Zoning · Hamilton · Residential
TOC3 zone, Hamilton: Transit Oriented Corridor Multiple Residential (TOC3) Zone
Section 11.3 (Subsections 11.3.1 to 11.3.8) of the City of Hamilton Zoning By-law 05-200, as amended by 16-265, 18-032, 18-219, 19-062, 21-071, 21-189, 22-132, 24-137, 25-155, 25-229.
A medium-density residential zone along Hamilton's higher-order transit corridors, allowing apartment-style multiple dwellings, street townhouses and residential care-type uses in buildings 11 to 22 metres tall set close to the street.
Is a property in the TOC3 zone? Enter its address and the lookup returns the zone and these standards, including any site-specific exception.
Check an addressWhat the TOC3 zone permits
- Community Garden
- Educational Establishment
- Emergency Shelter
- Lodging House
- Multiple Dwelling
- Residential Care Facility
- Retirement Home
- Street Townhouse Dwelling
Standards
| Requirement | By-law |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot area (interior lot) | 360 m²360.0 m2 for Educational Establishment, Emergency Shelter, Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility, Retirement Home (11.3.2 d); Street Townhouse Dwelling: 145.0 m2 per unit (11.3.3 a) |
| Minimum lot width (interior lot) | See noteNot stated for multiple dwellings and other 11.3.2 uses; Street Townhouse Dwelling: minimum lot width 5.5 m per unit (11.3.3 b) |
| Minimum front yard | 3 mBuilding setback from a street line: minimum 3.0 m; maximum 4.5 m except where a visibility triangle is required for a driveway access; minimum 6.0 m for the portion of a building providing an access driveway to a garage; the 4.5 m maximum does not apply to any portion of a building exceeding the facade-width requirement of 11.3.2 f) ii) and iii). Same 3.0 m min / 4.5 m max / 6.0 m garage-driveway rule for Street Townhouse Dwellings (11.3.3 c) |
| Minimum interior side yard | See note11.3.2 c): 7.5 m for lots abutting a Residential (R1), (R1a) or (R2) Zone; no interior side yard stated otherwise. Street Townhouse Dwelling (11.3.3 d i): 1.2 m, except 0 m for the side yard at the common wall of the dwelling unit |
| Minimum exterior side yard | See noteNot stated for the 11.3.2 uses (Educational Establishment, Emergency Shelter, Lodging House, Multiple Dwelling, Residential Care Facility, Retirement Home) — a yard abutting a street is instead governed by the building setback from a street line of 11.3.2 a) (minimum 3.0 m, maximum 4.5 m). Street Townhouse Dwelling: 3.0 m for a flankage yard (11.3.3 d ii) |
| Minimum rear yard | 7.5 m7.5 m (11.3.2 b; 11.3.3 e for street townhouses); on a corner lot where the rear lot line abuts a street line, the street line setback of 11.3.2 a) (3.0 m min / 4.5 m max) applies instead |
| Maximum building height | 22 mMaximum 22.0 m and minimum 11.0 m for all uses (11.3.2 e i and ii; 11.3.3 f). Where abutting a Residential or Institutional Zone, height above 11.0 m may be increased equivalently as the yard increases beyond the minimum of 11.3.2 b) and c), to a maximum of 22.0 m. Enclosed or partially enclosed rooftop amenity areas/access structures may project up to 3.0 m above the uppermost point of the building subject to 11.3.2 e) iv) |
| Minimum landscaped open space | 10 %10% of the lot area shall be landscaped area, stated for Multiple Dwellings (11.3.2 g) |
Other provisions in this section
- Finished floor elevation of any dwelling unit must be a minimum of 0.9 m above grade; notwithstanding this, dwelling units are permitted in a basement or cellar (11.3.1.1 i).
- Commercial uses legally established in buildings existing at the date of passing of the By-law may convert to: Artist Studio, Catering Service, Child Care Centre, Commercial School, Communications Establishment, Craftsperson Shop, Financial Institution, Office, Performing Arts Theatre, Personal Service, Restaurant, Retail, Tradesperson's Shop (11.3.1.1 ii).
- Residential Care Facility maximum capacity is 20 residents (11.3.1.1 iii).
- Every Emergency Shelter and 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; existing facilities closer than 300 m may be expanded or redeveloped to not more than the number of residents permitted by the zone (11.3.1.1 iv).
- Prohibited use: Educational Establishment consisting of a College or University (11.3.1.2).
- Rooftop amenity area enclosures/access structures: total floor area max 10% of the floor area of the storey directly beneath; set back min 3.0 m from the exterior walls of the storey beneath; max 3.0 m vertical projection above the uppermost point of the building (11.3.2 e iv).
- Built form for new development (11.3.2 f): rooftop mechanical equipment must be located/screened from view of any abutting street; on an interior or through lot the ground floor facade facing the front lot line must be at least 50% of the front lot line length; on a corner lot the combined ground floor facade facing street lines must be at least 30% of all lot lines abutting the street; facade width excludes access driveways and any required yards within a lot line abutting a street; maximum one 6.0 m wide driveway for ingress/egress; no parking or aisles between a required building facade and the front lot line or flankage lot line; Heritage Permit-approved alternative designs on Ontario Heritage Act designated properties are deemed to comply.
- Minimum amenity area on a lot containing more than 10 dwelling units: 4.0 m2 per dwelling unit less than 50 m2 and 6.0 m2 per dwelling unit more than 50 m2; outdoor amenity area must be unobstructed, at or above the surface, exposed to light and air and may include balconies and patios; amenity area must be provided exclusively for the residential component and functionally separated from public areas of any commercial component (11.3.2 h).
- A visual barrier per Section 4.19 is required along any lot line abutting a Downtown D5 Zone, Institutional Zone or Residential Zone; no visual barrier is permitted between the building facade and the street (11.3.2 i).
- Addition or alteration to a single detached or duplex dwelling (section heading also names semi-detached) that is not permitted by the by-law but existed at the date of passing of the by-law (February 14, 2018) and that increases interior volume or size: in addition to Subsection 4.12 f), permitted up to a maximum 10% of the Gross Floor Area existing at the date of passing; Subsection 11.3.3 e) i) does not apply; side yard setbacks of the addition shall not be less than the existing side yard setbacks (11.3.4).
- Parking in accordance with Section 5 of the By-law (11.3.5).
- Accessory buildings in accordance with Section 4.8; accessory buildings and structures are not subject to the street line setback of 11.3.2 a) (11.3.6).
- Community Garden in accordance with Section 4.27 (11.3.7).
- Additional Dwelling Units in accordance with Section 4.33 (11.3.8).
Source: Section 11.3 (Subsections 11.3.1 to 11.3.8), 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, R3, R4, R4a, S1