BCpropertycheck

What can I build on my property? BC lot capacity by address

Enter a BC address. We read the zoning that applies to the parcel, apply the provincial rules that can override it, and show the constraints on the lot that reduce what actually fits, each with its source. Free, no signup.

In BC the zone is no longer the whole answer

Two provincial laws now sit on top of municipal zoning, and on many lots they permit more than the zone does.

  • Bill 44, small scale multi unit housing: on most single family and duplex lots in larger municipalities the province requires that three, four or six units be permitted, depending on lot size and proximity to frequent transit. Some lots are exempt, and the reason matters.
  • Bill 47, transit oriented areas: within a set distance of a designated station or bus exchange the province sets minimum allowable density and height that the municipality cannot go below. The tier depends on how far the lot is from the station.

And the lot can take some of it back

Permitted density is a ceiling, not a promise. The report checks the constraints that commonly reduce buildable area: riparian setbacks from a stream, designated floodplain, the Agricultural Land Reserve, transmission corridors, contaminated site records nearby, and the lot's own dimensions and frontage. Title registered restrictions such as rights of way, easements and covenants are not included, because they live in the land title record rather than any public map, so order a title search before you design anything on a tight lot.

What you get back

  • The zone and its density, height, coverage and setbacks.
  • Whether Bill 44 applies, the minimum unit count it requires, and the exemption reason where it does not.
  • Transit oriented area tier and the provincial minimum density and height, where the lot is inside one.
  • Lot area and dimensions, and a buildable footprint estimate.
  • The mapped constraints that intersect the parcel, separated from ones that are merely nearby.
  • A source and a date for every figure.

Coverage and honesty

Detailed bylaw rules are verified for 47 BC municipalities and regional districts. Elsewhere we show the zone and the mapped constraints and say plainly that the detailed numbers are not verified. Everything here is a screening estimate produced from public records, not legal, planning or engineering advice. Confirm with your municipality before committing money to a design.