Edmonton Zoning Bylaw 12800

165      (UCRH) Urban Character Row Housing Zone

Bylaw 15633

December 13, 2010

165.1     General Purpose

The purpose of this Zone is to provide for medium density Row Housing in a manner that is characteristic of urban settings and can include more intensive development in the form of, but not limited to, smaller yards, greater Height, orientation to a public street, and greater attention to architectural detail. This Zone is intended as a transition zone between low and higher density housing. 

165.2     Permitted Uses

1. Limited Group Homes

2. Minor Home Based Business

3. Row Housing, except those with a rear attached Garage in neighbourhoods located within the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay

4. Semi-detached Housing

5. Fascia On-premises Signs

165.3     Discretionary Uses

1. Child Care Services

2. Group Homes

3. Major Home Based Business

4. Residential Sales Centre

5. Row Housing with a rear attached Garage in neighbourhoods located within the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay

6. Stacked Row Housing

7. Freestanding On-premises Signs

8. Temporary On-premises Signs

165.4     Development Regulations for Permitted and Discretionary Uses

1. Density Regulations

1. In the case of lotted subdivisions on Sites 1,700 m2 or  smaller, Density shall be determined by individual Site Area regulations for individual Dwellings as indicated in Table 165.4(2).

2. In the case of lotted subdivisions with a Site Area exceeding 1,700 m2, and in the case of Multi-unit Project Developments not served by a private roadway, the density shall be a minimum of 35 Dwellings/hectare, to a maximum of 63 Dwellings/hectare.

3. In the case of Multi-unit Project Developments served by a private roadway, the density shall be a minimum of 30 Dwellings/hectare, to a maximum of 54 Dwellings/ha with a private, shared common roadway.

2. Site Area, Site dimensions, building Height shall be in accordance with Table 165.4(2).

1. Note: exceptions may apply to Bare Land Condominium Units as part of a Multi-unit Project Development.  See Section 165.5.

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

3. Front Setbacks shall be in accordance with Table 165.4(3).

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

4. Notwithstanding Table 165.4(3), the Development Officer, having regard for the siting and appearance of adjoining residences and other residences within the block face, may increase the Front Setback requirement to improve sunlight exposure, views, privacy and to add general interest to the streetscape.

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

5. Side Setbacks shall be in accordance with Table 165.4(5).

1. Note: Increased Setback requirement applies to Multi-unit Project Developments, whether or not the Height exceeds two Storeys, in accordance with 160.4(14) of the RF5 Row Housing Zone

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

6. Notwithstanding 165.4(5)(a)(ii) in Table 165.4(5), a reduced Side Setback flanking a Public Roadway shall be allowed where:

1. the depth of the Side Setback would be consistent with other development on the flanking block face; and

2. the flanking side of the building is not a Blank Wall, and is articulated through architectural elements such as recesses or projections, including but not limited to, windows, a side entrance, a porch, or other architectural element that would be compatible with adjacent development.

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

7. Rear Setbacks shall be in accordance with Table 165.4(7).

1.  Notes:

a.  Row Housing with a rear attached Garage: this Use is a Discretionary Development in neighbourhoods located within the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay.

b.  Increased Setback requirement applies to Multi-unit Project Developments, whether or not the Height exceeds two Storeys, in accordance with 160.4(14) of the RF5 Row Housing Zone.

8. Site Coverage shall be in accordance with Table 165.4(8).

9. On-Site parking shall be accessed from a rear or side Lane only, in accordance with subsection 165.4(10), except as follows:

1. where there is no Lane access, parking may be located at the rear of the building, provided that where three or more Dwellings are attached, access from the public roadway shall be via a single common driveway;

2. where there is no Lane access and the Dwelling has a width of 6.5 m or greater, a front attached Garage may be developed  in accordance with subsection 165.4(11);

3. notwithstanding 165.4(9)(a) and (b) above, in no case shall parking be accessed directly from a collector roadway, or accessed via the front of lots or Dwellings that front onto a road located directly across from or adjacent to a school or public park Site.

10. Where the required off-street parking spaces are located at the rear of any Dwelling the following requirements apply:

1. one Garage, or Site for one Garage shall be clearly demarcated both on the Site and on the plan accompanying any application for a principal building, located in accordance with the regulations of this Bylaw. A hard surface walkway is required between the Garage or Garage Site and an entry to the Dwelling;

2. where detached rear parking Garages are developed, the maximum width of the building containing the Garage(s) shall not exceed:

1. 24 m, provided that the building does not contain more than four separate Garages, outside of neighbourhoods located within the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay (MNO), unless exempted under subsection 165.5(5) of this Zone;

2. 12 m, provided that the building does not contain more than two separate Garages, in neighbourhoods located within the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay (MNO);”

3. parking area shall be developed in accordance with the following:

1. where no Garage is developed, a hard surface parking area to accommodate required parking to a minimum depth of 4.88 m, and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of subsection 54.2 and Schedule 55.4 of this Bylaw, shall be constructed at the rear of each Lot;

2. Tandem parking shall be allowed in accordance with Section 54.2 Schedule 1, provided that at least one tandem parking space has a minimum depth of 5.5 m;

3. Such hard surface parking area shall include an underground electrical power connection with outlet on a post 1.0 m in Height, located within 1.0 m of the parking area.

11. Where a front attached Garage is allowed in accordance with subsection 165.4(9)(b), it shall be developed in accordance with the following regulations: 

1. the width of the Garages shall be developed in accordance with Table 165.4(11):

2. the Garage may protrude a maximum of 1.5 m beyond the front wall of the Dwelling and a maximum of 1.5 m beyond the front entry, or, where there is a front porch, a maximum of 1.5 m beyond the extent of the front porch;

3. in the case of a side attached Garage, the Garage may protrude a maximum of 1.5 m beyond the side wall of the Dwelling;

4. the maximum Height of a front or side attached Garage Door shall be 2.45 m.

5. front attached Garages must be designed such that the Garage is attached to a shared common wall and includes adjoining shared driveway aprons, unless, in the case of a Row Housing or Stacked Row Housing end unit, the abutting Dwelling already has a driveway shared with another abutting Dwelling;

6. driveway widths, including abutting walkways, shall be no wider than the width of the Garage, and subject to the following additional limitations:

1. single wide Garage: the width of the driveway including abutting walkway where it meets a public or private roadway shall not exceed 3.1 m;

2. double Garage: the width of the driveway including abutting walkway where it meets a public or private roadway shall not exceed 5.2 m.

12. Separation Space shall be provided in accordance with Section 48 of this Bylaw, except that Separation Space shall not be required where side walls of abutting buildings face each other and habitable windows are not located directly opposite each other, such that privacy is not impacted and:

1. in the case of Dwellings on separate Sites, each development complies with the minimum Side Setback requirements for each Dwelling;

2. in the case of Dwellings on the same Site, the total separation distance between Dwellings is the total of the minimum Side Setback requirements for both Dwellings.

13. Minimum Private Outdoor Amenity Areas, at Grade, directly accessible to each Dwelling,  shall be provided in accordance with Section 47 of this Bylaw, and as follows:

1. Row Housing Dwelling: 30 m2 per Dwelling;

2. Stacked Row Housing Dwelling:  30 m2 per Dwelling with livable floor space on the first floor; 15 m2 per Dwelling with all livable floor space contained above the first floor;

3. Semi-detached Housing Dwelling: 45 m2 per Dwelling;

4. the Outdoor Amenity Area shall be permanently retained as open space, unencumbered by an Accessory building or future additions;

5. notwithstanding the above and Sections 46 and 47 of this Bylaw, in the case of a Row Housing Dwelling with a rear attached Garage:

1. a maximum of 50 percent of the required Private Outdoor Amenity Area may be located within the Front Yard, including a front veranda, provided that it is setback a minimum of 1.0 m from the Front Property Line.  In this case, this area shall be defined either through a decorative fence, or through landscaped elements such as planters, hedges and hard and soft surface treatments; 

2. a maximum of 50 percent of the required Private Outdoor Amenity Area may be provided above Grade, provided that it shall be at least 10 m2 in area, with neither the width nor the depth less than 2.0 m.

14. Site Landscaping shall be developed in accordance with the following:

1. Row Housing, Stacked Row Housing attached horizontally (front to back as well as to the side) and Semi-detached Housing:  one deciduous tree or one coniferous tree, and two shrubs shall be required in the Front Yard of each Dwelling, except where the Front Yard is 4.5 m or less, and a Treed Landscaped Boulevard is provided in accordance with Table 165.4(3), the tree may be placed within the rear or Side Yard, rather than the Front yard;

2. Stacked Row Housing attached vertically (two deep, where Dwellings are placed over others):one deciduous tree or one coniferous tree, and two shrubs shall be required for each 6 m of linear Site Frontage, except where the Front Yard is  4.5 m or less, and a Treed Landscaped Boulevard is provided in accordance with Table 165.4(3), the trees may be placed within the rear or Side Yard, as applicable, rather than the Front yard; 

3. all applications for a Development Permit shall include a Landscape Plan in accordance with the requirements of subsection 55.3 of this Bylaw that identifies the location, species and size of Landscaping required in subsection 165.4(14)(a) or (b) as applicable; and

4. all required Landscaping shall comply with the relevant requirements of Section 55 of this Bylaw.

165.5     Multi-unit Project Development Regulations

Where a Multi-unit Project Development is proposed within this Zone, it must adhere to all the regulations in the following subsection, as well as all other regulations within this Zone, unless exempted within this subsection, as follows.

1. All Dwellings must front onto a public roadway.

2. Notwithstanding Table 165.4(2), the minimum Site Area for individual Bare Land Condominium Units may be reduced, provided that the Multi-unit Project Development complies with the density regulations contained in subsection 165.4(1) of this Zone.

3. Notwithstanding Table 165.4(2), the minimum Site Depth may be reduced to not less than 22.5 m for Bare Land Condominium Units.

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

4. Notwithstanding the Setback regulations of this Zone, where a Multi-unit Project Development abuts a Site Zoned to allow Single Detached Housing as a Permitted Use, or the RF5 Row Housing Zone, any increased Setback requirements in subsection 160.4(14) of the RF5 Zone shall apply.

5. Where a Multi-unit Project Development abuts a Site zoned to allow Single Detached Housing as a Permitted Use or the RF5 Row Housing Zone, a solid screen fence, a minimum of 1.83 m in Height, shall be installed along all shared property lines, except for common flanking Front Yard boundaries.

6. Notwithstanding Section 165.4(10)(b)(i), a building containing rear detached Garages may exceed the maximum width and total number of Garages specified outside of the boundaries of the Mature Neighbourhood Overlay (MNO).

7. Notwithstanding Section 165.4(14), the Landscape Plan shall address the entire Multi-unit Site Project Development, including individual Bare Land Condominium Units and common areas in accordance with the regulations of Section 55 of this Bylaw.

165.6     Additional Regulations for Specific Uses

1. Row Housing, Stacked Row Housing and Semi-detached Housing shall be developed in accordance with the following regulations:

1. each Dwelling shall have individual front door access to a public roadway, except in the case of Stacked Row Housing access to Dwellings above the first Storey may be shared by two Dwellings;

2. each Dwelling shall be oriented toward the street such that front and flanking facades and yards include design elements such as windows, covered porches, varied building articulation and landscaping as the dominant elements facing the public streetscape;

3. a transition area between the public street and semi-private area in front of dwellings should be defined using landscape features such as decorative fencing, change in Grade, shrub beds or rock gardens and/or built elements such as stairs, private entrance features and verandas or porches;

Bylaw 15735

June 20, 2011

4. notwithstanding subsection 44(1)(a) of this Bylaw, unenclosed steps leading to a front entry way may project into a Front Setback, up to the Front Lot Line.

2. Row Housing and Stacked Row Housing shall be developed in accordance with the following regulations:

1. the maximum width of the front façade of a building containing Row Housing shall be 48 m, with no more than eight attached Dwellings along any one block face;

2. the maximum width of the frontage of the front façade of a building containing Stacked Row Housing shall be 48 m;

3. a generally similar unit form and design shall not be repeated more than six times on a block face;

4. design techniques including, but not limited to, the use of sloped roofs, variations in building Setbacks, articulation of building façades, and varied architectural designs shall be employed in order to minimize the perception of massing of the building when viewed from adjacent residential areas and roadways;

5. building finishes shall be compatible with the exterior finishing materials and colours typical of adjacent development;

6. maintenance and/or drainage and utility easement(s) may be required between abutting buildings and/or through private yards of one or more Dwellings to ensure adequate access for property, drainage and utility maintenance.

3. Semi-detached Housing shall be developed in accordance with the following regulations:

1. Dwellings within a single building may include symmetrical and asymmetrical designs, provided that a consistent architectural style applies to both Dwellings;

2. where there are more than two buildings along a block face, design elements such as varied roof lines, articulation of building facades, and variations of window and door treatments shall be employed so as to prevent more than two identical building facades. 

4. Signs shall comply with the regulations found in Schedule 59A.