Township of Langley zoning bylaw, section 407

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

A zone for rowhouses: rows of 3 to 6 homes joined side by side, each home on its own lot, with garages on a back lane. Density follows the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan.

591 lots carry this zone in the Township of Langley lot records.

How many homes

Up to 2 homes per lot: one home in a rowhouse (a row of 3 to 6 joined homes, each on its own lot), which may hold one secondary suite (a second home inside it). (section 407.1 and 102)

Rowhouses (section 407.1)
A secondary suite (a second home inside the house) (section 102)

The rules of zone R-CL (RH)

What the zone allows

A detached garage for at least 1 vehicle. (section 407.1 1) and 407.3 6))
Home businesses, following Section 104.3. (section 407.1 2))
Rowhouses. (section 407.1 3))

Lot size for new lots

New inside lots must be at least 168 m² (1,808 sq ft) with 6 m (19 ft 8 in) of frontage. End lots must be at least 201 m² (2,164 sq ft) with 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in) of frontage. Corner lots must be at least 254 m² (2,734 sq ft) with 9.1 m (29 ft 10 in) of frontage. Every lot needs at least 28 m (91 ft 10 in) of depth. (section 407.9)

How much of the lot buildings may cover

Buildings and structures may cover at most 55% of the lot. Covered verandahs, porches, patios and entrances in the front and side street yards do not count. (section 407.4 1))

Height

Rowhouses may be at most 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high or 2.5 storeys, whichever is less. (section 407.7 1))
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 407.7 2))
A detached garage may be at most 3.75 m (12 ft 4 in) high. (section 407.7 3))
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

Each rowhouse home must sit at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from the front property line and an average of 13 m (42 ft 8 in) from the rear property line. Homes may be built on the side property lines where they join. (section 407.5)
An end home must sit at least 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from the side property line on its open side. A corner home must sit at least 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side street and 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) from a side lane. (section 407.5 and note (5))
The detached garage must sit at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear property line, 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) from a side street and 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) from a side lane. It may sit on one side property line, but must be at least 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) from the other side. It is not allowed in the front yard, or within 6 m (19 ft 8 in) of the home. (section 407.5 and notes (1), (3) and (4))
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 407.5 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 407.5 note (6))

Parking

Each rowhouse home needs 2 parking spaces, plus 1 space for a secondary suite. One space for each main home needs an electric car charging outlet. (section 107.3 a) ix))
Parking must be reached from the lane. At least 1 required space must be inside a closed garage, at least 6.1 m (20 ft) deep and 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) wide inside. (section 407.8 1) and 2))
One visitor parking space is needed for every 5 homes. It may be off the site, in a place other than parallel parking on the street, if the Township accepts it. (section 407.8 3))
Each outdoor parking space must be at least 5.8 m (19 ft) deep and 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) wide, and spaces may not be placed one behind the other. (section 407.8 5))
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))

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)
Each rowhouse home may have one secondary suite. (section 102)
A home business may not be run inside a secondary suite. (section 104.3 a))

Coach houses and other backyard homes

The only accessory building allowed is the detached garage. (section 407.6 3) and 407.1)

Other rules

The number of homes in a development must stay within the density set in the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan. (section 407.2)
All homes in a rowhouse must be designed together, get permits at the same time and be built by the same builder under a party wall agreement. The garage must be built together with the home. (section 407.6 4) and 5))
The kitchen, living room and dining room must be on the first floor. Outside stairs down to the basement are allowed only at the back. (section 407.6 1) and 2))
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 407.6 6))
On an end lot, the fence may not reach toward the front past the back corner of the home. (section 407.10 2))

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

Questions about zone R-CL (RH)

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

R-CL (RH) is the Residential Compact Lot Zone R-CL(RH) in the Township of Langley zoning bylaw (section 407). A zone for rowhouses: rows of 3 to 6 homes joined side by side, each home on its own lot, with garages on a back lane. Density follows the area's Community or Neighbourhood Plan.

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

Up to 2 homes per lot: one home in a rowhouse (a row of 3 to 6 joined homes, each on its own lot), which may hold one secondary suite (a second home inside it).

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

Rowhouses may be at most 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high or 2.5 storeys, whichever is less. 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.

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

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. Each rowhouse home may have one secondary suite.

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

The only accessory building allowed is the detached garage.

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

The Township of Langley lot records list 591 lots in zone R-CL (RH), on 29 streets.

Streets with lots in zone R-CL (RH)

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