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The Mid Rise zone in North Vancouver (City)

14
Lots
6,993 sq ft (650 m²)
Middle lot size
6 storeys
Height

The City's zone for apartment buildings of up to six storeys, near the City centre and along main transit routes.

Look up your own lot

What you can build in this zone

The Mid Rise zone's own section allows an apartment building. Each one has a page of its own.

The rules in this zone

Distance from property lines

Front
9 ft 10 in (3 m)
Back
19 ft 8 in (6 m)
Each side
13 ft 1 in (4 m)

On a corner lot, 9 ft 10 in (3 m) from the side street.

Lot coverage

Lot of 11,840 sq ft (1100 m²) or less 40%
Lot over 11,840 sq ft (1100 m²) and under 15,069 sq ft (1400 m²) 50%
Lot of 15,069 sq ft (1400 m²) or more 60%

Permeable area

Any lot 25%

Landscaped area

Any lot 10%

Height

Up to 6 storeys.

From the lowest floor with units to the highest ceiling above it can be at most 68 ft 11 in (21 m).

Other rules

  • Every unit must have at least 398 sq ft (37 m²) of floor space inside.
  • A building with more than 12 units must make some of them 3-bedroom units.
  • The City's inclusionary zoning rules, in Division V of the Zoning Bylaw, also apply.
What these words mean
Lot coverage
Lot coverage is the share of the lot that buildings may sit on, seen from above.
Permeable area
Permeable area is the share of the lot that must let rain soak into the ground, such as soil, grass or gravel with no slab under it.
Landscaped area
Landscaped area is the share of the lot that must be planted, with soil, trees and shrubs.
Setbacks
The distances a building must keep from each property line.

From Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700, Amendment Bylaw, 2025, No. 9137, Part 5C, sections 584 to 592, read on 2026-09-18.

Questions

How many units can I build in the Mid Rise zone?

The Mid Rise zone does not set a number of units. The number follows from the floor space allowed and the size of each unit, which depends on the design.

How much floor space can I build in the Mid Rise 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 2.6 times the lot area. On a 5,382 sq ft (500 m²) lot, 2.6 times is 13,993 sq ft (1,300 m²).

How close to the property line can I build in the Mid Rise zone?

Buildings must stay at least 9 ft 10 in (3 m) from the front property line, 19 ft 8 in (6 m) from the back one and 13 ft 1 in (4 m) from each side. On a corner lot, 9 ft 10 in (3 m) from the side street.

How tall can I build in the Mid Rise zone?

Up to 6 storeys. From the lowest floor with units to the highest ceiling above it can be at most 68 ft 11 in (21 m).

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, Amendment Bylaw, 2025, No. 9137, Part 5C, sections 584 to 592, read on 2026-09-18. 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.

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