---
title: "CW-3 zone in New Westminster: Community Commercial Waterfront Districts (Low Rise)"
place: New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/new-westminster
zone: CW-3
bylaw: Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001 (consolidated as of June 8, 2026)
bylaw_read: 2026-11-07
review: draft
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/zoning/cw-3/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/zoning/cw-3.json"
---

# CW-3 zone in New Westminster: Community Commercial Waterfront Districts (Low Rise)

Allow pedestrian-oriented commercial and residential uses adjacent to the waterfront, at 50 units per acre (123.55 units per hectare) or 15% of the site area.

## Zone rules

- **Purpose:** Allow pedestrian-oriented commercial and residential uses adjacent to the waterfront, at 50 units per acre (123.55 units per hectare) or 15% of the site area.
- **Main uses:** Banks; Restaurants, excluding drive-in restaurants and drive-through restaurants; Clubs (private); Home based businesses; Housing units in a building with and in addition to permitted non-residential uses (nothing above the street or parking deck level, whichever is higher, may be non-residential); Personal service establishments being barber shops, beauty parlours, dry cleaning shops (automatic self-service only), optical or watch repair shops, florist shops, launderettes (automatic self-service only), shoe repair shops, tailor or dressmaker shops, doctors' and dentists' offices; Public assembly and entertainment uses; Retail stores
- **Also allowed (secondary uses):** Accessory buildings and uses
- **Maximum lot coverage:** Residential portion of a building: 40% of the site area
- **Maximum density:** Residential: 50 units per net acre (.40 hectares), with increases for roof-landscaped enclosed parking and for coverage under 40%; non-residential portion: 15% of site area
- **Maximum height:** 45 feet (13.72 metres)
- **Front setback:** 25 feet (7.62 metres)
- **Rear setback:** Not less than 20% of site depth to a maximum of 25 feet (7.62 metres), nor less than 20% of building height, whichever is greater
- **Interior side setback:** Not adjoining a street: 8 feet (2.44 metres) plus 50% of the height up to 30 feet (9.14 metres) plus 20% of the height over 30 feet, less 8 feet (2.44 metres)
- **Street side setback:** Adjoining a street: not less than 8 feet (2.44 metres) plus 50% of the height up to 30 feet (9.14 metres) plus 20% of the height over 30 feet
- **Other rules:** Where the height exceeds 40 feet (12.19 metres), building width above that height is limited to 15% of the site perimeter length; Single detached dwellings and duplexes follow the RS-1 and RT-1 district rules; Usable open space of at least 10% of the gross residential floor area

## Source

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001 (consolidated as of June 8, 2026), s. 572](https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/files/library/Complete_Zoning_Bylaw_No._6680_2001___As_of_June_8_2026(1%29.pdf#page=381) (read 2026-11-07)

Rules in the bylaw's general sections (parking, fences, suites, home businesses) also apply. All zones in New Westminster: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/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/new-westminster/zoning/cw-3/_