Zoning & Policy | Schedule P Rules

Schedule P: The Houseplex Rulebook

Every dimension that governs a Victoria houseplex lives in one document: Schedule P — Missing Middle Regulations. Height, setbacks, site coverage, floor space ratio, the 3-bedroom requirement, and parking are all set there. The numbers below are the houseplex figures, pulled straight from the bylaw. Schedule P was first adopted with Bylaw 22-045 on January 26, 2023, amended by Bylaw 23-099 on December 7, 2023, and again by Bylaw 25-051 on October 2, 2025.

Key Takeaways

✓Houseplex height is 11.0 m flat roof / 12.0 m other roof; FSR is capped at 1.0:1.
✓Setbacks: 4 m front, 1.5 m side, rear is the greater of 10 m or 25% of lot depth, and 5 m between buildings.
✓Site coverage maxes at 40%; open site space must be at least 45%.
✓Parking starts at 0.77 spaces/unit and TDM measures can take it to zero.
✓The 3-bedroom rule: the greater of 2 units or 30% of units must be three-bedroom homes.

Houseplex Dimensions (Schedule P §3)

These are the controlling figures for a houseplex form. Every value comes from Schedule P; confirm the live bylaw before relying on any one number for a design.

Regulation	Houseplex Value	Notes
Height — flat roof	11.0 m	Measured per the bylaw's grade definition.
Height — other roof	12.0 m	Pitched, hip, or other roof forms.
Front yard setback	4.0 m	From the front lot line.
Side yard setback	1.5 m	Each interior side.
Rear yard setback	Greater of 10 m or 25% of lot depth	Whichever is larger controls.
Building separation	5 m	Between buildings on the same lot.
Site coverage (max)	40%	Of total lot area.
Open site space (min)	45%	Soft and hard landscaped area.
Lot width (min)	12 m (14 m if more than one parking space is required)	Wider minimum when parking is provided.
Street proximity	Within 30 m of a street	The houseplex form must be close to a public street.
Floor space ratio (max)	1.0 : 1	Total floor area to lot area.
Minimum unit floor area	33 m²	Smallest permitted self-contained unit.
Maximum single floor area	235 m²	Per floor plate.
Maximum combined floor area	1,410 m²	Total across the lot.

Source: City of Victoria — Schedule P, Missing Middle Regulations. Figures reflect the houseplex form (§3), as amended through Bylaw 25-051.

Parking (Schedule P §6)

Parking is where a small Victoria lot gets its breathing room. The base ratio is low to begin with, and Transportation Demand Management measures can erase it entirely.

Parking Item	Requirement	Notes
Base ratio	0.77 spaces per dwelling unit	The starting requirement before any reduction.
Secondary suites	No parking required	Suites add no parking obligation.
Affordable units	No parking required	Designated affordable units are exempt.
Visitor parking	None required	No visitor stalls are mandated.
TDM reductions	Down to zero	All-rental-in-perpetuity plus a BC Transit EcoPASS can remove the full 0.77/unit requirement.

Source: Schedule P §6 — Parking. The full TDM reduction (−0.77/unit) combines all-rental-in-perpetuity with a BC Transit EcoPASS.

The 3-Bedroom Rule and Suite Counting

The family-housing requirement (§2.1(b))

A houseplex is permitted only if the greater of 2 units or 30% of units are three-bedroom homes. On a four-unit project that means at least two three-bedroom units; on a six-unit project, the 30% figure also lands at two. The rule pushes family-sized homes into the missing-middle stock rather than letting every unit shrink to a studio.

Suite bedrooms count (§2.1(c))

Bedrooms in a secondary suite may count toward the principal unit's bedroom total. This counting rule was added by Bylaw 23-099 on December 7, 2023. It makes a principal unit with a suite easier to qualify against the three-bedroom requirement, which matters when you are trying to hit the threshold without oversizing every home.

Source: Schedule P §2.1(b)–(c), suite-counting clause added by Bylaw 23-099.

Where These Rules Sit in the Bigger Picture

Compare the forms

Houseplex vs Corner Townhouse

The corner townhouse plays by different numbers — up to 12 units, 50% coverage, 1.1 FSR.

Apply to a lot

Lots, Setbacks & Coverage

How lot width and depth turn these setbacks into a real buildable envelope.

Parking & egress

Parking & Single-Stair

How the 0.77 ratio and BC's single-exit-stair reform reshape a small-lot layout.

Best For

✓ Designers who need every houseplex dimension — height, setback, FSR, coverage, parking — in one cited place.
✓ Lots wide enough to clear the 12 m minimum (or 14 m where more than one parking space is required) and within 30 m of a street.
✓ Projects that can hit the 3-bedroom requirement without oversizing every unit, using the suite-counting rule.

Usually Fails When

✕ The lot is below the minimum width or sits more than 30 m from a street, where the houseplex form does not fit.
✕ A design assumes a single floor plate above 235 m² or combined floor area above 1,410 m².
✕ The proposed unit mix cannot meet the greater-of-2-units-or-30% three-bedroom requirement.

What To Verify Before Spending Money

→ The current Schedule P text — figures here reflect amendments through Bylaw 25-051 (Oct 2, 2025).
→ Whether your parking strategy actually qualifies for the full TDM reduction to zero.
→ How the grade definition in the bylaw applies to your lot before locking in the 11 m / 12 m height.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can a Victoria houseplex be under Schedule P? +

A flat roof is capped at 11.0 m and other roof forms at 12.0 m. Schedule P also sets a minimum ceiling height of the lowest level at 1.1 m above grade — a clause added when the bylaw was amended in December 2023 (Bylaw 23-099). Both figures are in Schedule P, the Missing Middle Regulations.

What is the floor space ratio for a houseplex? +

The maximum FSR for a houseplex is 1.0:1 under Schedule P. The same section caps any single floor plate at 235 m² and the combined floor area on the lot at 1,410 m². The minimum self-contained unit is 33 m².

How much parking does a Victoria houseplex need? +

The base ratio is 0.77 spaces per dwelling unit under Schedule P §6. No parking is required for secondary suites, affordable units, or visitors. Transportation Demand Management measures can reduce the requirement to zero — for example, committing all units to rental in perpetuity combined with a BC Transit EcoPASS removes the full 0.77 per unit.

What is the rear yard setback for a houseplex? +

The rear yard is the greater of 10 m or 25% of the lot depth, whichever is larger. On a deep lot the 25% figure controls; on a shallower lot the flat 10 m governs. The front yard setback is 4.0 m and each side yard is 1.5 m.

What is the 3-bedroom rule for a houseplex? +

Schedule P §2.1(b) permits a houseplex only if the greater of two units or 30% of the units are three-bedroom homes. Bedrooms in a secondary suite may count toward the principal unit's bedroom total under §2.1(c), a counting rule added by Bylaw 23-099 in December 2023.

What is the minimum lot width for a houseplex? +

The minimum lot width is 12 m, rising to 14 m where more than one parking space is required. The houseplex must also sit within 30 m of a street. These dimensions, along with the 40% site coverage cap and 45% open site space minimum, are set in Schedule P.