---
title: "RU1 zone in Sooke: Watershed, Forest & Agriculture"
place: Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/sooke
zone: RU1
bylaw: Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013 (unofficially consolidated, updated February 18, 2025)
bylaw_read: 2026-11-07
review: draft
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/zoning/ru1/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/zoning/ru1.json"
---

# RU1 zone in Sooke: Watershed, Forest & Agriculture

Large tracts of rural land that protect watersheds and promote agriculture.

## Zone rules

- **Purpose:** Large tracts of rural land that protect watersheds and promote agriculture.
- **Main uses:** Agriculture; Agriculture – intensive; Aquaculture; Conservation; Single family dwelling; Duplex; Manufactured home (May be subject to Agricultural Land Commission approval.)
- **Also allowed (secondary uses):** Bed and breakfast; Boarding and lodging; Home-based business; Secondary suite; Small suite; Vacation accommodation unit
- **Minimum lot area:** 10 ha
- **Minimum lot width:** 100 m
- **Maximum lot coverage:** 35%; 75% where agricultural production is in greenhouses
- **Maximum density:** 2 dwelling units per lot
- **Maximum height:** 3 storeys, up to 12 m
- **Maximum height, accessory buildings:** 2 storeys, up to 9 m
- **Front setback:** 5 m (shared figure for principal and accessory buildings)
- **Rear setback:** 6 m; 4.5 m where the rear is a lane
- **Interior side setback:** 1.2 m (shared figure for principal and accessory buildings)
- **Street side setback:** 5 m (shared figure for principal and accessory buildings)
- **Accessory building setbacks:** front 5 m, flanking 5 m, side 1.2 m, rear 1.5 m, lane 0 m
- **Other rules:** Farm buildings or structures must be 10 m from all lot lines (0 m from a lane); aquaculture or intensive farm buildings 30 m (10 m from a lane); Intensive agriculture needs a lot of 2 hectares or more if the lot is outside the Agricultural Land Reserve or exempted by the ALC; 1 principal building per lot; 1 secondary suite and 1 small suite per single family dwelling

## Source

- [Sooke Zoning Bylaw No. 600, 2013 (unofficially consolidated, updated February 18, 2025), s. 101](https://www.sooke.ca/media/c4zccxp0/zoning-bylaw-no-600-consolidated.pdf#page=70) (read 2026-11-07)

Rules in the bylaw's general sections (parking, fences, suites, home businesses) also apply. All zones in Sooke: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sooke/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/sooke/zoning/ru1/_