{"title":"R5-S zone in Surrey: Special Compact Residential Zone","code":"R5-S","slug":"r5-s","name":"Special Compact Residential Zone","group":"Residential","section":"Part 17A","site_specific_zone":false,"summary":"Small-scale multi-unit housing (2 to 6 dwelling units) on compact, typically rear-lane-accessed lots of 291 sq. m or larger, with optional limited commercial accessory uses.","fields":{"purpose":{"value":"Small-scale multi-unit housing (2 to 6 dwelling units) on compact, typically rear-lane-accessed lots of 291 sq. m or larger, with optional limited commercial accessory uses.","quotes":["This R5-S Zone is intended for small-scale multi-unit housing on compact and typically rear lane","accessed lots 291 sq. m or larger, which may accommodate 2 to 6 dwelling units, with optional","limited commercial accessory uses, and is subject to the remainder of this Part 17A."]},"primary_uses":{"value":["Single Family Dwelling","Duplex (lots under 4,050 sq. m)"],"note":"Maximum dwelling units: up to 2 on lots of 4,050 sq. m or more; up to 4 (or 6 on eligible lots near frequent bus stops) on lots from 280 to under 4,050 sq. m; 2 or 3 on lots under 280 sq. m.","quotes":["Single Family Dwelling","Duplex","i. All Areas Up to 2 Single Family Dwelling","(b) < 4,050 sq. ii. All areas, Single Family Dwelling","280 sq. m and iii Duplex"]},"secondary_uses":{"value":["Secondary Suite","Garden Suite","Coach House","Short-Term Rental","Personal Service Use","Office Use","General Service Use","Retail Store","Eating Establishment"],"note":"The commercial uses are allowed only with a single family dwelling or duplex, run by the occupant, and not as the only use on the lot.","quotes":["Secondary Suite","Garden Suite","Coach House","Short-Term Rental4","Personal Service Use3","Office Use3","General Service Use3","Retail Store3","Eating","Establishment3"]},"min_parcel_area":{"value":"Interior lot: 291 sq. m (Type I), 324 sq. m (Type II); corner lot or lot on flanking lane: 369 sq. m (Type I), 363 sq. m (Type II) (new lots)","quotes":["291 sq. m. 9.7 m","324 sq. m. 9.0 m (Type I and II)","369 sq. m. 12.8 m","363 sq. m. 10.5 m (Type I and II)"]},"min_parcel_width":{"value":"Interior lot: 9.7 m (Type I wide), 9.0 m (Type II narrow); corner lot: 12.8 m (Type I), 10.5 m (Type II); minimum lot depth 30 m (interior) or 36 m (corner), as written","quotes":["291 sq. m. 9.7 m","324 sq. m. 9.0 m (Type I and II)","369 sq. m. 12.8 m","363 sq. m. 10.5 m (Type I and II)","Interior Lot (Type I) (Type I - wide) 30 m","(Type I) (Type I - wide) 36 m"]},"max_parcel_coverage":{"value":"Single family dwelling 52%; with coach house or garden suite 60%; duplex 62%; duplex with coach house or garden suite 65%","quotes":["Single Family Dwelling with or without a Secondary Suite 52%","60%","Duplex with or without a Secondary Suite 62%","65%"]},"max_density":{"value":"Maximum 31 lots per hectare on subdivision; single family dwelling maximum floor area 217 sq. m excluding basements; duplex maximum floor area 350 sq. m including basements; commercial accessory uses up to 30% of the dwelling floor area","quotes":["the maximum lots per hectare is 31.","i. Single family dwellings must not exceed a maximum floor area of 217 sq.","i. Duplexes must not exceed a maximum floor area of 350 sq. m, including","exceed a maximum of 30% of the floor area of the single family dwelling"]},"max_height":{"value":"Single family dwelling: 9.5 m sloped roof, 7.3 m flatter roof, 10.5 m in floodplain; duplex: 3 storeys up to 11 metres (9.3 metres flatter roof, 12 m floodplain); coach house or garden suite: 2 storeys up to 7.0 m, roof peak 8.3 m (6.5 m flatter roof, 8.5 m floodplain)","quotes":["Building height with sloped roof Must not exceed 9.5 m","Must not exceed 7.3 m","Must not exceed 10.5 m1","of 11 metres","of 9.3 metres","of 12 m1","of 7.0 m and a maximum roof peak","height of 8.3 m","of 6.5 m","of 8.5 m1"]},"max_height_accessory":{"value":"3 m (5 m if roof slope and materials match the principal building)","quotes":["Must not exceed 3 m, but may be","increased to 5 m where the roof"]},"setback_front":{"value":"3.5 m (single family dwelling and duplex); coach house, garden suite and accessory buildings not permitted in front yard","quotes":["Front Yard 3.5 m 3.5 m 3.5 m 3.5 m","Front Yard Not Permitted Not Permitted"]},"setback_rear":{"value":"6.5 m (single family dwelling and duplex); coach house 0.5 m; garden suite 1.2 m (1.8 m without lane access); other accessory buildings 0.5 m","quotes":["Rear Yard 6.5 m 6.5 m 6.5 m 6.5 m","Rear Yard 0.5 m 0.5 m","Rear Yard 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.8 m 1.8 m","Rear Yard 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m"]},"setback_side_interior":{"value":"1.2 m (single family dwelling, duplex); garden suite 1.2 m (1.8 m without lane access); coach house 0 m (not permitted on lots without lane); other accessory buildings 0 m","quotes":["Side Yard 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.2 m","Side Yard 0m 0m Not Permitted Not Permitted","Side Yard 1.2 m 1.2 m 1.8 m 1.8 m","Side Yard 0m 0m 0m 0m"]},"setback_side_exterior":{"value":"Single family dwelling 2.7 m; duplex 2.4 m; coach house 1.2 m; garden suite 1.8 m; other accessory buildings 1.2 m","quotes":["Street Side Yard n/a 2.7 m n/a 2.7 m","Street Side Yard n/a 2.4 m n/a 2.4 m","Street Side Yard n/a 1.2 m","Street Side Yard n/a 1.8 m n/a 1.8 m","Street Side Yard n/a 1.2 m n/a 1.2 m"]},"accessory_setbacks":{"value":"Other accessory buildings over 10 sq. m: not permitted in front yard, rear 0.5 m, side 0 m, street side 1.2 m","quotes":["Other Accessory Buildings & Structures > 10 sq. m","Front Yard Not Permitted Not Permitted Not Permitted Not Permitted","Rear Yard 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m 0.5 m","Side Yard 0m 0m 0m 0m","Street Side Yard n/a 1.2 m n/a 1.2 m"]},"other":{"value":["Commercial accessory uses cannot be the only use on the lot and must be run by the occupant of the dwelling","Retail stores exclude convenience stores, secondhand stores and pawnshops; eating establishments exclude drive-through restaurants and liquor-licensed establishments","Coach house or garden suite: minimum floor area 35 sq. m and maximum 75 sq. m, excluding the garage or carport","Setbacks shown are for Type I and II lots"],"quotes":["provided that such uses are not a singular","(d) Retail stores excludes adult entertainment stores, secondhand stores and","(e) Eating establishments excludes a drive-through restaurant and an eating","(c) Coach House (b), provided that a coach house must have a minimum floor area of 35","sq. m and a maximum total floor area of 75 sq. m, excluding the garage","accordance with the following minimum setbacks for Type I and II lots:"]}},"bylaw":{"title":"Surrey Zoning By-law, 1993, No. 12000 (consolidation includes amendments up to By-law 22120, adopted 09/21/2026)","url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_Zoning_12000.pdf","accessed":"2026-11-07","note":"Each Comprehensive Development (CD) zone is a separate site-specific by-law attached to Part 52 (listed on the Surrey map by lot as \"CD\" with its by-law number); those by-laws are not written out in this PDF."},"source_url":"https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_Zoning_12000.pdf#page=172","place":{"path":"ca/bc/surrey","name":"Surrey","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/r5-s/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/r5-s.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/r5-s.json","index":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/zoning/index.json"}}