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Township of Langley zoning bylaw, section 406

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

A zone for small lots served from a back lane. It allows one house and one coach house, or small-scale multi-unit housing where the lot qualifies, within the density of the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan.

47 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 406.2 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 406.2 2) and 102)
  • Otherwise: Up to 3 homes: one house, which may hold one secondary suite (a second home inside the house), plus one coach house (a home on the second floor of a detached garage). (section 406.2 2) b) and 102)
  • A house (section 406.2 2))
  • A secondary suite (a second home inside the house) (section 102)
  • A coach house (a home above a detached garage) (section 406.2 2))
  • Small-scale multi-unit housing (3 or 4 homes on one lot) (section 406.2 2))

The rules of zone R-CL (CH)

What the zone allows

  • Accessory buildings. (section 406.1 1))
  • Home businesses, following Section 104.3. (section 406.1 2))
  • Homes, following Section 406.2. (section 406.1 3))

Lot size for new lots

  • New lots, all served from a back lane, must be at least 390 m² (4,198 sq ft) (465 m² (5,005 sq ft) on a corner), with at least 13 m (42 ft 8 in) of frontage (15.5 m (50 ft 10 in) on a corner) and 30 m (98 ft) of depth. Panhandle lots are not allowed. (section 406.9 1))

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 yard, and accessory buildings under 9.3 m² (100 sq ft), do not count. (section 406.4 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 406.4 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 406.7 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 406.7 2))
  • Any other building with a home in it may be up to 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high. (section 406.7 2))
  • Accessory buildings with no home in them may be up to 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) high. (section 406.7 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

  • 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 (a main road). (section 406.5 1))
  • A detached garage must sit at least 1 m (3 ft 3 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. It is not allowed in the front yard. (section 406.5 1) and note (1))
  • An accessory dwelling unit or other 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 406.5 1) and note (1))
  • On two lots side by side, a detached garage and coach house may be built right on the shared side property line, if both are designed together, get permits at the same time, are built by the same builder under a party wall agreement, and have sprinklers under the Township's Building Bylaw. (section 406.5 note (3))
  • 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 406.5 note (2))
  • 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 406.5 note (4))

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))
  • No part of a parking space may sit inside the triangle formed by points 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) along each property line from a street or lane corner. (section 406.8 1))
  • The required outdoor parking space may reach into the lane land owned by the Township, but not past the lane. (section 406.8 2))

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)
  • This zone allows one house plus one coach house. A house may hold one secondary suite. (section 406.2 2) b) and 102)
  • A home business may not be run inside a secondary suite. (section 104.3 a))

Coach houses and other backyard homes

  • A coach house is an accessory dwelling unit on the second floor of a detached garage. (section 102)
  • 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)
  • 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 406.2 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 406.6 1))
  • Where two lots share an inside side property line and the two side yards add up to less than 3 m (9 ft 10 in), the fence on that line may not reach toward the front past the back corner of either house. (section 406.10 2))
  • Landscaping, screens and fences must follow Section 111 and the Development Permit or approved Exterior Design Control Agreement. (section 406.10 1))
  • The bylaw says the rules of Section 406 apply only to lots created after the date of adoption of this bylaw. (section 406.11)

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

Questions about zone R-CL (CH)

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

R-CL (CH) is the Residential Compact Lot Zone R-CL(CH) in the Township of Langley zoning bylaw (section 406). A zone for small lots served from a back lane. It allows one house and one coach house, 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 (CH)?

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 3 homes: one house, which may hold one secondary suite (a second home inside the house), plus one coach house (a home on the second floor of a detached garage).

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

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 (CH)?

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. This zone allows one house plus one coach house. A house may hold one secondary suite.

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

A coach house is an accessory dwelling unit on the second floor of a detached garage. 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. An accessory building may be built only after the house is built, or while the house is being built.

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

The Township of Langley lot records list 47 lots in zone R-CL (CH), on 9 streets.

Streets with lots in zone R-CL (CH)

Contains information licensed under the Township of Langley's Open Government License.