---
title: "Houston zoning: find your zone and what it allows"
question: "How do I find out how my property is zoned in Houston and what I can build on it?"
place: Houston, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/houston
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Houston
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning-lookup/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning-lookup.json"
---

# Houston zoning: find your zone and what it allows

**Question:** How do I find out how my property is zoned in Houston and what I can build on it?

**Short answer:** To find your zone in Houston, use the District's online map: choose "Search by Address", enter your street number and road name, and turn on the "Zoning" layer. The zones and their rules are in Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026. Questions: 250-845-2238.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Houston, https://houston.ca)  
**Cost:** Free to look up online.  
**How long:** Immediate online; call for questions.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Community Development Department, 250-845-2238
- Email: Community Development email, ecdev@houston.ca
- In person: Community Development Department, 3367 12th Street, PO Box 370, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0

## Key facts

- **How to find your zone:** Use the District's online map: choose "Search by Address" in the Search menu, enter the street number and road name, and turn on the "Zoning" layer. The Zoning Map is also Schedule B of the Zoning Bylaw. (Sources differ: The Zoning page says Schedule A of the bylaw sets out the zone designations and the map is in the bylaw; the bylaw makes Schedule A the text and Schedule B the map. The bylaw governs. A property report can be downloaded from the Survey Parcels menu. The online map link on the page goes to a Regional District of Fraser-Fort George viewer (rdffg.bc.ca); it was not fetched.)
  - Source: [Zoning, "Find your Zone"](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)
  - Official wording: "Use the Search menu in the top left menu bar to “Search by Address”." … "Input your Street Number and Road Name." … "Ensure the “Zoning” layer is turned on in the bottom left Layers menu."
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 3.1](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "3.1.2. Schedule B – Zoning Bylaw Map"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Zoning bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026. Schedule A (text) adopted October 6, 2026, updated: N/A.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, Schedule A cover page](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "Adopted: October 6, 2026 Updated: N/A" … "This Bylaw will be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026.”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What the zone controls:** For each of 12 zones (R1, R2, R3, A1, A2, C1, C2, C3, M1, M2, P1, P2): permitted principal and secondary uses, minimum lot size, lot coverage, density, height, setbacks and accessory building limits.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, Table 8-1 and Parts 9 to 13](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "(1) The District of Houston is divided into zones as shown on the Zoning Map and described in Table 8-1: Table 8-1: Zones Zone Zone Abbreviation Residential Zones" … "Zone Zone Abbreviation Residential Zones Neighbourhood Residential R1 Multi-Family Residential R2 Manufactured Home Park Residential R3"
  - Source: [Zoning, "What local governments may regulate through zoning"](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)
  - Official wording: "Siting, size, and dimensions of buildings and structures (i.e. setbacks, height, and parcel coverage)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Contact:** Community Development Department: 250-845-2238, ecdev@houston.ca, 3367 12th Street, PO Box 370, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0.
  - Source: [Zoning, Page footer](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)
  - Official wording: "community development department Community Development Department 3367 12th Street, PO Box 370 Houston, BC, V0J 1Z0 250-845-2238 ecdev@houston.ca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026, s. 1.1](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw will be cited as “Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026.”"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Houston's [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/) (adopted October 6, 2026) divides the District into 12 zones: R1, R2, R3, A1, A2, C1, C2, C3, M1, M2, P1 and P2. For each zone it sets permitted principal and secondary uses, minimum lot size, lot coverage, density, height, setbacks and accessory building limits. General rules for fences, landscaping, parking, home occupations and shipping containers are in Parts 5 to 7 of the same bylaw.

## Steps

1. Open the online map on the District's [Zoning page](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/).
2. Choose "Search by Address" in the Search menu and enter the street number and road name.
3. Turn on the "Zoning" layer. You can also download a property report from the Survey Parcels menu.
4. Find that zone in the Zoning Bylaw to see what is allowed.

## Good to know

- The Zoning Map is Schedule B of the bylaw; Schedule A is the text. The Zoning page describes this the other way round. The bylaw governs.
- The online map link on the page goes to a viewer hosted by the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George; we did not open it.
- The Building Permits page still links an older Zoning Bylaw. That one has been replaced.
- Contact the Community Development Department: 250-845-2238, ecdev@houston.ca, 3367 12th Street, PO Box 370, Houston, BC V0J 1Z0.

## Zones

12 zones are listed from [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026 (adopted October 6, 2026)](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520). Each zone has its own page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning/index.json

Look up the zone of an address: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning/lookup?address=123+Main+St

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/)
- [Zoning, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/)

## Related questions

- [Houston secondary suite and carriage house rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/secondary-suite.md)
- [Houston fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/fence-rules.md)
- [Houston permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/deck-shed-garage-permit.md)
- [Houston home-based business rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/home-based-business.md)
- [Houston building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/building-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Zoning maps in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Telkwa](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Smithers](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Granisle](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Burns Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/zoning-lookup.md)
- [New Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Hazelton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hazelton/zoning-lookup.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1225, 2026 (PDF), District of Houston](https://houston.civicweb.net/document/149520/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/zoning/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Building Permits and Inspections, District of Houston](https://houston.ca/community/planning-and-development/permits-and-inspections/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Houston. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/zoning-lookup/_