What Can I Do in Edmonton's RS Zone?

Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw 20001 has been in effect since January 2024, and it continues to evolve. This article breaks down the Residential Small Scale (RS) zone — the most common zone in Edmonton’s mature neighbourhoods — and explains the latest changes so you know exactly what’s allowed on your property.

What is the RS Zone?

The RS zone is Edmonton’s general low-density residential zone, replacing the older RF1, RF2, RF3, RF4, and RF5 zones. It’s designed for small-scale residential development: single detached homes, semi-detached homes, row homes, small multiplexes, and secondary suites, among others.

One key shift from the old bylaw: the new RS zone is more permissive by default. A wider range of housing types is allowed without rezoning, and the rules around suites and backyard housing have been updated to make it easier to add units to existing properties.

What Can You Build in the RS Zone?

Permitted Uses

Permitted uses are straightforward — you can build these without needing additional approvals, as long as you meet the development standards:

• Single Detached Housing
• Semi-Detached Housing
• Row Housing and small multiplexes (up to 8 units on interior lots)
• Secondary Suites
• Backyard Suites (Garden Suites or Backyard Houses)
• Group Homes
• Lodging Houses
• Residential Sales Centres

One of the biggest changes from the old bylaw: you no longer need a rezoning to build row housing or small multiplexes in most residential neighbourhoods. This has opened up a lot of new development potential in the RS zone.

Discretionary Uses

Discretionary uses require approval from the Development Authority on a case-by-case basis:

• Child Care Services
• Community Services
• Extended Medical Treatment Services
• Flea Markets
• Urban Agriculture

Key Development Standards

Height

The maximum height in the RS zone is 9.5 metres. This applies to all building types — single detached, row housing, stacked row housing, and secondary suites.

Site Coverage

Site coverage limits depend on the roof type:

• Flat roof: max 40%
• Sloped roof: max 45%

These limits apply to the combined coverage of all structures on the site, including the principal building, garage, and any accessory structures.

Floor Area Ratio (FAR)

There’s no maximum FAR in the RS zone. This gives you more flexibility in terms of interior floor space, as long as you stay within height, coverage, and setback limits.

Setbacks

Front setbacks vary by road type:

• Local Road: 3.0 m, or within 20% of the average setback of adjacent parcels (if that average falls between 3.0 m and 5.5 m)
• Collector Road: 3.0 m
• Arterial Road: 6.0 m
• Park or Public Open Space: 3.0 m
• LRT Stop: 3.0 m min / 6.0 m max

Rear setbacks:

• With alley: 0.0 m from the rear lot line (the alley provides 6.0 m of separation)
• Without alley: 7.5 m from the rear lot line

Side setbacks for row housing and stacked row housing:

• 1st storey: 2.0 m
• Each additional storey: +0.5 m

Side setbacks for single detached and semi-detached:

• Varies from 1.0 m to 2.4 m depending on height
• Zero-lot-line allowed for semi-detached (on the shared wall side)

Parking

There’s no minimum parking requirement in the RS zone. If you include parking, it must be at the rear of the property if an alley exists. Front-facing parking isn’t allowed where an alley is available. However, if you have more than 8 units, check out our blog post on the tipping point between 8 and 9 units.

Amenity Area

If your development has more than 8 units, you must provide at least 7.5 m² of amenity area per unit. For projects that include residential units, amenity areas are a key consideration—this can include private balconies, rooftop gardens, or common indoor spaces like gyms or lounges.

Landscaping

New developments must include landscaping: 1 tree and 2 shrubs for every 30 m² of setback area.

Other Important Regulations

Driveways & Garages

If your property backs onto an alley, your garage needs to be at the back — no front-facing driveways or garages allowed. This applies even if you’re replacing an older home that had a front garage. You’ll need to remove the existing driveway, rebuild the curb, and put the new garage in the rear. Plan for this early — it affects your site layout and budget. The only way around this regulation is typically to wait for a permit to be refused and then to appeal it to the Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

Secondary Suites & Backyard Housing

One of the best things about the RS zone is how flexibly you can mix housing types. Here’s a quick primer on the two unit types that tend to cause the most confusion:

• A secondary suite is a unit inside the main building — typically in the basement, but not always.
• A backyard house is a separate unit in the backyard. It can be attached to a garage (beside or above it) or a standalone building.

You can have both on the same site — just make sure you’re not exceeding your total unit count. Secondary suites are permitted in single detached, semi-detached, and row housing. Backyard houses are permitted alongside any housing type.

One important caveat: secondary suites and backyard houses can’t be separated from the main home through subdivision or condo conversion. If you want to subdivide or condo your units, they all need to be principal units. Check in on building code and servicing requirements too — they can affect what’s feasible.

Commercial Uses

Here’s one that surprises a lot of people: the RS zone actually allows commercial uses — things like cafés, medical offices, retail stores, and professional offices. The catch is that your site needs to be adjacent to a commercially zoned property. It’s a narrow window, but it’s there.

Thinking about redeveloping your property? We can help!

There’s a lot you can do in the RS zone — and a lot of details that can trip up even experienced builders. If you’d like a clearer picture of what’s possible on your specific site, we offer Development Strategy Reports that assess your property against current regulations and lay out potential development scenarios, key considerations, and the pros and cons of each option.

We can also manage your permit drawings and development permit application for small-scale multi-unit housing — row housing, stacked row housing, garden suites, and more. And if what you’re looking to build falls outside what the RS zone allows, we can help you navigate a rezoning too.