{"title":"RSM/XL zone in Richmond: Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing","code":"RSM/XL","slug":"rsm-xl","name":"Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing","group":"Residential","section":"8.19","site_specific_zone":false,"summary":"Small-scale multi-unit housing and compatible secondary uses, with a density bonus for six dwelling units to help achieve affordable housing objectives.","fields":{"purpose":{"value":"Small-scale multi-unit housing and compatible secondary uses, with a density bonus for six dwelling units to help achieve affordable housing objectives.","quotes":["The zone provides for small-scale multi-unit housing and compatible secondary uses. The","zone provides a density bonus for development involving six dwelling units to help achieve"]},"primary_uses":{"value":["housing, small-scale multi-unit"],"quotes":["housing, small-scale multi-unit"]},"secondary_uses":{"value":["bed and breakfast","boarding and lodging","community care facility, minor","home business","secondary suite"],"quotes":["bed and breakfast","boarding and lodging","community care facility, minor","home business","secondary suite"]},"min_parcel_area":{"value":"828.0 m²","quotes":["RSM/XL 7.5 m 18.0 m 45.0 m 828.0 m2"]},"min_parcel_width":{"value":"18.0 m lot width (frontage 7.5 m); corner lots need an additional 2.0 m","quotes":["RSM/XL 7.5 m 18.0 m 45.0 m 828.0 m2","have an additional 2.0 m of lot width."]},"max_parcel_coverage":{"value":"45% for buildings; no more than 70% of the lot may be buildings, structures and non-porous surfaces","quotes":["The maximum lot coverage for buildings is 45%.","No more than 70% of a lot may be occupied by buildings, structures and non-porous"]},"max_density":{"value":"Three dwelling units on lots of 280.0 m² or less; four on lots over 280.0 m², or six if within 400.0 m of a prescribed bus stop, lot over 281.0 m² and (for six units) an affordable housing contribution or unit is provided. Floor area ratio 0.55 on the first 464.5 m² of lot area plus 0.30 on the rest for one unit (or two with a suite), plus 40.0 m² for parking; 0.6 on the first 464.5 m² plus 0.30 on the rest for other development, plus 50.0 m² for flex space (80.0 m² in some cases)","quotes":["three dwelling units for a lot with a lot area of 280.0 m2 or less; and","four dwelling units for a lot with a lot area greater than 280.0 m2.","the lot is located, in whole or in part, within 400.0 m of a prescribed bus stop;","the lot area of the lot is greater than 281.0 m2; and","dwelling unit is a secondary suite, is 0.55 applied to a maximum of 464.5 m2 of the lot","40.0 m2 of additional floor area per lot for accommodating on-site parking purposes,","for all other development involving small-scale multi-unit housing is 0.6 applied to a","maximum of 464.5 m2 of the lot area and 0.30 applied to the balance of the lot area in","excess of 464.5 m2, together with 50.0 m2 of additional floor area per lot for flex space.","the reference to “50.0 m2” is increased to a higher density of “80.0 m2” if the owner provides at"]},"max_height":{"value":"2 ½ storeys and 10.0 m (within the vertical lot width envelope); 7.5 m for a flat roof","quotes":["The maximum height for principal buildings is 2 ½ storeys and 10.0 m","flat roof, the maximum height is 7.5 m."]},"max_height_accessory":{"value":"Accessory structures, detached garages and carports: 5.0 m to the roof ridge (pitched roof), 4.0 m (flat roof). Detached accessory buildings of 10.0 m² or less: 3.0 m (pitched roof), 2.5 m (flat roof)","quotes":["The maximum height for accessory structures and detached garages and carports is 5.0 m","to the roof ridge for a building with a pitched roof and 4.0 m for a building with a flat roof.","The maximum height for a detached accessory building with a floor area of 10.0 m2 or less is","3.0 m measured from finished site grade to the roof ridge for a detached accessory building","with a pitched roof, and 2.5 m for a detached accessory building with a flat roof."]},"setback_front":{"value":"6.0 m","quotes":["The minimum front yard is 6.0 m."]},"setback_rear":{"value":"One unit (or two with a suite): greater of 6.0 m or 20% of lot depth for up to 60% of the first-storey rear wall, and 25% of lot depth for the rest and any upper storey, up to 10.7 m; other small-scale multi-unit housing: 6.0 m","quotes":["dwelling unit is a secondary suite, is the greater of 6.0 m or 20% of the total lot depth","for a maximum width of 60% of the rear wall of the first storey, and 25% of the total lot","or half (½) storey above, up to maximum required setback of 10.7 m; or","for all other development involving small-scale multi-unit housing is 6.0 m."]},"setback_side_interior":{"value":"2.0 m (lot width 20.0 m or greater); 1.8 m (18.0 m to under 20.0 m); 1.2 m (under 18.0 m)","quotes":["2.0 m for lots with a lot width of 20.0 m or greater;","1.8 m for lots with a lot width of 18.0 m or greater, but less than 20.0 m; or","1.2 m for lots with a lot width of less than 18.0 m."]},"setback_side_exterior":{"value":"3.0 m","quotes":["small-scale multi-unit housing, is 3.0 m."]},"other":{"value":["An accessory building is not permitted in the front yard, interior side yard or exterior side yard","A maximum of two buildings over 10.0 m² are permitted on a lot, one behind the other","Fences within 3.0 m of a side lot line on a public road or 6.0 m of a front lot line on a public road may not exceed 1.2 m; elsewhere in a required yard 1.83 m","Private outdoor open space of at least 6.0 m² per dwelling unit is required"],"quotes":["An accessory building is not permitted in the front yard, interior side yard or exterior side","A maximum of two buildings with a floor area greater than 10.0 m2 are permitted on a lot","fences shall not exceed 1.2 m in height when located within 3.0 m of a side lot line","abutting a public road or 6.0 m of a front lot line abutting a public road, and shall not","exceed 1.83 m in height when located elsewhere within a required yard; and","at a minimum rate","of 6.0 m2 per dwelling unit."]}},"bylaw":{"title":"Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 (office consolidation, July 29, 2026)","url":"https://www.richmond.ca/city-hall/bylaws/zoning-bylaw-8500.htm","accessed":"2026-11-07","note":"The City publishes the bylaw as one PDF per zone or group of zones (each zone's source_url; pdf_page counts within that PDF, and lines point into the saved combined text). The City says the office consolidation has no Council sanction, is for convenience of reference only, is not the official version and is not admissible in a court of law; certified copies come from the City Clerk. Zones listed as \"in progress\" by the City (for example ZR5, ZC30, ZA4) are not part of the consolidation and are not listed here."},"source_url":"https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/RSM73169.pdf#page=1","place":{"path":"ca/bc/richmond","name":"Richmond","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/rsm-xl/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/rsm-xl.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/rsm-xl.json","index":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/index.json"}}