Information for Building Small-Scale Housing in Coquitlam

Providing housing choice is important to address the range of housing needs in Coquitlam. Since 2011, the Housing Choices program in Southwest Coquitlam has encouraged diverse housing options through infill development. The program, now referred to as Small-Scale Housing, has been expanded, with ground-oriented, multi-unit housing options permitted in most low-density residential areas across the city. 

Small-Scale Housing can take many shapes and forms, including single-detached dwellings, accessory dwelling units such as secondary suites, backyard suites, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and multiplexes. The City defines all of these housing types as Small-Scale Residential in the Zoning Bylaw.

Small-Scale Residential is permitted under the following zones in the Zoning Bylaw:

  • R-1 Small-Scale Residential
  • R-2 Compact Small-Scale Residential
  • R-3 Transitional Small-Scale Residential
  • R-4 Intensive Small-Scale Residential

This webpage provides information for property owners interested in developing small-scale housing and helps determine whether your property qualifies for small-scale, multi-unit housing.

Make Sure Your Property Qualifies

Check your property's zoning and land use designation using QtheMap

1. Go to Q the Map 

2. Enter the property address in the search bar. 

3. Select the "Layers List" on the bottom of the page

4. Select the "Planning and Development" layer and ensure the "Zoning" layer is selected.

5. Select the ""Schedule B - Land Use" layer.

If your property is zoned for small-scale residential:

  • Small-scale housing is permitted on your property, subject to the applicable zoning requirements, lot size, and other requirements.

If your property is not zoned for small-scale residential:

Note: If you are proposing to subdivide your property that is zoned for Small-Scale Residential, each lot must comply with the lot size requirements in the Zoning Bylaw. Check the Zoning Bylaw  for the requirements that apply to your property.

Additional Development Considerations

If any of the following apply to your property, there may be additional considerations or requirements for development. Contact Development Services staff for more information.

1. The existing house on my property was built before 1945.

2. There is a creek on, or next to, my property.

3. There is a steep slope on, or next to, my property.

4. The property has an area of 280 m² or less.

5. If the property is shown in the yellow or red zone of the SSMUH Available Fire Flow Map

Development Application Process 

Before you can apply for a Building Permit to build Small-Scale Housing you need to receive a number of approvals from the City.

You may also need:

More information is available on the Development Applications page, Builder Resources page or in our Development Permit Application Guide (PDF), which outlines the process for obtaining a Development Permit.

Hire Professionals to Help

You will need to hire professionals to help you as part of your project team to work with you on different pieces of your application. We have included links to websites of professional organizations, where possible. This is a high level list of some of the professionals you may require, and examples of work they can provide. 

BC Land Surveyor

  • Produces a certified Topographic Plan with: elevation points, location and sizes of trees on or next to your property; any easements or statutory right-of-ways registered on the property; any watercourse or slope and the required setbacks from these natural features.
  • Produces a Subdivision Plan which is required for a Subdivision Application.
  • Produces a Strata Plan to create separate legal titles for strata units.

Building Designer or Architect

  • Designs and produces plans of the building. An architect is not required to design Small-Scale Housing. However, an engineer or architect will be required to be the Coordinating Registered Professional at the time of the Building Permit application.

Civil Engineer

  • Designs and produces plans of the water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer connections to your Small-Scale Housing.
  • Designs plans, oversees construction, and signs-off on Frontage Works.
  • May be the Coordinating Registered Professional at the time of the Building Permit application. 

Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP)

  • A Qualified Environmental Professional is defined in Part 5 (PDF), Section 523 of the Zoning Bylaw (Riparian Areas Regulation).
  • Produces a Riparian Areas Protection Regulation detailed assessment report if a development is proposed within the Streamside Protection and Enhancement Area (SPEA) as shown on QtheMap.

Qualified Tree Expert (QTE)

Geotechnical Engineer

  • Evaluates and reports on the soil conditions for construction and slope stability, making recommendations as to construction methods, setbacks from slopes, and monitoring to allow for construction on your property.

Heritage Professional

  • Evaluates and reports on the conservation of buildings, and other historically significant features, and the significance of a property in relation to Coquitlam’s cultural heritage.
  • Works with the applicant and other development professionals to ensure character defining elements are conserved and celebrated within a Heritage Revitalization Agreement development.
  • To find out if your property is on the City’s Heritage Inventory, contact the Development Information Team by email.

Fire Flows – Ensuring Enough Water for Fire Protection

Whenever new Small-Scale Housing is built, Coquitlam needs to make sure there's enough water available for firefighters in case of an emergency. This is known as fire flow – the amount of water needed to control or put out a fire, at the right pressure.

To keep people safe while supporting new Small-Scale Housing:

  • Areas with a strong water supply (150 litres per second or more): Redevelopment can move forward without restrictions.
  • Areas with a lower water supply: Redevelopment can still happen, but the builder will need to upgrade the water system (either on the property or nearby) to meet fire safety standards.

Please make sure to complete and send the Small-Scale Residential Fire Flow Requirements Form (PDF) with your building permit application.

For more general information about water and fire flow in your area, check out the City’s Available Fire Flow Map.

Stormwater Management

Coquitlam uses an integrated stormwater management approach to manage rainwater that runs off rooftops, driveways and other hard surfaces to prevent flooding, protect property and keep local creeks and ecosystems healthy. Coquitlam has implemented new policy for stormwater management in small scale residential developments to mitigate the impacts of densification.

For more information please visit our Small-Scale Residential Stormwater Management webpage.

Landscape Designer or Landscape Architect

  • Both of these professionals can design and produce plans for your property’s landscaping. Hiring a Landscape Designer is acceptable when there are no street trees required to be planted. A Landscape Architect is the required professional for designing the plans, and overseeing the installation of any required street tree planting. If your development is required to install street trees, it may make economic sense to have your Landscape Architect design your property’s landscaping as well being responsible for the boulevard landscaping.

Coordinating Registered Professional (CRP)

  • Triplex and fourplex development applications are considered “complex” as defined in the City’s Building Bylaw. For many Building Permit applications for triplexes or fourplexes, a project will require, at a minimum, a Civil Engineer, and a Structural Engineer to provide their professional services for a proposed project. Where two or more Registered Professionals are providing their services on a project, they need the oversight of a Coordinating Registered Professional (CRP).

A CRP (may be an architect or an engineer) is required at the time of Building Permit application for a triplex or fourplex to coordinate all professionals working on the development and to sign-off on the required BC Building Code Schedules stating that the work has been completed to conform to the approved Development Permit.

Applicable Fees and Charges

It is important that you talk to professionals about creating a budget for your Small-Scale Housing project. There may be other costs associated with your development that are not outlined here, and you will need to ensure you have created an appropriate project budget. 

Aside from the hiring of professionals required to complete your applications, and the construction crews required to work on the development, here are some (but not all) of the items that have financial implications. These fees, charges, and securities are required at different times during your development process and City staff will be able to let you know when these would be payable, and which would be applicable to your project.

Application Fees are associated with:

Engineering Works

All new developments contribute to upgrading adjacent streetscapes to a modern urban standard, including curbs, gutters, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping and rear lane improvements. These upgraded street works are called “Frontage Works”. You will be required to either pay into the Frontage Works Program (staff will confirm if you’re eligible through the application process) or construct the Frontage Works as part of your project. Your Civil Engineer can provide you with a cost estimate for these works. The Engineering & Public Works Fees and Charges listing in Schedule F of the Fees and Charges Bylaw (PDF) can be helpful to estimate the costs. Costs may be associated with the following:

  • “Capping”, or sealing off, old services (storm sewer, water, sanitary sewer, electrical, gas);
  • Upgrading services to newer or larger sized equipment;
  • Extending new services to your property; and
  • Inspection Fees.

Refundable Securities

Refundable securities will need to be provided to the City to complete specific works. Some of these securities may include:

  • A Development Permit security, at 2.5% of the estimated cost of construction;
  • A Frontage Works security for works and services (if you are participating in the Frontage Works Program), at 110% of the estimate provided by your Engineering consultant; and
  • An Engineering & Public Works security for damage deposits.

These deposits are refunded once City staff are satisfied that the work has been completed and maintained after a set period of time.

City Amenity Cost Charges (ACCs)

Before a Building Permit is issued, City Amenity Cost Charge (ACC) payments are due. ACCs help pay for amenities including community centres, recreation facilities and libraries, which are needed to serve the community due to growth.

City Development Cost Charges (DCCs)

Before a Building Permit is issued, City Development Cost Charge (DCC) payments are due. DCCs help pay for transportation, water, sewer, drainage, park acquisition and some park development projects which are needed to serve the community due to growth.

Other Agencies’ Development Cost Charges

In addition to the City’s DCCs, other agencies have development charges that we collect on their behalf at the time of issuing a Building Permit. These charges are subject to change and may increase during the time you are in application with the City. Check with Development Planning to confirm the rates which would be in effect.

Links to information on these various charges are listed below can be found at the City’s Fees and Charges page:

  • Metro Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Development Cost Charge (Coquitlam is in the Fraser Sewerage Area); 
  • Greater Vancouver Water District Development Cost Charge;
  • Translink Development Cost Charges; and 
  • School Site Acquisition Charges.

Additional Resources

In addition to the designing your project to meet the Design Guidelines as part of your Development Permit Application package, your project must meet all other City Bylaw requirements, including the requirements set out in the Zoning Bylaw.

Some helpful Zoning Bylaw links include:

Other considerations:

  • Floor Area or Floor Area Ratio is a calculation used to determine how much of a property can be developed. It includes the area of all garages, all levels of stairs, and basements. Crawl spaces (spaces 1.2m, or 4ft., or less in height) are not included. Carports and decks are excluded from the Floor Area calculation, but still count towards the maximum allowable Lot Coverage. The maximum permitted Floor Area is calculated using the area of the lot prior to any road or lane dedications multiplied by the permitted density ratio in the Zoning Bylaw.
  • Lot Coverage is a calculation of the percentage of the property that is covered by the floor plates of buildings and other structures, and is calculated using the area of the lot after any lane or road dedications have been applied.
  • Lot grading plans are required indicating the existing and finished grades and all top of wall and bottom of wall elevations for any proposed retaining walls.
  • Accessory dwelling units are allowed so long as the total number of dwelling units (principal and accessory) on your property is four or less (in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 zones). The City will not accept a design which could possibly be converted to more than four units in the future.
  • Each housing unit must have a minimum 20 m2 (215 sq. ft.) of private or common amenity area.

Designing with the Slope of the Property

The building and site improvements proposed for your property should not impact your neighbour’s property. We would prefer your project be designed with no retaining walls, however, minimum stepped retaining is allowed (see the Zoning Bylaw, Maximum Retaining Wall Height Section 516 (PDF)).

All submitted plans should show the existing and proposed elevations, at all changes in grade, and the existing elevations at least 1 metre beyond the property lines of the site proposed to be developed.

Garbage and Recycling Enclosure

Garbage and green waste carts and must be stored in a garage or in a structure that is fully enclosed (with a roof) in order to be wildlife resistant. Enclosures must be designed so that there are no gaps which may give entry to wildlife (for example, no lattice). Each triplex or fourplex unit will be provided one 240L size cart for organic waste, one 240L size cart for garbage, a blue recycling box, and a glass recycling box. 

BC Hydro Requirements

You should discuss your hydro requirements with BC Hydro. If there is a requirement from BC Hydro to install a Local Pad Transformer (LPT), the City prefers it to be located away from the front of the building and screened with appropriate landscaping. An electrical room may also be required in the building design.

Be A Good Neighbour During Development

The Good Neighbour Development Policy formalizes a notification process for developers to contact and inform neighbours about the development and construction work that will be taking place at a property. Please review this Good Neighbour Development Policy (PDF) and ensure that you understand what this means for you as a developer. A declaration will be necessary before the City will issue a Building Permit or Demolition Permit. 

  1. How do I apply for a Development Permit?
  2. I made my Development Permit Application, now what happens?
  3. Are there trees on, or near, my property?
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  1. Why would I need to make a subdivision application?
  2. How will I know if I need to give some of my property to widen the road or lane?
  3. Will each of the three triplex units, or each of the four fourplex units, be able to be owned separately?
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