238 E 4th St, North Vancouver
PID 015-072-631, lot 25, plan 878 · City of North Vancouver records, September 19, 2026.
You can build
6 units
Because the City's small-scale multi-unit housing map lists that number for this lot.
Buildings may cover35%
The orange block is the footprint the zone allows, split into one part per unit. It is one way to fit them. The square has the same area as your lot; your lot's real shape will differ.
What you can build
- 1,751 sq ft
- Floor space
- 35% of the lot
- Footprint on the ground
- 26 ft 3 in to the top of the wall, 33 ft 2 in with the roof
- Height
- 15 ft 1 in
- Keep clear at the front
- 26 ft 3 in
- Keep clear at the back
- 3 ft 11 in
- Keep clear at each side
- Only with a house
- Laneway home or coach house
163 m²
1,226 sq ft (114 m²)
4.6 m
8 m
1.2 m
with a duplex the extra units are suites inside the building instead
Your lot
- 3,502 sq ft
- Lot size
- Lower Lonsdale
- Neighbourhood
325 m²
- Heritage register
Two-Unit Residential zone (RT-1) · Residential Level 4 · City of North Vancouver records, September 19, 2026. Confirm with the city before you spend money on a design.
238 E 4th St on the map
How 238 E 4th St compares
- At 3,502 sq ft, this lot is larger than 5% of the 208 other lots the City of North Vancouver records on E 4th St; the middle lot there is 6,835 sq ft.
- 8 of the 208 other lots on E 4th St share its zone, RT-1; the commonest other zone there is GO (171).
- Most lots on E 4th St may hold 4 units (134 of 208); this one may hold 6.
- Across Lower Lonsdale, the middle lot is 6,988 sq ft; this one is smaller than that.
The full breakdown for 238 E 4th St
Your lot
- Zone: Two-Unit Residential (RT-1)
- Land use category: Residential Level 4
- Lot area: 3,502 sq ft (325 m²)
- Neighbourhood: Lower Lonsdale
- PID 015-072-631, lot 25, plan 878
What the zoning allows on this lot
- Floor space: up to 0.5 times the lot area, which is 1,751 sq ft (163 m²) on this lot. Floor space is the total area of every floor of every building on the lot, added together.
- Lot coverage: 35% of the lot, or 1,226 sq ft (114 m²), for any lot. That is the share of the lot buildings may sit on, seen from above.
- Distance from property lines: at least 15 ft 1 in (4.6 m) from the front, 26 ft 3 in (8 m) from the back and 3 ft 11 in (1.2 m) from each side. On a corner lot, 10 ft (3.048 m) from the side street, or 0.2 times the lot width if that is less.
- The zone's own text allows a duplex with one suite in each half, four units in all. Where the City's small-scale housing map lists a different number for a lot, that number is shown.
- A suite inside a unit must be between 400 sq ft (37.16 m²) and 969 sq ft (90 m²), and at most 40% of that unit's floor space.
- The building must stay at least 26 ft 3 in (8 m) clear of the rear lot line, or 0.35 times the lot depth where that is greater.
A laneway home or coach house
- Yes, with a single house: one coach house at the back. With a duplex, the extra units are suites inside the building instead.
- Only with a single house, one coach house per lot, and the owner has to live on the property.
- It cannot be sold on its own, because it cannot be stratified.
- At most 1,000 sq ft (92.9 m²) of floor space and 22 ft (6.7 m) tall.
- It needs a development permit and a building permit, applied for at the same time.
- From City of North Vancouver, Coach House permit page, read on 2026-09-20.
What this report cannot tell you
- The City's small-scale multi-unit housing map lists 6 units for this lot, the same number as the zoning bylaw.
From the city's records
- The City records a heritage designation on this lot: True.
- The City's small-scale housing map records this lot as within 400 metres of a bus stop.
Extra limits on the city's maps
- The City of North Vancouver's heritage register lists a building on this lot, recorded as "Albert S. Emmerson Residence".
Sources
- Lot, zone and land use information: City of North Vancouver, downloaded on September 19, 2026. Lot, zoning and overlay information comes from the City of North Vancouver's public mapping service. The City makes no guarantee about the accuracy or completeness of that information. Check anything that matters with the City before you spend money on it.
- Zone rules: Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, consolidated to March 2, 2026 (Part 1), sections 502, 507 and 509A, read on 2026-09-20. https://www.cnv.org/-/media/City-of-North-Vancouver/Documents/Bylaws/Consolidated/6700-1C.pdf
Questions about 238 E 4th St
How many units can I build at 238 E 4th St?
Up to 6 units, because the City's small-scale multi-unit housing map lists that number for this lot. The count comes from Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, consolidated to March 2, 2026 (Part 1), sections 502, 507 and 509A. The City's small-scale multi-unit housing map lists 6 units for this lot, the same number as the zoning bylaw.
What zone is 238 E 4th St in?
Two-Unit Residential (RT-1). The City's duplex zone: one building with two units, or a single house. Each duplex unit may hold a suite, and a house may add a suite and a coach house. Separately, the city's land use plan marks it Residential Level 4. The city's records place it in Lower Lonsdale.
How big is the lot at 238 E 4th St?
3,502 sq ft (325 m²), from the City of North Vancouver's own outline of the parcel. The City records a heritage designation on this lot: True. The City's small-scale housing map records this lot as within 400 metres of a bus stop.
How much floor space can I build at 238 E 4th St?
Up to 0.5 times the lot area, which is 1,751 sq ft (163 m²) on this lot. Floor space is the total area of every floor of every building on the lot, added together.
How tall can I build at 238 E 4th St?
26 ft 3 in to the top of the wall, 33 ft 2 in with the roof. The building can be at most 26 ft 3 in (8 m) to the top of the wall plate, and 33 ft 2 in (10.1 m) overall once the roof is counted.
Can I build a laneway home or coach house at 238 E 4th St?
Yes, with a single house: one coach house at the back. With a duplex, the extra units are suites inside the building instead. Only with a single house, one coach house per lot, and the owner has to live on the property. It cannot be sold on its own, because it cannot be stratified. At most 1,000 sq ft (92.9 m²) of floor space and 22 ft (6.7 m) tall. It needs a development permit and a building permit, applied for at the same time.
Does the city's map put extra limits on 238 E 4th St?
The City of North Vancouver's heritage register lists a building on this lot, recorded as "Albert S. Emmerson Residence".
Where do these figures come from, and will the city approve my project?
Lot outline, address, area, zone and land use category: the City of North Vancouver's public map, downloaded on September 19, 2026. Zone rules: Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, consolidated to March 2, 2026 (Part 1), sections 502, 507 and 509A, read on 2026-09-20. This page shows what the zoning bylaw allows on paper. A real project also needs a building permit, the city reviews each design against more rules than the ones shown here, and the lot may carry limits the city's map does not show. Confirm the rules with the city's planning staff before you pay for a design.
Other lots on E 4th St
- 236 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 3,497 sq ft · 6 units
- 241 E 4th St Zone CD-133 · 12,070 sq ft
- 242 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 6,995 sq ft · 6 units
- 233 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 3,020 sq ft · 4 units
- 231 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 3,021 sq ft · 4 units
- 246 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 6,995 sq ft · 6 units
- 227 E 4th St Zone RT-1 · 6,039 sq ft · 6 units
- 249 E 4th St Zone CD-173 · 18,091 sq ft
Lots nearby
- 237 E 5th St Zone RT-1 · 7,000 sq ft · 6 units · 70 ft
- 233 E 5th St Zone RT-1 · 6,998 sq ft · 6 units · 93 ft
- 220 E 4th St Zone CD-015 · 41,983 sq ft · 117 ft
- 245 E 5th St Zone CD-269 · 13,996 sq ft · 128 ft
- 255 E 5th St Zone RT-1 · 6,995 sq ft · 4 units · 153 ft
- 250 E 4th St Zone CD-245 · 6,993 sq ft · 165 ft
- 225 E 5th St Zone CD-314 · 14,000 sq ft · 178 ft
- 257 E 5th St Zone RT-1 · 6,999 sq ft · 4 units · 199 ft
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