[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":340},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-list":3,"article-\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-ground-oriented-zone-renovation-realdream":155,"article-people-\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-ground-oriented-zone-renovation-realdream":339},[4,20,31,46,56,65,79,87,97,110,123,135,145],{"path":5,"title":6,"description":7,"date":8,"publishedAt":9,"author":10,"category":11,"tags":12,"image":17,"imageAlt":18,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fculture-makes-the-city-grants-november-2026","North Vancouver opens grant applications for community events and arts activities","The City of North Vancouver is accepting applications for its Culture Makes the City programming grants, with up to $25,000 available for established local events. The deadline is December 13, 2026.","2026-11-14","2026-11-14T10:30:00-07:00","voche.me editors","News",[13,14,15,16],"Community","Arts","Grants","North Vancouver City",null,"Illustration of art supplies and grant application forms on a studio table",false,{"path":21,"title":22,"description":23,"date":8,"publishedAt":24,"author":10,"category":25,"tags":26,"image":17,"imageAlt":30,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-council-agenda-november-16-2026","What North Vancouver City Council will decide at its first working meeting November 16","The new Council's first regular meeting covers the official election results certificate, a new auditor, a Budget Outlook presentation and Mayor Buchanan's motion to set public service standards for building permits and business licences.","2026-11-14T08:00:00-07:00","Long read",[27,16,28,29],"City Council","Building Permits","Budget","Illustration of a council meeting agenda on a table in a city chamber",{"path":32,"title":33,"description":34,"date":35,"publishedAt":36,"author":37,"category":25,"tags":38,"image":17,"imageAlt":17,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-ground-oriented-zone-renovation-realdream","Adding a suite, a duplex or a fourplex in the City of North Vancouver: what the Ground Oriented zone allows","Since December 8, 2025, most former single-family lots in the City of North Vancouver allow 3 to 6 homes. The unit counts, floor area, coverage and setbacks, and how a renovation or a new build applies.","2026-11-13","2026-11-13T19:40:00-07:00","RealDream Contracting",[39,40,41,42,43,44,45],"Ground Oriented zone","small-scale multi-unit housing","secondary suite","duplex","renovation","North Vancouver","housing",{"path":47,"title":48,"description":49,"date":35,"publishedAt":50,"author":10,"category":25,"tags":51,"image":17,"imageAlt":55,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-school-board-inaugural-meeting-november-17-2026","North Vancouver's new school board meets for the first time on November 17","Three newly elected trustees from the City of North Vancouver will take their oaths, choose a board chair and begin the work of governing School District 44 at the inaugural public meeting on Monday evening.","2026-11-13T12:45:00-07:00",[52,53,54],"School Trustee","School District 44","Board of Education","Illustration of a school board meeting room ready for a public meeting",{"path":57,"title":58,"description":59,"date":60,"publishedAt":61,"author":10,"category":25,"tags":62,"image":17,"imageAlt":64,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-school-district-enrollment-2026-27","North Vancouver School District starts 2026-27 with 16,261 students as new board takes office November 17","School District 44 reported 16,260.94 funded full-time-equivalent students for September 2026, down from 16,489.91 a year earlier, with the new school board trustees sworn in on November 17.","2026-11-12","2026-11-12T14:30:44-07:00",[63,53,16],"School Board","Illustration of an empty school hallway with lockers and classroom doors lit by morning light",{"path":66,"title":67,"description":68,"date":69,"publishedAt":70,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":72,"image":76,"imageAlt":77,"imageCredit":78,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-shore-craft-beer-festival-final-day-november-2026","North Shore Craft Beer Festival wraps up Thursday at Lonsdale Quay","Vancouver's North Shore Craft Beer Festival ends November 12 with a final event at Strathcona North on Carrie Cates Court. The two-week festival brought 12 breweries together around Lower Lonsdale and the Shipyards.","2026-11-11","2026-11-11T11:08:30-07:00","Election news",[73,74,75,16],"Events","Breweries","Lonsdale","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-north-vancouver-city-2026\u002Fai\u002Fnorth-shore-craft-beer-festival-final-day-november-2026.webp","Illustration of beer glasses on a bar counter with a harbour view","Illustration made with AI for voche.me",{"path":80,"title":81,"description":82,"date":83,"publishedAt":84,"author":10,"category":25,"tags":85,"image":17,"imageAlt":86,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-council-first-meeting-november-16-2026","North Vancouver City Council holds its first regular meeting November 16","The new Council meets for the first time as a working body on November 16, and the Board of Education holds its inaugural meeting the following evening. Here is what residents can expect.","2026-11-10","2026-11-10T08:17:40-07:00",[27,63,16],"Illustration of an empty city council chamber with a curved wooden dais and microphones",{"path":88,"title":89,"description":90,"date":83,"publishedAt":91,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":92,"image":95,"imageAlt":96,"imageCredit":78,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-rainfall-warning-november-10-2026","Environment Canada issues rainfall warning for North Vancouver through Wednesday night","A Yellow Rainfall Warning is in effect for the North Shore from Tuesday morning until late Wednesday night. Environment Canada says 60 to 100 mm of rain is expected, with up to 120 mm in the mountains.","2026-11-10T08:21:21-07:00",[93,94,16],"Safety","Weather","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-north-vancouver-city-2026\u002Fai\u002Fnorth-vancouver-rainfall-warning-november-10-2026.webp","Illustration of a flooded street near a hillside creek during heavy rain",{"path":98,"title":99,"description":100,"date":101,"publishedAt":102,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":103,"image":108,"imageAlt":109,"imageCredit":78,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Flonsdale-quay-market-40th-anniversary-november-2026","Lonsdale Quay Market marks 40 years with a free all-day event on November 21","Lonsdale Quay Market, which opened during Expo 86, is holding a free all-day event on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 11 am to 10 pm, with live music, local artisans, food vendors and family activities.","2026-11-09","2026-11-09T22:36:00-07:00",[104,105,106,107],"City of North Vancouver","events","Lonsdale Quay","community","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-north-vancouver-city-2026\u002Fai\u002Flonsdale-quay-market-40th-anniversary-november-2026.webp","Illustration of an indoor public market with harbour views on a sunny day",{"path":111,"title":112,"description":113,"date":114,"publishedAt":115,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":116,"image":17,"imageAlt":17,"imageCredit":17,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-council-committees-acting-mayor-2027","Who sits where on the new City of North Vancouver council: boards, committees and acting mayors","At its inaugural meeting on November 2, 2026 the City of North Vancouver council named its Metro Vancouver director and its members on City, North Shore and outside boards, and set who serves as acting mayor through 2027.","2026-11-08","2026-11-08T19:36:00-07:00",[117,118,119,120,121,122],"Mayor","Councillor","council committees","Metro Vancouver","Lonsdale Energy","acting mayor",{"path":124,"title":125,"description":126,"date":114,"publishedAt":115,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":127,"image":132,"imageAlt":133,"imageCredit":134,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-mayor-council-school-trustees-promises-2026","What the City of North Vancouver's mayor, council and school trustees promised","The promises Linda Buchanan, the six councillors and the three school trustees elected in the City of North Vancouver in 2026 made during the campaign, by topic, each linked to its record.",[117,118,52,128,129,130,131],"promise tracker","transit","wastewater plant","pay parking","\u002Fimages\u002Fbc-north-vancouver-city-2026\u002Fshipyards-1600.webp","The Shipyards and the Polygon Gallery on the North Vancouver waterfront on a sunny evening, with a boat at the Lonsdale Quay docks and apartment towers behind","Shaundd, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons",{"path":136,"title":137,"description":138,"date":114,"publishedAt":115,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":139,"image":143,"imageAlt":144,"imageCredit":104,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-remembrance-day-parade-road-closures-2026","Remembrance Day in the City of North Vancouver: parade route, road closures and free parking on November 11","The Remembrance Day parade leaves the JP Fell Armoury at 9:15 am on November 11, 2026, the ceremony at the Victoria Park Cenotaph starts at 10:30 am, and Lonsdale Avenue closes from 9 am to 2 pm.",[104,140,105,141,142],"Remembrance Day","road closures","Lonsdale Avenue","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnv.org\u002F-\u002Fmedia\u002FCity-of-North-Vancouver\u002FImages\u002FNews-Images\u002FRemembrance-day-map-UPDATED.jpg?h=471&w=772&hash=D07322179F85EF97CF9FE60C3B9EE6A6","The City of North Vancouver's map of the Remembrance Day parade route and road closures around Lonsdale Avenue and Victoria Park",{"path":146,"title":147,"description":148,"date":114,"publishedAt":115,"author":10,"category":71,"tags":149,"image":153,"imageAlt":154,"imageCredit":78,"updated":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"pinned":19,"homeBox":19},"\u002Fnews\u002Fshipyards-skate-plaza-spirit-of-the-season-christmas-market-2026","Shipyards Skate Plaza opens November 27, and the Spirit of the Season festival lights the tree on November 28","The City of North Vancouver opens the Shipyards Skate Plaza on November 27, 2026, holds its Spirit of the Season festival on November 28 from 4 pm to 9 pm, and runs the Shipyards Christmas Market to December 24.",[104,105,150,151,152],"The Shipyards","skating","Christmas market","\u002Fimages\u002Fnews\u002Fbc-north-vancouver-city-2026\u002Fai\u002Fshipyards-skate-plaza-spirit-of-the-season-christmas-market-2026.webp","Illustration of an outdoor ice rink by a harbour on a sunny day, with a decorated holiday tree and market stalls",{"id":156,"title":33,"aiMetadata":157,"author":37,"body":171,"candidates":291,"category":25,"date":35,"description":34,"extension":292,"faq":293,"homeBox":19,"image":17,"imageAlt":17,"imageCheckedAt":17,"imageCredit":17,"imageScene":17,"linkedin":17,"linkedinPostUrl":17,"meta":318,"metaDescription":319,"navigation":320,"path":32,"pinned":19,"primarySourceUrl":17,"publishedAt":36,"seo":321,"seoTitle":322,"sourceId":17,"sourceIsPaywalled":19,"sources":323,"stem":336,"storyType":17,"tags":337,"topicKey":17,"updated":17,"__hash__":338},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-ground-oriented-zone-renovation-realdream.md",{"summary":158,"keyTopics":159,"semanticKeywords":165},"A long read by RealDream Contracting, a North Vancouver renovation company. The City of North Vancouver adopted its Ground Oriented zone on December 8, 2025, in response to BC's small-scale multi-unit housing law. A lot of 280 square metres or less may hold 3 units; a larger lot may hold 4 in the Low Rise Neighbourhood 1 designation and 6 in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 or Residential Level 4. Floor area is 0.85 or 1.0 times the lot area, buildings are limited to 3 storeys, and the City asks for 0.5 parking spaces per unit.",[160,161,162,163,164],"City of North Vancouver Ground Oriented zone","North Vancouver fourplex rules","North Vancouver secondary suite permit","small-scale multi-unit housing North Vancouver","convert house to duplex North Vancouver",[166,167,168,169,170],"Low Rise Neighbourhood 1","Low Rise Neighbourhood 2","Zoning Bylaw 6700 Part 5B","lot coverage permeable area","Heritage Special Study Area",{"type":172,"value":173,"toc":281},"minimark",[174,178,181,186,189,192,196,199,212,215,219,222,225,228,242,245,248,252,255,259,262,265,268,272,275,278],[175,176,177],"p",{},"Many house lots in the City of North Vancouver can now hold more than one home without a rezoning. On December 8, 2025, City Council adopted a new Ground Oriented zone. It applies mainly to lots that were zoned for single-family houses and duplexes, and it allows 3 to 6 homes on a lot, depending on the lot's size and where it is.",[175,179,180],{},"We are a renovation company based in North Vancouver. This article sets out the numbers from the City's own pages and its December 2025 handout, and the provincial law behind them.",[182,183,185],"h2",{"id":184},"why-the-rules-changed","Why the rules changed",[175,187,188],{},"In the fall of 2023 the Province changed the law to require local governments to allow small-scale multi-unit housing. The Province's policy manual sets the minimums: 3 units on a lot of 280 square metres or less, 4 on a larger lot in an urban area, and 6 on a lot over 281 square metres within 400 metres of a bus stop with frequent service. The same manual says a local government may not hold a public hearing on a zoning change made only to meet this law, and may not require parking for the units needed to reach the six-unit minimum.",[175,190,191],{},"The City says it changed its Official Community Plan and its Zoning Bylaw to meet the Province's 20-year housing need requirements. The changes had first reading on October 6, 2025 and a public hearing on November 17, 2025, and Council adopted them on December 8, 2025.",[182,193,195],{"id":194},"how-many-homes-on-your-lot","How many homes on your lot",[175,197,198],{},"The City replaced its older single-family land use designations with two new ones. Your lot's designation and its size decide the count:",[200,201,202,206,209],"ul",{},[203,204,205],"li",{},"a lot of 280 square metres or less: 3 units",[203,207,208],{},"a larger lot in Low Rise Neighbourhood 1: 4 units",[203,210,211],{},"a larger lot in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 or Residential Level 4: 6 units",[175,213,214],{},"The City's Growing Livable Neighbourhoods page has the map that shows which designation covers your street. The units may be in one building or more, and they may be stratified, which means sold separately, or kept under one title.",[182,216,218],{"id":217},"how-big-the-buildings-can-be","How big the buildings can be",[175,220,221],{},"The zone limits floor area, the share of the lot covered by buildings, and the share of the lot left as soil that takes in rain. These are the figures in the City's handout.",[175,223,224],{},"Floor area is 0.85 times the lot area in Low Rise Neighbourhood 1, and 1.0 times the lot area in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2. The zone leaves some spaces out of that count, so the building you can build depends on the exclusions as much as the figure.",[175,226,227],{},"Lot coverage and permeable area depend on the number of units:",[200,229,230,233,236,239],{},[203,231,232],{},"1 unit: up to 30% of the lot covered, at least 50% permeable",[203,234,235],{},"2 units: up to 35% covered, at least 45% permeable",[203,237,238],{},"3 or 4 units: up to 40% covered, at least 35% permeable",[203,240,241],{},"5 or 6 units: up to 45% covered, at least 30% permeable",[175,243,244],{},"Buildings must sit at least 3 metres from the front lot line, 1.5 metres from the rear, 1.2 metres from an interior side, and the lesser of 3 metres or 0.2 times the lot width from a side street. Buildings may have at most 3 storeys. The handout lists a minimum of 0.5 parking spaces for each unit, and bicycle parking or a storage area for bikes and mobility devices.",[175,246,247],{},"New lots made by subdivision must be at least 7.5 metres wide in Low Rise Neighbourhood 1, with conditions, and 15 metres wide in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2.",[182,249,251],{"id":250},"where-the-zone-does-not-apply","Where the zone does not apply",[175,253,254],{},"The City created a Heritage Special Study Area that keeps its Heritage Character Areas out of the new zone and its design guidelines for now. The City says it will hold more engagement there. Check the map before you plan.",[182,256,258],{"id":257},"renovating-the-house-you-have","Renovating the house you have",[175,260,261],{},"A new building is one way to use the zone. The City's Ground Oriented Housing page lists the others: a new single house with or without a suite and a coach house, a duplex with or without suites, a multiplex or townhomes, a coach house on its own, an addition, a deck, a garage, and interior or exterior renovations, including adding a secondary suite or turning a suite into a duplex.",[175,263,264],{},"Each of these needs the City's application form, the same as new construction. The City says you need only one form even when the project needs both a development permit, which covers design, and a building permit, which covers construction. Some projects also need an architect.",[175,266,267],{},"For an older house, start with the house itself: whether the foundation, the wiring and the plumbing can serve a second home, and whether the floor area left under the cap is enough for what you want. A suite or a duplex conversion keeps the house, and goes through the same application as a new building.",[182,269,271],{"id":270},"how-to-apply","How to apply",[175,273,274],{},"The City asks owners to start by contacting its staff by phone, by email or in person at City Hall. Staff send the application form, a checklist of what to include, and the fees. You send the full package back by email and pay the application fees. The City checks the package, sends comments if it needs changes, and then issues the building permit, and a development permit where one is needed. Construction can start, and inspections can be booked, once all the permits are issued.",[175,276,277],{},"The City publishes Low Rise Neighbourhoods development permit guidelines with the zone. They set the design rules that make a new building fit the street. Read them with the handout before you pay for drawings.",[175,279,280],{},"This article is general information from a renovation contractor. Part 5B of the City's Zoning Bylaw is the legal text, and City staff can confirm what applies to your own lot.",{"title":282,"searchDepth":283,"depth":283,"links":284},"",2,[285,286,287,288,289,290],{"id":184,"depth":283,"text":185},{"id":194,"depth":283,"text":195},{"id":217,"depth":283,"text":218},{"id":250,"depth":283,"text":251},{"id":257,"depth":283,"text":258},{"id":270,"depth":283,"text":271},[],"md",[294,297,300,303,306,309,312,315],{"question":295,"answer":296},"How many homes can I build on my lot in the City of North Vancouver?","In the Ground Oriented zone, a lot of 280 square metres or less may hold 3 dwelling units. A larger lot may hold 4 units in the Low Rise Neighbourhood 1 designation and 6 units in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 or Residential Level 4. The City's Growing Livable Neighbourhoods page has the map of where each applies.",{"question":298,"answer":299},"When did the City of North Vancouver adopt the Ground Oriented zone?","City Council adopted the Ground Oriented zone on December 8, 2025. The bylaw changes had first reading on October 6, 2025 and a public hearing on November 17, 2025. The zone is Part 5B of the City's Zoning Bylaw, 1995, No. 6700.",{"question":301,"answer":302},"What floor area does the Ground Oriented zone allow?","The maximum gross floor area is 0.85 times the lot area in the Low Rise Neighbourhood 1 designation and 1.0 times the lot area in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2. The zone leaves some spaces out of the count, so read its exclusions before you design.",{"question":304,"answer":305},"How tall can a building be in the City of North Vancouver Ground Oriented zone?","Buildings in the Ground Oriented zone may have at most 3 storeys, with a maximum height in metres set in the zone and some exemptions, for example for roof decks, according to the City's Ground Oriented Zone handout of December 2025.",{"question":307,"answer":308},"How much parking does a new unit need in the Ground Oriented zone?","The City's handout lists a minimum of 0.5 vehicle parking spaces for each dwelling unit, and bicycle parking or a mobility parking and recreational storage area. Provincial law says a local government may not require off-street parking for the units needed to reach the six-unit minimum.",{"question":310,"answer":311},"Do I need a permit to add a secondary suite to my house in the City of North Vancouver?","Yes. The City's Ground Oriented Housing page says an interior or exterior renovation to add a secondary suite, or to convert a suite into a duplex, needs its application form, the same as new construction, an addition, a subdivision or a stratification.",{"question":313,"answer":314},"Does the Ground Oriented zone apply to heritage areas in North Vancouver?","The City created a Heritage Special Study Area to exempt its Heritage Character Areas from the Ground Oriented zone and its development permit guidelines, and says it will hold future engagement on those areas. Check the City's map for your own lot.",{"question":316,"answer":317},"Why did North Vancouver change its zoning to allow multiplexes?","BC's small-scale multi-unit housing law requires local governments to permit 3 to 6 units on most lots that were zoned for single-family homes or duplexes. The City says it adopted the changes to meet the Province's 20-year housing need requirements.",{},"What the City of North Vancouver's Ground Oriented zone allows: 3, 4 or 6 units, 0.85 or 1.0 FSR, lot coverage, setbacks, 3 storeys and how to apply.",true,{"title":33,"description":34},"City of North Vancouver Ground Oriented zone: units, FSR and setbacks",[324,327,330,333],{"label":325,"url":326},"City of North Vancouver: Ground Oriented Housing","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnv.org\u002FBusiness-Development\u002FPermits-Inspections\u002FBuilding-Permits\u002FGround-Oriented-Housing",{"label":328,"url":329},"City of North Vancouver: Growing Livable Neighbourhoods (adopted December 8, 2025)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnv.org\u002FCommunity-Environment\u002FHousing\u002FProvincial-Housing-Legislation-Updates\u002FGrowing-Livable-Neighbourhoods",{"label":331,"url":332},"City of North Vancouver: Ground Oriented Zone Handout (December 2025)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.cnv.org\u002F-\u002Fmedia\u002FCity-of-North-Vancouver\u002FDocuments\u002FDevelopment-Application-Resources\u002FGround-Oriented-Zone-Handout.pdf",{"label":334,"url":335},"Province of BC: Small-Scale, Multi-Unit Housing Provincial Policy Manual and Site Standards, version of January 20, 2026","https:\u002F\u002Fwww2.gov.bc.ca\u002Fassets\u002Fgov\u002Fhousing-and-tenancy\u002Ftools-for-government\u002Flocal-governments-and-housing\u002Fssmuh_provincial_policy_manual.pdf","news\u002Fnorth-vancouver-city-ground-oriented-zone-renovation-realdream",[39,40,41,42,43,44,45],"1lqVW3B5kDWY7_h1SWC1hCPRna3syFFxavnf63bbyHE",[],1794688371630]