Zoning · Hamilton · Residential
R3 zone, Hamilton: Mid Rise Residential – Small Scale (R3) Zone
Section 15.4 (Regulations: 15.4.2.1 Multiple Dwelling Townhouse; 15.4.2.2 Educational Establishment, Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility and Retirement Home) of the City of Hamilton Zoning By-law 05-200, as amended by By-law No. 25-229 (December 10, 2025), By-law No. 25-189 (October 08, 2025).
The R3 zone applies to low rise residential areas along arterial and collector roads and permits low rise multiple dwellings and multiple dwelling townhouses within and at the periphery of neighbourhoods, along with lodging houses, residential care facilities, retirement homes, educational establishments and (as a secondary use) child care centres.
Is a property in the R3 zone? Enter its address and the lookup returns the zone and these standards, including any site-specific exception.
Check an addressWhat the R3 zone permits
- Child Care Centre (only as a secondary use to a Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility or Retirement Home and only within the ground floor, or as a secondary use to an Educational Establishment – s. 15.4.1.1)
- Community Garden (accessory; rear yard or roof-top only – s. 15.4.4)
- Educational Establishment (one consisting of a College or University is prohibited – s. 15.4.1.2)
- Lodging House
- Multiple Dwelling
- Multiple Dwelling Townhouse
- Residential Care Facility
- Retirement Home
- Urban Farm (accessory; rear yard or roof-top only – s. 15.4.4)
Standards
| Requirement | By-law |
|---|---|
| Minimum front yard | 4 mMinimum setback from a Street Line 4.0 m for both Multiple Dwelling Townhouse (15.4.2.1 c) and Multiple Dwelling/Lodging House/Residential Care Facility/Retirement Home/Educational Establishment (15.4.2.2 a). Exception: on lots identified on Figure 46 of Schedule F, a building may be erected closer — within 10% of the average Street Line (front/flankage) setback of the two adjacent dwellings, or on a corner lot within 10% of the setback of the adjacent dwelling sharing a common/side lot line — but in no case less than 0.5 m. |
| Minimum interior side yard | 1.2 m15.4.2.2 b) Minimum Setback from a Side Lot Line: 1.2 m; 4.0 m where windows of a Habitable Room face the side lot line; 6.0 m for an Educational Establishment. Multiple Dwelling Townhouse (15.4.2.1 d, a combined side-or-rear lot line rule): in all other cases 1.5 m where the wall contains no habitable-room windows and 4.5 m where it does; where the lot line abuts a lot in an R1, R1a, R2, I1 or I2 zone, for the first 25.0 m measured from the intersection of the lot line and a street 1.2 m (no habitable-room windows) or 7.5 m (habitable-room windows), and 7.5 m beyond 25.0 m. |
| Minimum exterior side yard | 4 mThe 4.0 m minimum setback applies to any Street Line, so it governs the flankage side on a corner lot (15.4.2.1 c / 15.4.2.2 a); the Figure 46 Schedule F exception applies as for the front setback (never less than 0.5 m). |
| Minimum rear yard | 7.5 m15.4.2.2 c): 7.5 m from the rear lot line. Multiple Dwelling Townhouse (15.4.2.1 d, side or rear lot line): 1.5 m where the wall contains no habitable-room windows and 4.5 m where it does; where the lot line abuts an R1, R1a, R2, I1 or I2 zone: 1.2 m (no windows) / 7.5 m (windows) for the first 25.0 m from the intersection of the lot line and a street, and 7.5 m beyond 25.0 m. |
| Maximum building height | 12 m12.0 m for Educational Establishment, Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility and Retirement Home (15.4.2.2 d); 10.5 m for Multiple Dwelling Townhouse (15.4.2.1 f). In both cases a wholly or partially enclosed amenity area, or a portion of a building providing access to a rooftop amenity area, may project 3.0 m above the uppermost point of the building, the rooftop-access portion being set back at least 3.0 m from the exterior walls of the storey directly beneath. No storey limit is stated. |
| Minimum landscaped open space | 30 %Minimum Landscaped Area 30% of the Lot Area for both regulation groups (15.4.2.1 h, 15.4.2.2 e); 15% of the Lot Area for lots identified on Figure 46 of Schedule F. Section 4.35.2 applies within the Landscaped Area. |
| Minimum unit width | 6 mMultiple Dwelling Townhouse only (15.4.2.1 b): 6.0 m per Dwelling Unit where the unit contains a garage; 5.0 m where it does not. |
| Maximum dwelling units | 8Multiple Dwelling Townhouse only (15.4.2.1 a): not more than eight (8) Dwelling Units attached in a continuous row — a limit on units per row, not per lot. No unit cap is stated for Multiple Dwellings. |
Other provisions in this section
- No minimum lot area, lot frontage, lot depth, lot coverage or FSI/GFA standard is stated in Section 15.4.
- Minimum distance between buildings on a lot (15.4.2.1 e, 15.4.2.2 f): 3.0 m between two exterior walls containing no habitable-room windows; 6.0 m where at least one wall contains habitable-room windows; 12.0 m where both walls contain habitable-room windows.
- Townhouse amenity area (15.4.2.1 i): minimum 5.0 m² per Dwelling Unit, provided communally, exclusive to the unit, or a combination; outdoor amenity area must be unobstructed, at or above the surface, exposed to light and air, and may include balconies and patios; in addition, 4.0 m² per Dwelling Unit that is located above another Dwelling Unit or has a rear wall attached to the rear wall of another dwelling unit must be provided in one or more communal areas, each at least 20 m², located entirely outdoors on the surface of the ground.
- Amenity area for 15.4.2.2 uses (15.4.2.2 h): on a lot containing more than 10 Dwelling Units, 5.0 m² per Dwelling Unit provided exclusively for the residential use and functionally separated from public areas associated with any non-residential use — 3.0 m² outdoors on or above the ground (at least 50% of it a contiguous area) and 2.0 m² indoors.
- Townhouse parking location (15.4.2.1 j): no parking spaces between a Façade and the Front Lot Line or between the Façade and a Flankage Lot Line, except parking on individual driveways leading to garages forming part of a Dwelling Unit.
- Maximum vehicular accesses (15.4.2.1 k, 15.4.2.2 j): two access driveways, plus one additional access driveway for every 150.0 m of cumulative portions of any lot line abutting a street.
- Townhouse pedestrian access (15.4.2.1 l): any ground floor Dwelling Unit adjacent to a yard abutting a street must have at least one pedestrian entrance located in a façade facing a street.
- Townhouse principal pedestrian entrance (15.4.2.1 m): the floor level of any principal pedestrian entrance shall be a maximum of 1.2 m above grade.
- Waste storage (15.4.2.1 n, 15.4.2.2 k): outdoor waste storage shall be fully enclosed and shall not be located in the front yard.
- Built form for new development — townhouses (15.4.2.1 g): for buildings constructed after the effective date of the By-law, rooftop mechanical equipment shall be located and/or screened from view of any abutting street.
- Built form for new development — 15.4.2.2 uses (15.4.2.2 g): for buildings constructed after the effective date of the By-law, excluding any alterations to a façade, windows or doors after that date — rooftop mechanical equipment located and/or screened from view of any abutting street; no parking or aisles between the building façade and a Street Line; and all principal entrances facing the street, accessible from the building façade with direct access from the public sidewalk.
- Single Detached, Semi-Detached, Duplex, Triplex, Fourplex and Street Townhouse Dwellings legally existing at the date of passing (October 08, 2025) (15.4.3): an addition or alteration that increases the volume or size of the building is permitted, subject to the R1 zone regulations in Section 15.1.2 (in addition to Section 1.11 d) and 4.12 j) and in accordance with Planning Act s. 34(10)); an Additional Dwelling Unit is permitted in accordance with Section 4.33.
- Urban Farms (15.4.4 a): in accordance with Subsection 4.26 (c); permitted only in the Rear Yard or on the roof-top of the principal building.
- Community Gardens (15.4.4 b): in accordance with Section 4.27; permitted only in the rear yard or on the roof-top of the principal building.
- Child Care Centre (15.4.1.1) is restricted to a secondary use to a Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility or Retirement Home and only within the ground floor of a building, or as a secondary use to an Educational Establishment.
- Prohibited use (15.4.1.2): an Educational Establishment consisting of a College or University.
Source: Section 15.4 (Regulations: 15.4.2.1 Multiple Dwelling Townhouse; 15.4.2.2 Educational Establishment, Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility and Retirement Home), 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.
Other residential zones in Hamilton: D6, R1, R1a, R2, R4, R4a, S1, TOC3