{"title":"R-7 zone in Lake Cowichan: Multi-unit Residential","code":"R-7","slug":"r-7","name":"Multi-unit Residential","group":"Residential","section":"Part V","site_specific_zone":false,"summary":"Multiple residential dwellings in medium to high density environments.","fields":{"purpose":{"value":"Multiple residential dwellings in medium to high density environments.","quotes":["The intent of the R-7 Multi- unit Residential zone is to provide for multiple residential","dwellings in medium to high density environments in accordance with Official Community"]},"primary_uses":{"value":["Side by side two-unit dwelling (duplex)","Multi-unit dwellings (all types)","Lodges and boarding houses"],"quotes":["Side by side two-unit dwelling (duplex)","Multi-unit dwellings (all types)","Lodges and boarding houses"]},"secondary_uses":{"value":["Home-based business, accessory to an existing non-conforming single detached dwelling","Secondary suite within an existing non-conforming single detached dwelling","Secondary suite on a duplex lot (corner lot, or garage with tandem parking, or lot of at least 780 m²)","Home-based business in a duplex (within the size limit for the suite)"],"quotes":["Home-based business, accessory to an existing non-conforming single detached","Secondary suite within an existing non-conforming single detached dwelling","A secondary suite is permitted on a lot with a duplex provided it is a corner lot or","A home-based business is permitted in a duplex if the combined area of a"]},"site_specific":{"value":["Rental only tenure for 100% of the units in any quadplex or townhouse on the unsubdivided remainder of Lot A and B, Plan VIP30829, Section 5, Renfrew Land District (124 Elk Road and 130 Elk Road)","Rental only tenure for 25% of the apartment or townhouse units on Lot 2, Plan EPP107675, District Lot 48 (Edgewood Drive)","Rental only tenure for 25% of the triplex, quadplex, townhouse or apartment units on Lot 2, Plan VIP 60160, Section 6 (corner of Youbou Road and MacDonald Road)","Rental only tenure for 50% of units on Lot A, Block 16, Plan 1231 (15 South Shore Road)","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 2, Block 9, Plan VIP 1231, District Lot 12 (172 South Shore Road)","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 1, Block 9, Plan VIP 1231, District Lot 12 (96 Cowichan Avenue)","Rental only tenure for 25% of units on Lot B, Plan VIP 44661, District Lot 16 (Cowichan Lake Road)","Rental only for 100% of units on Lot 1, Plan VIP 33840, District Lot 12 (61 King George Street North)","Rental only tenure for 100% of residential units on Lot 2, Plan VIP 5631, Section 6 (30 North Shore Road)","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 16, Block 6, Plan VIP 1231, District Lot 12 (89 Lakeview Avenue)","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot A, Plan VIP 54676, Section 6, Renfrew Land District (201 Cowichan Lake Road)","Rental only tenure for 100% of units on Lot 14, Plan VIP6253, Section 6 (68 Stanley Road)"],"quotes":["Rental only tenure for 100% of the units in any Quadplex or townhouse on the","also known as 124 Elk Road and 130","Rental only tenure for 25% of the apartment or townhouse units on Lot 2, Plan","EPP107675, District Lot 48 (PID: 031-401-252) on Edgewood Drive, as depicted on","Rental only tenure for 25% of the triplex, Quadplex, townhouse or apartment units","Rental only tenure for 50% of units on Lot A, Block 16, Plan 1231 (PID: 032-234-","also known as 172 South Shore","also known as 96 Cowichan","Rental only tenure for 25% of units on Lot B, Plan VIP 44661, District Lot 16,","also known as 61 King George Street North","also known as 30 North Shore","also known as 89 Lakeview","also known as 201","also known as 68 Stanley Road"]},"min_parcel_area":{"value":"667 m² (multi-unit buildings in OCP-designated Downtown and Uptown areas, up to 3 storeys); 1,334 m² (4 and 5 storeys in those areas); no minimum stated for other types","quotes":["Minimum lot size up to","3 stories (square n/a 667 n/a n/a","and 5 stories (square n/a 1,334 n/a n/a"]},"max_parcel_coverage":{"value":"50% (multi-unit buildings over 10 m², two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house, triplex); 75% (in OCP-designated Downtown and Uptown areas, subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions); accessory structures under 10 m² as provided for the use","quotes":["Maximum lot coverage","(%) 50 75* 50 provided for","* Subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions"]},"max_density":{"value":"100 units per hectare gross density in OCP-designated Downtown and Uptown areas (subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions)","quotes":["Maximum gross","density (units per","n/a 100 * n/a n/a","* Subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions"]},"max_height":{"value":"11.0 m (multi-unit buildings over 10 m²; two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house, triplex); 17 m / 5 storeys in OCP-designated Downtown and Uptown areas (subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions); minimum 3 habitable storeys in Downtown and Uptown areas","quotes":["Maximum height","(metres) and stories","11.0 17 (5 stories) * 11.0 4.5","3 habitable","* Subject to rezoning to Comprehensive Development or density bonus amenity provisions"]},"max_height_accessory":{"value":"4.5 m (accessory structures under 10 m²); 11.0 m for accessory buildings over 10 m² with two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house or triplex","quotes":["11.0 17 (5 stories) * 11.0 4.5","Two-unit","accessory"]},"setback_front":{"value":"Minimum 9 m (multi-unit buildings over 10 m²); 3 m (Downtown and Uptown areas, maximum 6 m); 7.5 m (two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house, triplex); accessory structures under 10 m²: as provided for by the use (maximum 7.5 m)","quotes":["Front minimum","9 3 7.5","Front maximum","n/a 6 n/a 7.5","As provided"]},"setback_rear":{"value":"4.5 m","quotes":["Rear Setback minimum 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5"]},"setback_side_interior":{"value":"4.5 m (multi-unit buildings over 10 m²); 1.5 m (Downtown and Uptown areas); 2.0 m (two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house, triplex), or 0.0 m for side-by-side duplex separated only by a common party wall; 0.6 m (accessory structures under 10 m²)","quotes":["Interior lot line","4.5 1.5 (duplex) use 0.6","2.0;","0.0 setback for","common party"]},"setback_side_exterior":{"value":"Minimum 4.5 m (multi-unit buildings over 10 m²); 3 m (Downtown and Uptown areas, maximum 6 m); 3.0 m (two-unit residential, lodging and boarding house, triplex); 3.0 m (accessory structures under 10 m²)","quotes":["Exterior lot line","minimum setback 4.5 3 3.0 3.0","Maximum exterior","n/a 6 n/a n/a"]},"other":{"value":["Minimum dwelling unit sizes: bachelor apartment 33 m², one-bedroom 59 m², two-bedroom 70 m², three-bedroom 85 m²","More than one principal building is permitted where the principal use is a multi-unit dwelling","Minimum recreation area 4% (not required for accessory structures under 10 m²)","Minimum landscaped area 5% (not required for accessory structures under 10 m²)"],"quotes":["Bachelor apartment 33","One-bedroom 59","Two-bedroom 70","Three-bedroom 85","More than one principal building shall be permitted where the principal use is a multi-","4 4 4 n/a","Minimum recreation","Minimum landscaped","5 5 n/a"]}},"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=30","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-7/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/r-7.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/r-7.json","index":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/zoning/index.json"}}