Zoning definitions
Kelowna is divided into numerous zones that determine land use and the form, siting, height, and density of all development. Check out the Kelowna Map Viewer to view zoning and land use throughout the city, or dive deeper into the regulations by viewing the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Agriculture zones is to permit agricultural uses and other complimentary uses suitable in an agricultural setting. A1 includes lands in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), and A2 is for lands outside the ALR that allow for for rural residential and agricultural land uses outside the ALR. The A1 and A2 zones can have a secondary suite and carriage house if the properties meet specific requirements.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in this zone are:
- Agriculture
- Forestry
- Stables
- Greenhouses and plant nurseries
- Single dwelling housing
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 10 of the Zoning Bylaw.
Where Agricultural Zoned properties abut Residential or other use properties, increased landscape buffering may be required on the non-agricultural parcel.
The purpose of the Rural Residential (RR1 and RR2) zones are to allow for country residential development and complimentary uses on both smaller and larger lots. The RR1 and RR2 zones can have a secondary suite and carriage house if the properties meet specific requirements. A "cc" designation means the property can operate a Child Care Centre Major.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Agriculture, Urban
- Greenhouses and plant nurseries
- Kennels
- Single Detached Housing
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 10 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Mobile Home and Camping Zone (MH1) is to provide a zone for mobile homes on individual mobile home spaces in a mobile home park setting, and for campsites.
Principal Uses
- Campsites
- Mobile Home Park
For a complete list of uses and regulations, check out Section 12 of our Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Suburban Residential Zones (RU1, RU2, RU3 and RU5) is to designate land for up to four dwelling units and compatible secondary uses on serviced urban lots. A "cc" designation means the property can operate a Child Care Centre Major.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Single-dwelling housing
- Townhouses
- Group Home
- Urban Agriculture
- Child Care Centre Major
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 11 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Multi-Dwelling Zones (MF1, MF2, MF3, MF4) are to designate land for infill housing, ground-oriented housing, and apartment housing, with compatible secondary uses. This type of housing includes townhomes, condominiums, micro-suites, long term rentals, and apartments. These zones do not permit short-term rental accommodation as a principal use.
The "r" subzone designation means the property has committed to rental only tenure of the dwelling units (long-term).
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Townhouses
- Stacked Townhouses (MF2, MF3)
- Apartment Housing (MF3)
- Group Home
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 13 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Commercial Zones (C1 and C2) are to designate land for specific commercial uses and services that may be required on a daily basis. Subzones include "rcs" - Retail Cannabis Sales and "dt" - Drive Thru, among others.
The Core Area and Village Centre (CA1 and VC1) zones are to provide land for mixed commercial and residential uses, outside Urban Centres. The Official Community Plan provides policies and guidelines for each Village Centre, starting in Chapter 3: Future Land Use.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Animal Clinics, minor
- Apartment Housing
- Child Care Centre, Major
- Cultural and Recreation Services
- Food Primary
- Health Services
- Hotels/Motels
- Personal Service Establishment
- Professional Services
- Religious Assemblies
- Retail
- Temporary Shelter Services
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 14 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The five Urban Centre Zones (UC1, UC2, UC3, UC4, and UC5) refer to each of Kelowna's five Urban Centres: Downtown, Capri-Landmark, Midtown, Rutland, and Pandosy. The purpose is to provide for a mix of commercial and residential uses with heights and densities varying. Each Urban Centre has been defined in Chapter 4 of the Official Community Plan.
Principal uses
Some principal uses include:
- Animal Clinics, Major and Minor
- Apartment Housing
- Child Care Centre, Major
- Cultural and Recreation Services
- Education Services
- Exhibition and Convention Facilities
- Food Primary Establishment
- Gas Bar (fg subzone required)
- Health Services
- Hotels/Motels
- Liquor Primary Establishment
- Non-Accessory Parking
- Offices
- Personal Service Establishment
- Professional Services
- Religious Assemblies
- Retail
- Townhouses, Stacked Townhouses
- Temporary Shelter Services
Subzone Designations
The Urban Centre zones have a variety of subzones to accommodate a variety of uses on a site-specific basis. These include:
- r - Rental Only
- rcs - Retail Cannabis Sales
- gg - Gaming and Gambling
- a - Arena
- fg - Fueling and Gas Stations
- dt - Drive Thru
Check out Section 14 of the Zoning Bylaw for a complete list of uses and regulations.
The purpose of the Industrial Zones (I1, I2, I3, and I4) are to designate land for the development of industrial activity. These zones range from business industrial to heavy industrial to Natural Resource Extraction depending on the location.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Alcohol Production Facilities
- Animal Clinics, Major
- Automotive & Equipment
- Boat Storage
- Cannabis Production Facilities
- Food Primary Establishment
- General Industrial Use
- Outdoor Storage
- Recycling Depots
- Warehousing
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 14 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Public & Institutional Zones (P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5) are to designate land primarily for parks, public use, government use, or institutional use.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Agriculture, Urban
- Child Care Centre, Major
- Cultural and Recreation Services
- Emergency and Protective Services
- Food Primary Establishment
- Health Services
- Participant Recreation Services
- Religious Assemblies
- Temporary Shelter Services
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 14 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Health District Zones (HD1 and HD2) are to designate land for the development of buildings that provide health services with other complimentary uses. These lands include the Kelowna General Hospital, Interior Health Authority properties, and the University of British Columbia Clinical Academic Campus, among others.
Principal uses
Some principal uses in these zones are:
- Group Home
- Health Services
- Hospitals
- Single-detached housing
- Townhouses and Stacked Townhouses
- Apartment Housing
For more information, including secondary uses, check out Section 14 of the Zoning Bylaw.
The purpose of the Comprehensive Development (CD) zones are to permit site-specific land uses and land use regulations in cases where other zones are inappropriate or inadequate. They are often used for unique developments that have unique development features or large parcels of land. They allow for phased development and additional uses and regulations beyond the traditional zones. Some existing CD zones include the Kelowna Airport, McKinley Beach Resort, the University of British Columbia Okanagan, and Capri Centre Mall. If you think your project may require a Comprehensive Development Zone, contact our Planner of the Day at [email protected] or 250-469-8626.
This zone shall only be created collaboratively between the applicant and the Planning Department where the following conditions are met:
- The proposed development is, in the opinion of Council, considered appropriate for the site, having regard for the policies and objectives of the Official Community Plan and any other applicable municipal plan or policy; or
- The use of any other zone of this Bylaw to accommodate the proposed development would, in the opinion of Council, result in potential conflicts with the scale and character of existing or future surrounding development, should the full development potential of such zone be utilized; or
- The proposed development is of a scale, character, or complexity requiring comprehensive planning and implementation that, in the opinion of Council, is of a unique form or nature not contemplated or reasonably regulated by another zone
For more information, including current CD zones, check out Section 15 of the Zoning Bylaw.
Our current comprehensive development zones are listed in the Zoning Bylaw and labelled on the map with CD, followed by the reference number of the CD zone.
The purpose of CD12 is to provide a zone for the orderly operation of an airport.
The purpose of CD17 is to provide a zone for large scale mixed-use commercial/residential developments.
The purpose of CD18 is to provide a zone for the development of a comprehensively planned multifaceted destination community having a variety of commercial and accommodation uses organized around a central lifestyle village.
The purpose of the CD20 zone is to allow the full range of academic, research and miscellaneous supporting land-uses essential to a leading-edge university program and campus.
The purpose of this Central Green Comprehensive Development Zone is to provide for the integrated design of a comprehensive development of the Central Green Lands as a low environmental impact mixed use development.
The purpose of the CD26 zone is to provide the framework for the existing uses and for the redevelopment and use of the Capri Centre in stages, over time, with a mixture of commercial and residential uses that serve more than one neighbourhood.
Some zones in the Zoning Bylaw are permitted to apply for a Density Bonus (regulated in Section 6.8) based on a payment into the Housing Opportunities Reserve Fund, a payment into the Public Amenity & Streetscape Fund, or by rezoning to a "rental only" subzone. The rates for the Public Amenity & Streetscape Contribution Amounts increase by 2% each January 1.
