Could You Build A 1,400 Sq. Ft. Coach House On Your Property?

A 9-part series - District of North Vancouver’s new residential zoning rules.

Part 4 of 9: New Zoning Rules in Your Backyard

For some District of North Vancouver homeowners, one of the most interesting changes in the new zoning rules may be happening in the backyard.

On qualifying properties in the R2 Urban Detached Residential Zone, the maximum permitted coach-house size increases from approximately 968 sq. ft. to as much as 1,400 sq. ft.

The rules also provide up to an additional 500 sq. ft. of gross floor area on the property for a coach house.

That makes a coach house a much more meaningful housing option than it has traditionally been.

A larger coach house could potentially work for:

• aging parents

• adult children

• extended family

• long-term rental accommodation

• downsizing within your own property

• additional flexible living space

There is an important distinction, however: the coach-house provision applies to qualifying R2 properties. R1 properties outside the Urban Containment Boundary do not receive the same provision.

What does this mean for my property?

A coach house could materially change how a family uses a property — and potentially how a future buyer values it.

But having R2 zoning does not automatically mean a 1,400 sq. ft. coach house will work on every lot.

The existing house, lot dimensions, setbacks, parking, landscaping requirements, access and other site conditions still matter.

So if a coach house is part of your future plans, the right question isn't simply “Is it allowed?”

It is “What could actually work on my particular property?”

And a coach house isn't the only way one property may accommodate more than one household.

Next week: Could Your Property Accommodate More Than One Household?

This article is a general summary and is not intended as legal or planning advice. Property-specific requirements should always be confirmed with the District of North Vancouver.