RM-1A zoning in New Westminster: what can you build?
Garden Apartment
On a standard lot with a rear lane, RM-1A allows about 3 units on a 50 × 122 ft lot (garden apartment); about 5 units on a 66 × 122 ft lot (garden apartment). These figures come from running BuildHere’s engine on each lot size with the New Westminster rules for this zone.
Most units by lot size
| Lot (with lane) | Most units | Building form | Max floor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 × 122 ft4,026 sq ft | None outright | – | – |
| 50 × 122 ft6,100 sq ft | About 3 units | Garden apartment | 3,630 sq ft |
| 66 × 122 ft8,052 sq ft | About 5 units | Garden apartment | 4,575 sq ft |
Building options on a 50 × 122 ft lot
| Option | Status | Units | Max floor area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden apartment | Allowed | About 3 | 3,630 sq ft |
Size limits for garden apartment on a 50 × 122 ft lot
| Max floor area (FSR 0.60) | 3,630 sq ft | NW RM-1A s.421.17(a), 421.17(b) |
|---|---|---|
| Max height | 25.0 ft, about 2 storeys | NW RM-1A s.421 |
| Site coverage | 40% of site | NW RM-1A s.421 |
| Front setback | 25.0 ft | NW RM-1A s.421 |
| Side setback | 12.5 ft | NW RM-1A s.421 |
| Rear setback | 24.4 ft | NW RM-1A s.421 |
| Rough building footprint | up to 1,819 sq ft | Estimate, not a design |
| Parking stalls required | 4 stalls (minimum) | NW s.140.9 |
Your lot will differ.
Frontage, depth, lane access, corner lots and frequent-transit areas all change the answer. Search your address for a report on the real lot in New Westminster.
Common questions
How many units can I build in RM-1A zoning in New Westminster?
With a rear lane and outside a frequent-transit area, RM-1A allows about 3 units on a 50 × 122 ft lot (garden apartment); about 5 units on a 66 × 122 ft lot (garden apartment). Smaller lots fall short of the zone's minimums. Your own lot's frontage, depth and location change the result.
What is FSR?
Floor space ratio (FSR) is a building’s total floor area divided by the lot area. An FSR of 1.0 on a 4,026 sq ft lot allows about 4,026 sq ft of floor area across all storeys. Some bylaws, such as Burnaby’s R1, set no FSR at all; there BuildHere shows an effective FSR worked out from the height, setback and lot coverage limits.
Where do these RM-1A rules come from?
From City of New Westminster Zoning Bylaw No. 6680, 2001: Section 314 (RS-5), 315 (RS-6), 324 (NR-5), 331 (RQ-5), 410 to 413 (RT-2, RT-2A, RT-2B, RT-2C), 420 to 422 (RM-1, RM-1A, RM-1B), 431 (RM-2A), 440 (RM-4), 450 (RM-5), 451 (RM-5A), 460 (RM-6, RM-6A, RM-6B); Section 462 (RM-6C), 470 (RW-1), 471 (RMW-2), 472 (RMW-2A), 473 (RMW-3), 474 (RMW-3A), 475 (RMW-3B); Section 462 (RM-6C), 470 (RW-1), 471 (RMW-2), 472 (RMW-2A), 473 (RMW-3), 474 (RMW-3A), 475 (RMW-3B), Consolidation as of June 8, 2026 (section footers 2022-02-28 to 2026-02-23) consolidation (rules approved 2026-10-19). Preliminary screening only. Verify with the City of New Westminster.
Other New Westminster zones
RGO-ARGO-BRS-1RS-2RS-4NR-1NR-2RQ-1RT-ART-BRT-1RT-2DRT-2ERT-2FRT-3RT-3ART-3BRM-2RS-5RS-6NR-5RQ-5RT-2RT-2ART-2BRT-2CRM-1RM-1BRM-2ARM-4RM-5RM-5ARM-6RM-6ARM-6BRMW-2RMW-2ARMW-3RMW-3ARMW-3BRM-6CRW-1