---
title: "R7 zone in Merritt: Medium Density Residential"
place: Merritt, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/merritt
zone: R7
bylaw: Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (consolidated to January 2026)
bylaw_read: 2026-11-07
review: draft
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r7/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r7.json"
---

# R7 zone in Merritt: Medium Density Residential

Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential development, including row houses, back-to-back townhomes, stacked townhomes and apartment buildings.

## Zone rules

- **Purpose:** Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential development, including row houses, back-to-back townhomes, stacked townhomes and apartment buildings.
- **Main uses:** Dwelling, Multiple Unit Apartment; Dwelling, Multiple Unit Townhome
- **Also allowed (secondary uses):** Accessory Building; Daycare Centre, Major; Daycare Centre, Minor; Home-based Business; Secondary Suite, in a Multiple Unit Townhome Dwelling; Short-Term Rental (discretionary) (Short-Term Rental needs approval from the Development Approving Officer.)
- **Extra uses on specific lots:** Lot 26, Plan KAP60575 (4100 Belshaw Street): maximum 73 Dwelling Units; minimum floor area 32.2 m2 (bachelor suite) and 46 m2 (one-bedroom suite); maximum principal building height 16.75 metres
- **Minimum lot area:** Apartment: 360 m² (400 m² corner); Townhome: 360 m² (400 m² corner; 324 m² pie-shaped)
- **Minimum lot width:** 18 metres (20 metres corner)
- **Maximum lot coverage:** 80% for Multiple Unit Townhome (up to 95% with permeable surfaces on at least 15% of the Parcel Area)
- **Maximum density:** 150 units per hectare of usable site area (more with Affordable Housing)
- **Maximum height:** Lesser of 18 metres or 4 storeys
- **Maximum height, accessory buildings:** Lesser of 5 metres or 1.5 storeys
- **Front setback:** Apartment: 0 metres (3 metres excluding the panhandle access for panhandle parcels); Townhome: 3 metres lane access, 5 metres front access, corner and pie-shaped
- **Rear setback:** Apartment: 0.9 metres (lane access); 3 metres (front access, corner, panhandle, pie-shaped); Townhome: 5 metres lane access; 3 metres otherwise
- **Interior side setback:** 1.2 metres; 0 metres between shared Parcel Line Townhome units
- **Street side setback:** 2.8 metres on corner parcels; not applicable on lane and front access parcels
- **Accessory building setbacks:** front: Front Building Line; side 1.2 metres; rear 1.2 metres
- **Other rules:** Each Townhome building must contain a minimum of three and a maximum of eight Dwelling Units; If a Parcel has multiple Accesses, the front, exterior side and/or rear setback for a Townhome Principal Building is 5 metres; Private Open Space is required for each unit (5 m2 to 10 m2 depending on bedrooms)

## Source

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (consolidated to January 2026), s. 7.10](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf#page=114) (read 2026-11-07)

Rules in the bylaw's general sections (parking, fences, suites, home businesses) also apply. All zones in Merritt: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/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/merritt/zoning/r7/_