Township of Langley zoning bylaw, section 301

Zone SR-1: Suburban Residential Zone SR-1

A suburban zone for large lots. It allows one house with a suite or a separate accessory dwelling unit, small-scale multi-unit housing where the lot qualifies, farm uses and commercial greenhouses.

2,212 lots and 1 strata properties 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 301.2 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 301.2 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 301.2 and 102)

A house (section 301.2)
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 301.2)
Small-scale multi-unit housing (3 or 4 homes on one lot) (section 301.2)
Mobile homes (section 301.3)

The rules of zone SR-1

What the zone allows

Accessory buildings and uses. (section 301.1 1))
Home businesses, following Section 104.3. (section 301.1 2))
Parking of commercial vehicles, following Section 108. (section 301.1 3))
Farm uses. (section 301.1 4))
Commercial greenhouses, following Section 301.9. (section 301.1 5))
A mobile home as a temporary extra home, following Section 301.3. (section 301.1 6))
Homes, following Section 301.2. (section 301.1 7))
Golf course use on part of Parcel "B" (Reference Plan 6282) of District Lot 312 Group 2 NWD, as shown in Section 301.11. (section 301.1 8))

Lot size for new lots

New lots made by subdivision must be at least 3,716 m² (39,999 sq ft), with at least 40 m (131 ft) of frontage (width along the street) and at least 55 m (180 ft) of depth. (section 110.1)

How much of the lot buildings may cover

Buildings and structures may cover at most 33% of the lot. (section 301.4 1))
Accessory buildings not used for farming may have at most 135 m² (1,453 sq ft) of ground floor area in total. Accessory dwelling units do not count toward this limit. (section 301.4 2))

Height

Buildings and structures may be up to 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high. (section 301.6 1))
Accessory buildings not used for farming may be up to 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) high. (section 301.6 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 and other main buildings must sit at least 9.75 m (32 ft) from the front property line, 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) from the rear property line and 3 m (9 ft 10 in) from each side property line. On a side that faces a side street, the distance is at least 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in). (section 301.5 1))
An accessory building of 6 m² (65 sq ft) or more must sit at least 9.75 m (32 ft) from the front property line, 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) from the rear and side property lines, and 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) from a side street. If it is 80 m² (861 sq ft) or larger, the rear and side distances grow to 3 m (9 ft 10 in). On a through lot with streets at both ends, the rear distance is the same as the front distance for the house. (section 301.5 2))
An accessory building under 6 m² (65 sq ft) must sit at least 9.75 m (32 ft) from the front property line, 0.6 m (2 ft) from the rear and side property lines, and 4.5 m (14 ft 9 in) from a side street. Where the lot faces streets at both ends, the rear distance is the same as the front distance for the house. (section 301.5 3))
A building for animals or poultry must sit at least 15 m (49 ft 3 in) from every property line. (section 301.5 4))
A commercial greenhouse must sit at least 30 m (98 ft) from every property line. (section 301.5 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))

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 301.2 2))
On land in the Agricultural Land Reserve, a secondary suite must also follow the rules of the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission. (section 102)
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 house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite. (section 301.2 2))
An accessory building may be built only after the house is built, or while the house is being built. (section 104.15 1))
One mobile home may stand on the lot as a temporary extra home if the owner lives in the main house and the mobile home is for an employee of a working farm on the lot, or for the owner's father, mother, son, daughter, grandparent, grandchild, brother or sister. (section 301.3 a) and b))
The lot must be in the Agricultural Land Reserve and at least 8,094 m² (87,123 sq ft) in area. Council may approve an exception on medical grounds, with a doctor's letter, a petition of nearby owners and a covenant on title. (section 301.3 c))
Outside the Agricultural Land Reserve, a temporary mobile home is allowed on a lot of at least 2.02 ha (4.99 acres) that is used for farming, where the owner lives in the main house, the mobile home is for an employee or family member, and the land is not over the Hopington Aquifer. (section 301.3 g))
The permit lasts 1 year and may be renewed each year. Additions to the mobile home are limited to 24 m² (258 sq ft), and the mobile home must be removed within 90 days once the conditions stop applying. (section 301.3 d), e) and f))

Other rules

Where the lot is in the Agricultural Land Reserve, the provincial Agricultural Land Commission Act also applies to the homes on it. (section 301.2)
Before a building permit for a commercial greenhouse, the owner must give the Township a noise report from an independent sound consultant, a storm water plan, and a well test by a Professional Engineer. (section 301.9)
A transition house for women and children leaving abusive relationships is also allowed in a house on a lot of at least 3,716 m² (39,999 sq ft), run by a non-profit society, for up to 10 people, with parking on the lot for at least 5 vehicles. (section 104.16)
Landscaping, screens and fences must follow Section 111 of the bylaw. (section 301.10)

Source: Township of Langley Zoning Bylaw No. 2500, Section 300 Suburban Residential Zones. Section numbers are the bylaw's own.

Questions about zone SR-1

What is zone SR-1 in the Township of Langley?

SR-1 is the Suburban Residential Zone SR-1 in the Township of Langley zoning bylaw (section 301). A suburban zone for large lots. It allows one house with a suite or a separate accessory dwelling unit, small-scale multi-unit housing where the lot qualifies, farm uses and commercial greenhouses.

How many homes can I build in zone SR-1?

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 SR-1?

Buildings and structures may be up to 9 m (29 ft 6 in) high. Accessory buildings not used for farming may be up to 7.5 m (24 ft 7 in) high.

Are secondary suites allowed in zone SR-1?

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 SR-1?

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 house may have one secondary suite. A separate accessory dwelling unit is allowed only when the house has no suite. An accessory building may be built only after the house is built, or while the house is being built.

How many lots are zoned SR-1?

The Township of Langley lot records list 2,212 lots and 1 strata properties in zone SR-1, on 131 streets.

Streets with lots in zone SR-1

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