The Medium Density Apartment Residential zone in North Vancouver (City)
- 282
- Lots
- 13,968 sq ft (1,298 m²)
- Middle lot size
- 3 storeys
- Height
The City's three-storey apartment zone. Section 504 permits apartment buildings, rental apartment buildings, ground-oriented apartments, duplexes and houses.
What you can build in this zone
The Medium Density Apartment Residential zone's own section allows a house, a secondary suite, a duplex and an apartment building. Each one has a page of its own.
The rules in this zone
Distance from property lines
- Front
- 20 ft (6.096 m)
- Back
- 20 ft (6.096 m)
- Each side
- 15 ft (4.57 m)
On a corner lot, 20 ft (6.096 m) from the side street.
Lot coverage
| Any lot | 50% |
Height
Up to 3 storeys.
At most 42 ft 8 in (13 m) tall.
A laneway home or coach house
The zone lists no coach house. Extra units come as a suite inside a house, or as townhouses and apartments.
Other rules
- Floor space can rise to 1.6 times the lot area with adaptable design under section 423.
- A single house or duplex on this lot is limited to the lesser of half the lot area, or 0.35 times the lot area plus 1,000 sq ft (92.9 m²).
- Every unit must have at least 400 sq ft (37.16 m²) of floor space.
- An apartment building needs a lot of at least 6,997 sq ft (650 m²).
What these words mean
- Lot coverage
- Lot coverage is the share of the lot that buildings may sit on, seen from above.
- Setbacks
- The distances a building must keep from each property line.
From Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, consolidated to March 2, 2026 (Part 1), sections 504, 506, 510 and 512, read on 2026-09-20.
Questions
How many units can I build in the Medium Density Apartment Residential zone?
This zone sets no number of units. An apartment building is limited by its floor space, a 400 sq ft (37.16 m²) minimum unit size and a 6,997 sq ft (650 m²) minimum lot.
How much floor space can I build in the Medium Density Apartment Residential zone?
Floor space is the total area of every floor of every building on the lot, added together. Cities limit it as a multiple of the lot area; that multiple is called the floor space ratio. In this zone the limit is 1.0 times the lot area. On a 5,382 sq ft (500 m²) lot, 1.0 times is 5,382 sq ft (500 m²).
How close to the property line can I build in the Medium Density Apartment Residential zone?
Buildings must stay at least 20 ft (6.096 m) from the front property line, 20 ft (6.096 m) from the back one and 15 ft (4.57 m) from each side. On a corner lot, 20 ft (6.096 m) from the side street.
How tall can I build in the Medium Density Apartment Residential zone?
Up to 3 storeys. At most 42 ft 8 in (13 m) tall.
Can I build a laneway home or coach house in the Medium Density Apartment Residential zone?
The zone lists no coach house. Extra units come as a suite inside a house, or as townhouses and apartments.
Where do these figures come from?
Lot counts come from the City of North Vancouver's public map, downloaded on September 19, 2026. The rules come from Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, consolidated to March 2, 2026 (Part 1), sections 504, 506, 510 and 512, read on 2026-09-20. Confirm the rules for your lot with the city before you pay for a design.
Does this mean the city will approve my project?
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 your 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.
More about building in North Vancouver (City)
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