---
title: "R8 zone in Merritt: High Density Residential"
place: Merritt, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/merritt
zone: R8
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/r8/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/zoning/r8.json"
---

# R8 zone in Merritt: High Density Residential

Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential: apartment buildings, row houses, back-to-back townhomes or stacked townhomes on serviced Parcels.

## Zone rules

- **Purpose:** Higher-intensity, pedestrian-oriented residential: apartment buildings, row houses, back-to-back townhomes or stacked townhomes on serviced Parcels.
- **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; Short-Term Rental (discretionary) (Short-Term Rental needs approval from the Development Approving Officer.)
- **Minimum lot area:** 360 m² (400 m² corner)
- **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:** 225 units per hectare of usable site area (more with affordable housing)
- **Maximum height:** Apartment: lesser of 22 metres or 5 storeys; Townhome: lesser of 18 metres or 4 storeys; both must be at least 2 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 otherwise; 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, pie-shaped and panhandle 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. 7.11](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2284_Zoning-Bylaw_2026.pdf#page=119) (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/r8/_