Economics | Feasibility

Feasibility: The Six-Variable Lot Screen

Most lots in BC look the same on paper but vary in ways that decide whether a small multiplex can carry units. The screen below sorts the variables by what kills a project earliest — the cheap checks come before any architect or engineer enters the room.

Key Takeaways

✓Six variables decide most lots: frontage, slope, servicing, trees, transit, OCP.
✓An hour of free desktop research disqualifies most non-viable lots.
✓Topographic and geotechnical surveys are the cheapest expensive things you can buy.
✓Frequent transit proximity is binary: 400 m or further.

The Six Variables

Lot frontage and area

Frontage of 33 feet supports a fourplex; 50 feet opens up sixplex single-stair layouts and townhouse rows. Lot area of 280 m² triggers the four-unit Bill 44 floor; 4,000 sq ft is comfortable for fourplex.

Slope and grading

Lots above 5% cross-slope require step foundations or retaining work. Sites above 15% slope are usually disqualified from a Part 9 build. The District of North Vancouver has the most slope-affected SSMUH inventory in Metro Vancouver.

Servicing capacity

Existing 3/4-inch water service typically supports two to three units. Four to six units may require a service upgrade to 1-inch or larger. Sewer capacity is checked at the lateral connection.

Tree retention

Most BC municipalities have tree-protection bylaws covering trees above a specified diameter (typically 20 to 30 cm). Mature retained trees can disqualify lot configurations that would otherwise pencil.

Frequent transit proximity

Inside 400 m of a frequent transit stop, the lot qualifies for the six-unit Bill 44 maximum. Outside the radius, the cap is three or four units.

OCP designation

A lot zoned R1-1 with an OCP that designates the area for low-density residential is fully compliant. A lot with conflicting OCP designation may force a public hearing and slower approval.

The Order to Check Them

Cheap checks first, expensive checks last. OCP and zoning come from a free municipal map. Tree inventory comes from aerial imagery. Slope is visible from Google Street View. Frequent transit proximity is a 30-second mapping check.

Servicing requires a written request to the city utility department. Topographic survey requires a BC Land Surveyor in the field. Geotechnical investigation requires a registered engineer drilling boreholes. Each step costs more — and disqualifying the lot earlier saves the later spend.

FSR Utilisation: The Yield Question

Once a lot passes the eligibility screen, the next question is yield. FSR sets the building size; lot coverage sets the footprint; setbacks set where the footprint can sit. Multiply FSR by lot area to get the gross buildable area. Divide by target unit size to get the maximum unit count that will actually fit at that FSR — often less than the Bill 44 unit minimum the lot is entitled to.

A 4,000 sq ft lot at 0.7 FSR yields 2,800 sq ft. Six 600 sq ft units would need 3,600 sq ft. The lot is entitled to six units (assuming transit) but only fits four at 0.7 FSR. The yield question, not the unit-count question, is what gates feasibility on most BC lots.

When to Stop and When to Move

Stop after the desktop screen if any of the disqualifying conditions apply (ALR, no service, hazard land, heritage). Stop after the topographic survey if slope makes a Part 9 build infeasible. Stop after geotechnical if soil conditions add foundation cost the project cannot carry. Move to design only after the screen has passed every variable.

For the financing side of feasibility, see financing. For construction cost categories, see cost drivers.

Best For

✓ Owners screening a single lot before retaining an architect.
✓ Investors comparing multiple lots in a single afternoon.
✓ Realtors triaging client portfolios for SSMUH potential.

Usually Fails When

✕ You skip the desktop screen and go straight to architectural concept.
✕ You assume Bill 44 unit minimums override servicing or geotechnical reality.
✕ You buy a lot inside the ALR expecting an exemption — there is none.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ OCP designation and zone variant on the municipal map.
→ Frequent transit proximity to the nearest 50 metres.
→ Servicing capacity in writing from the utility department.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest feasibility test I can do myself?+

Pull your municipality's zoning map and OCP map. Confirm the lot zone designation, FSR, lot coverage, and unit allowance. Check the City's tree inventory or aerial photo for protected trees on the lot. Walk the lot and note slope. Most lots can be screened for go/no-go inside an hour with no professional fees.

When do I need a topographic survey?+

Before any architectural design on lots with visible slope (more than two metres of fall front to back) or when servicing depths matter. A topographic survey costs less than a redesign forced by a missed slope. BC Land Surveyors are listed at abcls.ca.

How do I check the frequent transit qualification?+

TransLink publishes the Frequent Transit Network map at translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/maps. Measure 400 metres from a stop on the network using any web mapping tool with a distance measure. The Province's Transit-Oriented Areas regulation defines additional density tiers near SkyTrain stations.

What disqualifies a lot from SSMUH?+

No water and sewer service, location inside the Agricultural Land Reserve, designation as a heritage property, location on identified hazard land, or a municipality with under 5,000 residents that has not adopted SSMUH bylaws.

Should feasibility include a soil test?+

For lots in known fill or alluvial areas (much of Richmond, parts of South Vancouver, low-lying Surrey), yes. A geotechnical investigation costs less than rebuilding a foundation that fails inspection. The College of Applied Biology and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC list qualified geotechnical practitioners.