---
title: "RTA zone in Richmond: Arterial Road Three-Unit Dwellings"
place: Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/richmond
zone: RTA
bylaw: Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 (office consolidation, July 29, 2026)
bylaw_read: 2026-11-07
review: draft
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/rta/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/zoning/rta.json"
---

# RTA zone in Richmond: Arterial Road Three-Unit Dwellings

Three dwelling units on a single lot fronting an arterial road, plus other compatible uses.

## Zone rules

- **Purpose:** Three dwelling units on a single lot fronting an arterial road, plus other compatible uses.
- **Main uses:** housing, three-unit
- **Also allowed (secondary uses):** boarding and lodging; community care facility, minor; home business; secondary suite
- **Minimum lot area:** 743.2 m²
- **Minimum lot width:** 13.4 m; 10.35 m for interior lots sharing a vehicle access on an arterial road; 15.0 m for corner lots flanking an arterial road; 10.35 m for corner lots flanking a local road with vehicle access from the local road; 12.35 m for corner lots flanking a local road and sharing a vehicle access with an adjacent lot on an arterial road
- **Maximum lot coverage:** 45% for buildings; no more than 70% of the lot may be buildings, structures and non-porous surfaces
- **Maximum density:** One three-unit housing unit per lot; floor area is the lesser of floor area ratio 0.6 or 501.7 m²; each dwelling unit at least 133.7 m² and at most 183.9 m²
- **Maximum height:** 2 storeys or 9.0 m, whichever is less (within the vertical lot width and depth envelopes); 7.5 m for a flat roof
- **Front setback:** 6.0 m
- **Rear setback:** 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 of the wall and any upper storey, up to 10.7 m; may be reduced to 6.0 m by Development Permit; 1.2 m on a corner lot where the exterior side yard is 6.0 m
- **Interior side setback:** 2.0 m (lots 20.0 m or wider); 1.8 m (lots 18.0 m to under 20.0 m wide); 1.2 m (lots under 18.0 m wide)
- **Street side setback:** 3.0 m; 6.0 m where the exterior side yard is on an arterial road
- **Accessory building setbacks:** Accessory buildings, carports and garages: front 12.0 m, exterior side 3.0 m (6.0 m on an arterial road), interior side 1.2 m, rear 6.0 m (1.2 m on a corner lot where the exterior side yard is 6.0 m)
- **Other rules:** Landscaping with live plants must cover 20% (lots under 12.0 m wide), 25% (12.0 m to under 15.0 m) or 30% (15.0 m or wider) of the lot; side yards do not count; Detached accessory buildings up to 10.0 m² may be in the interior side and rear yard, no closer than 6.0 m to an arterial road and 3.0 m to a local road

## Source

- [Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 (office consolidation, July 29, 2026), s. 8.17](https://www.richmond.ca/__shared/assets/RTA53040.pdf#page=1) (read 2026-11-07)

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