Zoning & Policy | Bylaw 12375

Kelowna Zoning Bylaw 12375: RU and MF Zones Explained

Kelowna Zoning Bylaw No. 12375 was adopted on September 26, 2022 and amended on March 18, 2024 to align with Bill 44 SSMUH and Bill 47 TOA requirements (City of Kelowna). This page is a plain-English map of the RU and MF zones you will touch on a multiplex project, what each allows, and — importantly — what 12375 does not cover.

Key Takeaways

✓Bylaw 12375 was adopted September 26, 2022 and amended March 18, 2024 for SSMUH and TOA compliance.
✓RU1-RU5 and MH1 are single and two-dwelling zones; MF1-MF4 are multi-dwelling zones under Section 13.
✓MF1 "Infill Housing" is the purpose-built multiplex zone — ground-oriented up to 2 storeys, Core Area only.
✓Bylaw 12375 does not cover DCCs, FireSmart, Step Code, or floodplain — those are separate bylaws and policies.
✓Use the Residential Zones Quick Reference PDF as a scan tool, but confirm everything against the full bylaw before spending design money.

Single & Two-Dwelling Zones (RU)

The RU series is where most Kelowna infill projects start. These zones were historically single-detached or duplex, and the March 2024 SSMUH amendments layered the 3/4/6-unit minimums on top. You are usually working within the base-zone envelope (setbacks, height, lot coverage) while unlocking the SSMUH unit count.

Zone	Name	Primary Use	SSMUH Path	Note
RU1	Large Lot Housing	Single detached on larger lots	3-4 units permitted under Bill 44 SSMUH	Lots > 280 m² get 4 units; smaller lots 3. Verify against the parcel's current overlays.
RU2	Medium Lot Housing	Single detached on medium lots	3-4 units under SSMUH; 6 near frequent transit	The most common infill starting point in the Core Area. Transit bonus applies if within a prescribed walk of a qualifying bus stop.
RU3	Small Lot Housing	Single detached on small lots	3 units (lot ≤ 280 m²) or 4 (> 280 m²)	Frontage and side-yard setbacks usually decide whether 4 units fit before the SSMUH math even matters.
RU5	Bareland Strata Housing	Single detached on bareland strata parcels	SSMUH applies; strata rules add complexity	Internal bareland strata covenants can block infill even when Bill 44 allows it. Read the strata plan first.

Source: Kelowna Zoning Bylaw 12375 and the Residential Zones Quick Reference (City of Kelowna PDF).

Multi-Dwelling Zones (MF)

Section 13 of the bylaw covers the MF zones. MF1 is the multiplex-specific zone. MF2 is townhouse. MF3 and MF4 step up to low-rise and mid-rise apartment forms. If your lot sits in MF3 or MF4, you are above the SSMUH tier and the economics look very different (Section 13 overview).

Zone	Name	Primary Use	SSMUH Path	Note
MF1	Infill Housing	Ground-oriented infill up to 2 storeys in the Core Area	Multiplex / fourplex / townhouse baseline	Purpose-built for the exact multiplex form Bill 44 unlocks. Core Area only.
MF2	Townhouse	Townhouse / row housing	Above SSMUH thresholds already	Useful when the lot is larger than SSMUH can absorb and a townhouse form makes more sense.
MF3	Apartment Housing — Low Rise	Low-rise apartments	Apartment threshold, not SSMUH	Above the multiplex tier. If your lot sits in MF3, you are in apartment math, not Bill 44 math.
MF4	Apartment Housing — Mid Rise	Mid-rise apartments	Mid-rise threshold, not SSMUH	Out of scope for small-lot multiplex. Included here only so you can rule it out.

How the SSMUH Amendments Layer On Top

What Changed

On March 18, 2024 Kelowna pre-zoned every RU and eligible MF parcel to the SSMUH minimums — 3 units on small lots, 4 on large lots, and 6 near qualifying frequent transit. The bylaw's legacy single-family unit counts were overridden by the provincial minimums (Province of BC).

What Did Not Change

Setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, and site-specific design rules in the base zone still apply. SSMUH unlocks the unit count; it does not waive the envelope. If 4 units physically cannot fit under the RU2 setback and height rules, you are back to a variance request — which sits outside the Infill Fast-Track path.

What Bylaw 12375 Does NOT Cover

The zoning bylaw is not the whole story. These four categories live in separate instruments and routinely surprise builders who underwrite off the zoning summary alone.

FireSmart / Wildfire Interface Standards

Wildfire construction requirements live in FireSmart Kelowna and the BC Building Code, not in the zoning bylaw. A lot can be SSMUH-eligible and still face significant FireSmart constraints.

Development Cost Charges (DCCs)

DCCs are set by DCC Bylaw 12420 — a separate bylaw. Bylaw 12375 tells you what you can build; 12420 tells you what the infrastructure charges will be at building permit.

Energy Step Code and Zero Carbon Step Code

The Step Code requirements are adopted under the BC Building Code and the City's Energy Step Code policy. Kelowna's HDD is 3,715 and the overheating 26 °C rule applies regardless of zoning.

Mill Creek Floodplain Restrictions

Flood Plain Bylaw 10248 restricts the buildable envelope on floodplain parcels. This sits on top of 12375 and can override the base zone's setback assumptions.

The Two Documents You Actually Need

Authoritative

Zoning Bylaw No. 12375 (PDF)

The full text. Use this for any number you plan to underwrite off — setbacks, height, coverage, parking, variance rules.

Quick Scan

Residential Zones Quick Reference (PDF)

A side-by-side summary of the RU zones. Good for parcel screening. Never use it alone for underwriting — confirm everything against 12375.

Best For

✓ Parcels on RU2 or RU3 above 280 m² where the base-zone envelope comfortably accommodates 4 units.
✓ Core Area lots zoned MF1 where the bylaw was purpose-written for ground-oriented multiplex form.
✓ Projects that fit within the base zone's setback, height, and lot coverage rules without variances.

Usually Fails When

✕ The SSMUH unit count requires variances to the base-zone envelope and the builder wants the Fast-Track path.
✕ The lot is in MF3 or MF4 and the builder tries to force SSMUH logic into an apartment-zoned parcel.
✕ The bareland strata covenants on an RU5 lot prohibit infill even when Bill 44 allows it.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ The zone and any site-specific text amendment against the current Bylaw 12375 PDF.
→ How the March 18, 2024 amendments changed the unit count ceiling for your specific zone.
→ Whether your design fits the base-zone envelope or will need a variance — variances kill Fast-Track.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Kelowna adopt Zoning Bylaw 12375? +

The current Zoning Bylaw was adopted September 26, 2022, then amended on March 18, 2024 to implement Bill 44 SSMUH and the Bill 47 Transit-Oriented Area framework (City of Kelowna Planning Legislation page).

What is the difference between RU and MF zones? +

RU zones are single and two-dwelling residential zones — RU1 through RU5 plus MH1. MF1 through MF4 are multi-dwelling zones under Section 13 of the bylaw. MF1 is specifically "infill development within the Core Area of the City limited to ground-oriented units up to 2 storeys" — the purpose-built multiplex zone.

If my lot is RU1, does Bill 44 automatically let me build 4 units? +

Above the 280 m² threshold, yes — 4 units is the provincial minimum. At or below 280 m², the minimum is 3 units. The bylaw's base-zone unit counts are superseded by the SSMUH minimums where Bill 44 applies.

What does the MF1 zone add that the RU zones do not? +

MF1 was written for ground-oriented infill up to 2 storeys in the Core Area. It handles the multiplex form explicitly, rather than retrofitting a single-detached zone with SSMUH overlays. On an MF1 lot you can generally do the multiplex form without stretching the base zone.

Can I build a townhouse on an RU2 lot? +

Townhouse form typically lives in MF2 or MF3. SSMUH on an RU2 lot allows 3-6 units but the form is constrained by the RU2 base-zone envelope — setbacks, height, lot coverage — unless you can fit the pre-approved Infill Fast-Track templates.

Where do I find the official setbacks, height limits, and lot coverage numbers for my zone? +

Zoning Bylaw 12375 is the authoritative source. The Residential Zones Quick Reference PDF summarizes the key numbers, but never underwrite a project from the summary alone — confirm against the full bylaw PDF (City of Kelowna).