{"title":"R-4 zone in Lake Cowichan: Medium Density Residential","code":"R-4","slug":"r-4","name":"Medium Density Residential","group":"Residential","section":"Part V","site_specific_zone":false,"summary":"Single detached dwellings, including manufactured homes, on compact lots at medium density.","fields":{"purpose":{"value":"Single detached dwellings, including manufactured homes, on compact lots at medium density.","quotes":["The intent of the Medium Density Residential R-4 Zone is to provide for single detached","residential dwellings, including manufactured homes, on compact lots in a medium"]},"primary_uses":{"value":["Single detached","Duplex","Triplex","Quadplex","Townhouse"],"quotes":["Permitted Principal Uses","Single detached ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓","Duplex ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓","Triplex ✓ ✓","Quadplex ✓ ✓","Townhouse ✓"]},"secondary_uses":{"value":["Secondary suite in a single detached dwelling","Secondary suite in a duplex (corner lot, or garage with tandem parking, or lot of at least 780 m²)","Home-based business (within the size limits for the suite)"],"quotes":["A secondary suite is permitted on a lot with a single detached dwelling.","A secondary suite is permitted on a lot with a duplex provided it is a","A home-based business is permitted if the combined area of a secondary"]},"site_specific":{"value":["Rental only tenure for 100% of units on the 0.89 acre parcel of Lot A, Section 6, District Lot 13, Plan VIP64669 (PID 023-666-056), Point Ideal Drive","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 16, Block 6, Plan VIP 1231, District Lot 12 (PID 007-656-033), 89 Lakeview Avenue"],"quotes":["(a) Rental only tenure for 100% of units on the 0.89 acre parcel within the","also known as Point Ideal","(b) Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 16, Block 6, Plan VIP 1231, District","also known as 89 Lakeview"]},"min_parcel_area":{"value":"500 m² (single dwelling); 600 m² (duplex on a single strata lot); 300 m² (duplex, each unit on its own fee simple lot); 780 m² or corner lot (triplex and quadplex); 200 m² (townhouse units with individual fee simple lots)","quotes":["i. Single dwelling 600 600 600 500 350 275","strata) 780 780 600 600","simple lot) 300 300 300 300","iv. Triplex and 780 or corner 780 or","quadplex lot corner","simple lots 200"]},"max_parcel_coverage":{"value":"50%","quotes":["Maximum lot coverage (%)","30 40 50 50"]},"max_height":{"value":"11.0 m; for all building types except townhouses the third storey must have a minimum roof slope of 8 vertical to 12 horizontal","quotes":["i. Principal building","11.0;","For all building types except for","townhouses the third storey shall","have a minimum roof slope of 8","vertical run to 12 horizontal run"]},"max_height_accessory":{"value":"4.5 m for pitched roof, 3.7 m for flat roof (accessory buildings over 10 m²); 3.5 m (accessory structures under 10 m²)","quotes":["ii. Accessory building","4.5 for pitched","3.7 for flat","3.7 for","3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5"]},"setback_front":{"value":"6.1 m for single detached, duplex, triplex and quadplex (dwelling front face may extend 1.5 m into the setback); 4.5 m to dwelling front face and garage front face for townhomes (porches may extend into the setback)","quotes":["i) 6.1 m","extend into the front","setback 1.5 m","b) For townhomes:","4.5 m to dwelling front"]},"setback_rear":{"value":"3.0 m","quotes":["Minimum setbacks for principal and accessory buildings or structures (metres)","4.5 3.0 4.5"]},"setback_side_interior":{"value":"1.5 m","quotes":["1.5 1.5 1.5"]},"setback_side_exterior":{"value":"4.0 m","quotes":["v. Exterior side lot line 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 1.5 1.5"]},"accessory_setbacks":{"value":"Accessory structures under 10 m²: front 7.5 m, rear 0.6 m, interior side 0.6 m, exterior side 4.0 m","quotes":["Minimum setbacks for accessory structures of less than 10m2 (metres)","i. Front lot line 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 4.5 n/a","ii. Rear lot line 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 n/a","iii. Interior side lot line 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 n/a","iv. Exterior side lot line 3.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 1.5 n/a"]},"other":{"value":["Maximum 3 storeys","One accessory dwelling unit is permitted on a lot","Secondary suite: at most 40% of the principal dwelling's floor area or 85 m² (whichever is less); at least 30 m²; at most 2 bedrooms"],"quotes":["b. Maximum number of storeys","3 3 3 3 3 1 1/2","iii. In all low and medium density residential zone districts one accessory dwelling","Maximum size is 40% of gross floor area of principal dwelling, or 85 square metres,","iii. Minimum size is 30 square metres.","iv. Maximum number of bedrooms is 2 (two)."]}},"bylaw":{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1055-2021 (consolidated as of February 24, 2026)","url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-08","note":null},"source_url":"https://www.lakecowichan.ca/dl//1055-2021%20Zoning%20Bylaw%20Consolidated%2026-02-24.pdf#page=21","place":{"path":"ca/bc/lake-cowichan","name":"Lake Cowichan","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/r-4/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/r-4.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/r-4.json","index":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/index.json"}}