16 m (highway frontage and lot width created by subdivision)
- **Maximum lot coverage:** 75 percent of the lot
- **Maximum density:** Floor area ratio not more than 2.0
- **Maximum height:** 15 m or four storeys
- **Front setback:** 7.5 m; 4.5 m if the area between the front building line and front lot line (excluding driveways) is landscaped
- **Rear setback:** 3 m; 6 m where the lot abuts a Residential Zone or Multiple Family Residential Zone
- **Interior side setback:** 4.5 m on at least one side where the lot has no rear access highway; 6 m where the lot abuts a Residential Zone or Multiple Family Residential Zone
- **Street side setback:** 7.5 m on a corner lot next to a flanking street; 4.5 m if the area between the building and the side lot line (excluding driveways) is landscaped
- **Other rules:** Landscaping must cover at least 5 percent of the developed lot area, including one tree per 100 m² of developed lot area; Landscaping strip at least 3 m wide along each side of the lot that abuts a highway; Panhandle lots not permitted for subdivision

## Source

- [Colwood Land Use Bylaw No. 151, 1989 (with amendments to August 24, 2026), s. 7.3](https://colwood.civicweb.net/document/1999#page=114) (read 2026-11-07)

Rules in the bylaw's general sections (parking, fences, suites, home businesses) also apply. All zones in Colwood: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/zoning/index.json

_Draft: taken from the bylaw text by a research agent and not yet reviewed by a person. Gov Handbook is an independent guide. Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/colwood/zoning/c3/_