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Zoning · Burlington · Residential

URM zone, Burlington: Uptown Medium-Density Residential

By-law 2020 Part 7, Sections 1-3 and 5 (Table 7.2.1; Tables 7.5.1-7.5.2) of the City of Burlington Zoning By-law 09-2026 / 2020.

A low-rise residential zone in Burlington's Uptown Mixed-Use Centre that permits detached, semi-detached, duplex, triplex, fourplex and townhouse dwellings up to 3 storeys, with lot size and yard rules that change by dwelling type. No non-residential uses are permitted.

Is a property in the URM zone? Enter its address and the lookup returns the zone and these standards, including any site-specific exception.

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What the URM zone permits

  • Detached dwelling
  • Semi-detached dwelling
  • Duplex
  • Triplex
  • Fourplex
  • Townhouse
  • Street townhouse
  • Stacked townhouse
  • Additional residential units (subject to Part 1, s.2.21(u), note (l))

Standards

RequirementBy-law
Minimum lot area (interior lot)270 m²Table 7.5.1 lot area by dwelling type: Detached 270 m2; Semi-detached 180 m2; Duplex 270 m2; Triplex 540 m2; Fourplex 720 m2; Townhouse 1200 m2; Street townhouse 165 m2; Stacked townhouse 900 m2
Minimum lot width (interior lot)9 mTable 7.5.1 lot width by dwelling type: Detached 9 m; Semi-detached 6 m/unit; Duplex 9 m; Triplex 18 m; Fourplex 18 m; Townhouse 40 m; Street townhouse 5.5 m/unit; Stacked townhouse 30 m
Minimum front yard3 mTable 7.5.1 'Front Yard and Street Side Yard': 3 m minimum and 8 m maximum for detached, duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse and stacked townhouse; 2.7 m minimum and 8 m maximum for semi-detached and street townhouse
Minimum interior side yard1.2 mTable 7.5.1: 1.2 m for semi-detached, duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouse, street townhouse and stacked townhouse. Detached is footnote (a): 1.2 m where the side yard abuts a dwelling, 60 cm where it abuts an attached or detached garage
Minimum exterior side yard3 mStreet side yard shares one column with the front yard in Table 7.5.1: 3 m min / 8 m max (2.7 m min / 8 m max for semi-detached and street townhouse)
Minimum rear yard6 mTable 7.5.1: 6 m for all dwelling types except stacked townhouse, 7.5 m
Maximum building heightSee notes.5.3(b): maximum 3 storeys; residential building height measured per Part 1, s.2.31 'Residential Building Height' (s.5.3(a)). No height in metres is stated.
Maximum lot coverageSee notes.5.4: for detached lots 12 m or greater in width, the lot coverage provisions of Part 2, s.4.2 apply; no coverage figure is stated in this Part, and none is stated for other cases
Minimum landscaped open space25 %s.5.6: 25% for townhouse and stacked townhouse only; no landscape area is stated for the other dwelling types
Maximum density50s.5.2: townhouse and stacked townhouse only - 26 units per ha minimum, 50 units per ha maximum

Other provisions in this section

  • Table 7.5.2 other yards: building setback abutting a creek block 3 m; yard abutting a pipeline easement 7 m; yard abutting a railway right-of-way 30 m
  • s.5.2 Density: townhouse and stacked townhouse minimum 26 units per ha and maximum 50 units per ha
  • s.5.5(a) Parking per Part 1, s.2.25 'Off-Street Parking and Loading Requirements'
  • s.5.5(b) Parking lots may be set back 1 m from a street line if a decorative wall 1 m to 1.2 m (maximum) high screens the lot from the street
  • s.5.5(c) Stacked townhouses: driveways and parking spaces set back 2 m from a building wall containing habitable-room windows, except where the space and driveway are for the exclusive use of the unit occupant
  • s.5.7 Lots abutting O2-zoned lands next to the top-of-bank of Sheldon Creek may include the abutting O2 land above the top-of-bank when calculating density, lot coverage and landscape area
  • s.5.8(a) An attached garage shall not project more than 2 m beyond the front wall of the livable portion of the dwelling unit at grade
  • s.5.8(b) A detached garage in a rear yard abutting a public or private lane may be built to the rear lot line; set back 90 cm from a side lot line and 3 m from a side lot line abutting a street
  • s.5.8(c) A detached garage in a rear yard shall be set back 6 m from a dwelling on the same lot and shall be accessed only from a private or public lane
  • s.5.8(d) Minimum 4.5 m between the exterior walls of any two townhouse or stacked townhouse buildings; 2 m where the facing walls contain no habitable-room windows
  • s.1(a) Holding 'H' prefix: uses per Part 11, s.1.1; development or redevelopment deemed premature until the 'H' is removed per Part 11, s.1.2
  • s.1 Also subject to Part 1 (general conditions) and Part 14 (exceptions): accessory buildings and structures (Part 1, s.2.2), patios and decks (s.2.3), fencing and privacy screens (s.2.4), swimming pools (s.2.5), general parking (s.2.26), and parking spaces, driveways and parking structures (Part 2, s.1)
  • s.3 Prohibited uses in addition to Part 1, s.2.22: propane cylinder handling facility, bulk propane storage depot, parking structures and parking lots as a principal use, video game/pinball machine arcade, adult entertainment establishment. Residential uses are also subject to Part 2, s.2 'Prohibited Uses'
  • Table 7.2.1 note (l): additional residential units are subject to Part 1, s.2.21(u)
  • Table 7.2.1 permits no non-residential use in the URM column - no retail, service commercial, office, community, hospitality, automotive, industrial, or recreation and entertainment use, and no apartment building or retirement home
  • Table 7.2.1 note (d) (stated elsewhere in the Part) prohibits a funeral home on a lot abutting a residential or URM zone, which constrains development on adjoining non-residential lots

Source: By-law 2020 Part 7, Sections 1-3 and 5 (Table 7.2.1; Tables 7.5.1-7.5.2), By-law 09-2026 / 2020 (City of Burlington), checked 2026-09-12. General provisions elsewhere in the by-law (parking, driveways, accessory buildings) also apply, and a numbered exception on the parcel can change any value here. Treat this as a pre-check, not a sign-off.

Other residential zones in Burlington: DRH, DRL, DRM, HN, LN1, LN2, LN3, LN4, LN5, LN6, LN7, LN8, R1.1, R1.2, R2.1, R2.2, R2.3, R2.4, R3.1, R3.2, R3.3, R3.4, R4, R5, RAL1, RAL2, RAL3, RAL4, REV1, REV2, REV3, RH1, RH2, RH3, RH4, RH5, RM1, RM2, RM3, RM4, RM5, RNA1, RNA2, RNA3, RO1, RO2, RO3, RO4, SNA, URH