Zoning · Hamilton · Institutional
I3 zone, Hamilton: Major Institutional (I3) Zone
Section 8.3 (8.3.1 Permitted Uses; 8.3.2.1 to 8.3.2.7 Regulations) of the City of Hamilton Zoning By-law 05-200, as amended by 07-101, 08-227, 11-276, 14-238, 14-273, 15-107, 18-219, 21-189, 25-155.
A zone for large institutional uses such as hospitals, schools, places of worship and care facilities, with separate rules for each type of use, plus street townhouses and child care centres.
Is a property in the I3 zone? Enter its address and the lookup returns the zone and these standards, including any site-specific exception.
Check an addressWhat the I3 zone permits
- Child Care Centre
- Community Garden
- Educational Establishment
- Emergency Shelter
- Hospital
- Lodging House
- Long Term Care Facility
- Medical Clinic
- Multiple Dwelling
- Place of Worship
- Recreation
- Residential Care Facility
- Retirement Home
- Social Services Establishment
- Street Townhouse Dwelling
- Urban Farm
- Urban Farmers Market
Standards
| Requirement | By-law |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot area (interior lot) | See noteDepends on use: Street Townhouse 165.0 m2 per dwelling unit (8.3.2.3 a); Child Care Centre 330.0 m2 (8.3.2.4 a). No minimum lot area stated for the other institutional uses (8.3.2.1, 8.3.2.2). |
| Minimum lot area (corner lot) | See noteDepends on use: Street Townhouse 195.0 m2 on a corner lot (8.3.2.3 a ii); Child Care Centre 360.0 m2 on a corner lot (8.3.2.4 a ii). Not stated for other uses. |
| Minimum lot width (interior lot) | 30 m30.0 m minimum lot width applies only to Emergency Shelter, Long Term Care Facility, Place of Worship, Residential Care Facility, Retirement Home and Social Services Establishment (8.3.2.1 a). Not stated for other uses. |
| Minimum front yard | See noteStated only for Street Townhouse Dwelling and Child Care Centre: 4.5 m, and 5.8 m for an attached garage (8.3.2.3 c, 8.3.2.4 b). No front yard stated for the institutional uses in 8.3.2.1 and 8.3.2.2. |
| Minimum interior side yard | 7 m7.0 m for Emergency Shelter/Long Term Care/Place of Worship/Residential Care/Retirement Home/Social Services (8.3.2.1 b). Educational Establishment, Hospital, Lodging House, Medical Clinic, Multiple Dwelling, Recreation: 6.0 m only where the lot line abuts a Residential Zone lot line (8.3.2.2 a). Street Townhouse: 1.2 m, 0 m on the common-wall side (8.3.2.3 d). Child Care Centre: 1.2 m (8.3.2.4 c). |
| Minimum exterior side yard | 3 m3.0 m flankage yard stated only for Street Townhouse Dwelling (8.3.2.3 e) and Child Care Centre (8.3.2.4 d). Not stated separately for the other institutional uses. |
| Minimum rear yard | 7.5 m7.5 m for Emergency Shelter/Long Term Care/Place of Worship/Residential Care/Retirement Home/Social Services (8.3.2.1 c), Street Townhouse (8.3.2.3 f) and Child Care Centre (8.3.2.4 e). For Educational Establishment, Hospital, Lodging House, Medical Clinic, Multiple Dwelling and Recreation: 6.0 m only where the lot line abuts a Residential Zone lot line (8.3.2.2 a). |
| Maximum building height | 18 m18.0 m for uses under 8.3.2.1 and 8.3.2.2; under 8.3.2.2 b ii) height may be equivalently increased as the yard increases beyond the 6.0 m minimum in 8.3.2.2 a). Street Townhouse Dwelling and Child Care Centre: 10.5 m (8.3.2.3 g, 8.3.2.4 f). |
| Minimum landscaped open space | 10 %10% of the lot area, stated only for Emergency Shelter, Long Term Care Facility, Place of Worship, Residential Care Facility, Retirement Home and Social Services Establishment (8.3.2.1 e). |
| Minimum unit width | 6 m6.0 m minimum unit width for Street Townhouse Dwelling (8.3.2.3 b). |
Other provisions in this section
- Regulations are split by use: 8.3.2.1 (Emergency Shelter, Long Term Care Facility, Place of Worship, Residential Care Facility, Retirement Home, Social Services Establishment); 8.3.2.2 (Educational Establishment, Hospital, Lodging House, Medical Clinic, Multiple Dwelling, Recreation); 8.3.2.3 (Street Townhouse Dwelling); 8.3.2.4 (Child Care Centre).
- Residential Care Facility capacity shall not exceed 50 residents (8.3.2.1 f).
- Every Emergency Shelter or Residential Care Facility must be on a lot with a minimum 300 m radial separation (lot line to lot line) from any other lot occupied by a Residential Care Facility, Emergency Shelter, Corrections Residence or Correctional Facility (8.3.2.1 g i).
- Where an existing Emergency Shelter or Residential Care Facility (as of the By-law's effective date) is within 300 m of such a facility, the existing Residential Care Facility may be expanded or redeveloped to no more than the number of residents permitted by its Zone (8.3.2.1 g ii).
- Multiple Dwelling and Lodging House are only permitted on the same lot as an Educational Establishment, Retirement Home or Long Term Care Facility (8.3.2.2 c).
- Under 8.3.2.2, side and rear yards of 6.0 m apply only where the lot line abuts a Residential Zone lot line; building height above 18.0 m is allowed equivalent to the increase in yard beyond that 6.0 m minimum (8.3.2.2 a, b).
- Street Townhouse Dwelling: front yard 4.5 m, but 5.8 m for an attached garage; side yard 1.2 m except 0 m on the common-wall side (8.3.2.3 c, d).
- Child Care Centre: front yard 4.5 m, but 5.8 m for an attached garage (8.3.2.4 b).
- Parking for all uses in accordance with Section 5 of the By-law.
- Accessory buildings for all uses in accordance with Section 4.8 of the By-law.
- Home Business permitted in accordance with Section 4.21 for uses under 8.3.2.2 and for Street Townhouse Dwellings (8.3.2.2 f, 8.3.2.3 j).
- Urban Farm in accordance with Section 4.26 (8.3.2.5); Community Garden in accordance with Section 4.27 (8.3.2.6); Urban Farmers Market in accordance with Section 4.28 (8.3.2.7).
Source: Section 8.3 (8.3.1 Permitted Uses; 8.3.2.1 to 8.3.2.7 Regulations), By-law 05-200 (City of Hamilton), 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.