{"title":"R8 zone in Merritt: High Density Residential","code":"R8","slug":"r8","name":"High Density Residential","group":"Residential","section":"7.11","site_specific_zone":false,"summary":"Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential: apartment buildings, row houses, back-to-back townhomes or stacked townhomes on serviced Parcels.","fields":{"purpose":{"value":"Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential: apartment buildings, row houses, back-to-back townhomes or stacked townhomes on serviced Parcels.","quotes":["The High Density Residential zone is oriented towards higher-intensity, pedestrian-"]},"primary_uses":{"value":["Dwelling, Multiple Unit Apartment","Dwelling, Multiple Unit Townhome"],"quotes":["a. Dwelling, Multiple Unit Apartment;","b. Dwelling, Multiple Unit Townhome."]},"secondary_uses":{"value":["Accessory Building","Daycare Centre, Major","Daycare Centre, Minor","Home-based Business","Secondary Suite in a Multiple Unit Townhome","Short-Term Rental (discretionary)"],"note":"Short-Term Rental needs approval from the Development Approving Officer.","quotes":["a. Accessory Building;","b. Daycare Centre, Major;","c. Daycare Centre, Minor;","d. Home-based Business.","e. Secondary Suite in a Multiple Unit Townhome.","a. Short-Term Rental."]},"min_parcel_area":{"value":"360 m² (400 m² corner)","quotes":["Lane Access 360 m2 18 metres 20 metres","Corner 400 m2 20 metres 20 metres"]},"min_parcel_width":{"value":"18 metres (20 metres corner)","quotes":["Lane Access 360 m2 18 metres 20 metres","Corner 400 m2 20 metres 20 metres"]},"max_parcel_coverage":{"value":"80% for Multiple Unit Townhome (up to 95% with permeable surfaces on at least 15% of the Parcel Area)","quotes":["80%,","increased to a maximum of 95% with use of permeable surface materials for","driveways and/or pathways on at least 15% of the total Parcel Area."]},"max_density":{"value":"225 units per hectare of usable site area (more with affordable housing)","quotes":["225,","hectare of","if 20% of the total Dwelling Units","are affordable housing, the maximum density may be increased, as per Table"]},"max_height":{"value":"Apartment: lesser of 22 metres or 5 storeys; Townhome: lesser of 18 metres or 4 storeys; both must be at least 2 storeys","quotes":["Lesser of 22","metres or 5","Lesser of 18","metres or 4","a minimum of 2 storeys in height."]},"max_height_accessory":{"value":"Lesser of 5 metres or 1.5 storeys","quotes":["Lesser of 5","1.5 storeys"]},"setback_front":{"value":"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","quotes":["0 metres 1.2 metres N/A","3 metres 1.2 metres N/A 5 metres","5 metres 1.2 metres N/A 3 metres","5 metres 1.2 metres 2.8 metres 3 metres","3 metres,"]},"setback_rear":{"value":"Apartment: 0.9 metres (lane access); 3 metres otherwise; Townhome: 5 metres lane access; 3 metres otherwise","quotes":["0 metres 1.2 metres N/A 0.9 metres","0 metres 1.2 metres N/A 3 metres","3 metres 1.2 metres N/A 5 metres","5 metres 1.2 metres N/A 3 metres"]},"setback_side_interior":{"value":"1.2 metres; 0 metres between shared Parcel Line Townhome units","quotes":["0 metres 1.2 metres N/A","is 0 metres where adjoining units share a","Parcel Line."]},"setback_side_exterior":{"value":"2.8 metres on corner, pie-shaped and panhandle parcels; not applicable on lane and front access parcels","quotes":["0 metres 1.2 metres N/A","0 metres 1.2 metres 2.8 metres"]},"accessory_setbacks":{"value":"front: Front Building Line; side 1.2 metres; rear 1.2 metres","quotes":["Building 1.2 metres 1.2 metres 1.2 metres"]},"other":{"value":["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)"],"quotes":["a. Each Multiple Unit Townhome Dwelling building must contain a minimum of three","and a maximum of eight Dwelling Units.","Side, and/or Rear Setback for a Principal Building is 5 metres.","i. 10 m2 for each three or more bedroom unit; and","iii. 5 m2 for each one bedroom unit or bachelor unit."]}},"bylaw":{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 2284, 2020 (consolidated to January 2026)","url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-07","note":"The City's consolidation does not have legal force; contact City Hall to confirm the status of the bylaw. Section 7.27 (Comprehensive Development framework) sets rules for creating CD zones and is not itself a zone. Sections 7.5 and 7.9 are deleted."},"source_url":"http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf#page=119","place":{"path":"ca/bc/merritt","name":"Merritt","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r8/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r8.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r8.json","index":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/index.json"}}