Township of Langley zoning bylaw, section 404

Zone R-CL (A): Residential Compact Lot Zone R-CL(A)

A zone for small house lots, served from the front street or a back lane. It allows one house with a suite or a separate accessory dwelling unit, or small-scale multi-unit housing where the lot qualifies, within the density of the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan.

1,108 lots carry this zone in the Township of Langley lot records.

How many homes

Up to 3 homes on one lot, because the lot is 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) or smaller and meets the Township's conditions for small-scale multi-unit housing (up to 4 homes on one lot, joined or separate). (section 404.2 2) and 102)
Up to 4 homes on one lot, because the lot is larger than 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) and meets the Township's conditions for small-scale multi-unit housing (up to 4 homes on one lot, joined or separate). (section 404.2 2) and 102)
Otherwise: Up to 2 homes: one house with one secondary suite (a second home inside the house), or one house with no suite plus one accessory dwelling unit (a home inside a separate building on the lot). (section 404.2 2) and 102)

A house (section 404.2 2))
A secondary suite (a second home inside the house) (section 102)
An accessory dwelling unit (a home in a separate building on the lot) (section 404.2 2))
A coach house (a home above a detached garage) (section 404.5 2))
Small-scale multi-unit housing (3 or 4 homes on one lot) (section 404.2 2))

The rules of zone R-CL (A)

What the zone allows

Accessory buildings and structures. (section 404.1 1))
A detached garage with room for at least 2 parking spaces. (section 404.1 2) and 404.3 3))
Home businesses, following Section 104.3. (section 404.1 3))
Homes, following Section 404.2. (section 404.1 4))

Lot size for new lots

New lots served from the front street must be at least 275 m² (2,960 sq ft) (355 m² (3,821 sq ft) on a corner), with at least 11 m (36 ft 1 in) of frontage (14.2 m (46 ft 7 in) on a corner) and 25 m (82 ft) of depth. Frontage may be at most 12.59 m (41 ft 4 in) on a lot that is not on a corner. (section 404.9 and note (6))
New lots served from a back lane must be at least 266 m² (2,863 sq ft) (352 m² (3,789 sq ft) on a corner), with at least 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) of frontage (12.6 m (41 ft 4 in) on a corner) and 28 m (91 ft 10 in) of depth. (section 404.9)
Frontage may drop to 8 m (26 ft 3 in) on the bulb of a cul-de-sac or permanent urban residential street. Panhandle lots are not allowed. (section 404.9 note (3))

How much of the lot buildings may cover

Buildings and structures may cover at most 50% of the lot. Covered verandahs, porches, patios and entrances in the front and side street yards, and accessory buildings under 9.3 m² (100 sq ft), do not count. (section 404.4 1))

Floor area and density

With 1 or 2 homes on the lot, a third storey may have up to 50% of the floor area of the first storey. With 3 or 4 homes, it may have up to 80%. (section 404.4 2))

Height

The first floor may be at most 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) above the average ground level on any side that faces a street. On a lot with an average slope of 5% or more, up to 80% of a basement wall facing a street or lane may show above ground, and a walkout basement at the back may be fully exposed. (section 404.7 1))
Infill housing within 6 m (19 ft 8 in) of the rear property line may be at most 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) high, unless it is a coach house facing a lane. (section 404.7 2))
Any other building with a home in it may be up to 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high. (section 404.7 2))
Accessory buildings with no home in them may be up to 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) high. (section 404.7 2))
Inside the Fort Langley area shown on the map in Section 104.5 3), buildings may be at most 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high and at most 2 storeys, with no room above the second storey. (section 104.5 2))

Distance from the property lines

On a lot with its driveway from the front street, the house must sit between 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) and 4 m (13 ft 1 in) from the front property line, at least 3 m (9 ft 10 in) from the rear property line, 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from each side, and 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side next to a collector or arterial street (a main road). The garage door must be at least 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) from the property line. (section 404.5 1) and note (1))
On a front driveway lot, an accessory dwelling unit or other accessory building must sit at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear and side property lines and 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side next to a collector or arterial street. Accessory buildings are not allowed in the front yard. (section 404.5 1) and note (2))
On a front driveway lot, a back stair and landing from the first floor may come up to 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) closer to the rear property line, if the landing in that space is no larger than 1.5 m² (16 sq ft). (section 404.5 note (7))
On a lot with its driveway from a back lane, the house must sit at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from the front property line, 1 m (3 ft 3 in) from the rear, 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from each side, and 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side next to a collector or arterial street. (section 404.5 2))
On a lane lot, a detached garage or coach house must sit at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear property line, 0.6 m (2 ft) from an inside side property line, 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from a side next to a lane or local street, and 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side next to a collector or arterial street. (section 404.5 2))
On a lane lot, any other accessory dwelling unit or accessory building must sit at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from the front property line, 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear and sides, and 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side next to a collector or arterial street. Accessory buildings are not allowed in the front yard. (section 404.5 2) and note (2))
On a corner lot, no part of a building, structure or fence taller than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) may stand inside the corner triangle: 6 m (19 ft 8 in) along each property line where a local street or lane meets, and 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) where an arterial or collector street meets. (section 404.5 note (3))
Front or side stairs, porches, verandahs and balconies that stick out from the building may come as close as 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) to the property line. The rest of the building keeps the full distance. (section 404.5 note (6))
On two lots side by side, detached garages may be built right on the shared side property line, if both garages are designed together, get permits at the same time and are built by the same builder under a party wall agreement. (section 404.5 notes (4) and (5))
The eaves and gutters of a detached garage must stay at least 0.3 m (1 ft) from the side property line. (section 404.5 notes (4) and (5))

Parking

Each home needs 1 parking space on the lot, and every lot needs at least 2 spaces. This rate covers houses, duplexes, mobile homes and small-scale multi-unit housing. (section 107.3 a) i))
For each main home, one of the required spaces needs a power outlet beside it that can charge an electric car at Level 2 or faster. (section 107.3 a) i) and note (1))
Lots in the Willowbrook Transit-Oriented Area need no parking spaces for homes, except spaces for people with disabilities. Any spaces built there for homes must have electric car charging outlets. (section 107.1 3))
On a corner lot with small-scale multi-unit housing of at least 3 homes, up to 2 more driveways may come in from the side property line, if that side street is a local street or lane and all driveways on the lot add up to no more than 12 m (39 ft 4 in) wide. (section 107.6 4))
On a front driveway corner lot, no part of a parking space may sit inside the triangle formed by points 7 m (23 ft) along each property line from the corner. On a lane corner lot, the triangle is 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). (section 404.8 1) and 2))
Outdoor parking spaces may reach into the road land owned by the Township, but not past the back of the sidewalk (front driveway lots) or into the lane (lane lots). (section 404.8 3))

Secondary suites

A secondary suite is a second home inside a house. It must meet the BC Building Code and may have at most 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) of floor area. (section 102)
A house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite. (section 404.2 2) b))
A home business may not be run inside a secondary suite. (section 104.3 a))

Coach houses and other backyard homes

An accessory dwelling unit is a home inside an accessory building: a smaller building on the same lot, set at least 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) away from the house. (section 102)
A coach house is an accessory dwelling unit on the second floor of a detached garage. (section 102)
A house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite. (section 404.2 2) b))
An accessory building may be built only after the house is built, or while the house is being built. (section 104.15 1))

Other rules

The number of homes in a development must stay within the density set in the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan. (section 404.2 1))
Hoop or arch buildings with a curved roof that comes down to form the walls, and frame buildings covered in tarp or fabric, are not allowed. (section 404.6 1))
Landscaping, screens and fences must follow Section 111 and the Development Permit or approved Exterior Design Control Agreement. (section 404.10 1))

Source: Township of Langley Zoning Bylaw No. 2500, Section 400 Residential Zones. Section numbers are the bylaw's own.

Questions about zone R-CL (A)

What is zone R-CL (A) in the Township of Langley?

R-CL (A) is the Residential Compact Lot Zone R-CL(A) in the Township of Langley zoning bylaw (section 404). A zone for small house lots, served from the front street or a back lane. It allows one house with a suite or a separate accessory dwelling unit, or small-scale multi-unit housing where the lot qualifies, within the density of the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan.

How many homes can I build in zone R-CL (A)?

Up to 3 homes on one lot, because the lot is 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) or smaller and meets the Township's conditions for small-scale multi-unit housing (up to 4 homes on one lot, joined or separate). Up to 4 homes on one lot, because the lot is larger than 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) and meets the Township's conditions for small-scale multi-unit housing (up to 4 homes on one lot, joined or separate). Otherwise: Up to 2 homes: one house with one secondary suite (a second home inside the house), or one house with no suite plus one accessory dwelling unit (a home inside a separate building on the lot).

How tall can I build in zone R-CL (A)?

The first floor may be at most 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) above the average ground level on any side that faces a street. On a lot with an average slope of 5% or more, up to 80% of a basement wall facing a street or lane may show above ground, and a walkout basement at the back may be fully exposed. Infill housing within 6 m (19 ft 8 in) of the rear property line may be at most 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) high, unless it is a coach house facing a lane.

Are secondary suites allowed in zone R-CL (A)?

A secondary suite is a second home inside a house. It must meet the BC Building Code and may have at most 120 m² (1,292 sq ft) of floor area. A house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite.

Can I build a coach house in zone R-CL (A)?

An accessory dwelling unit is a home inside an accessory building: a smaller building on the same lot, set at least 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) away from the house. A coach house is an accessory dwelling unit on the second floor of a detached garage. A house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite.

How many lots are zoned R-CL (A)?

The Township of Langley lot records list 1,108 lots in zone R-CL (A), on 58 streets.

Streets with lots in zone R-CL (A)

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