What Is FSR, and How Much Can I Build on My City of North Vancouver Lot?
“• FSR stands for floor space ratio. It is a multiplier set by the zone: your lot area times the FSR gives the maximum floor area you can build.
• In the City of North Vancouver’s Ground Oriented (GO) zone, adopted December 8, 2025, the cap is 0.85 FSR in Low Rise Neighbourhood 1 (LR1) and 1.0 FSR in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 (LR2) and Residential Level 4.
• Unit count and FSR are two separate limits. FSR is usually the one that decides how big the homes can actually be.
• On a 400 m² lot, 0.85 FSR allows about 340 m² (3,660 sq ft) of floor area across up to 4 units. At 1.0 FSR, it is 400 m² (4,306 sq ft) across up to 6 units.
• Height, lot coverage, setbacks and parking all apply on top of FSR, so the number on its own is a ceiling, not a promise.”
What does FSR mean, and why does it matter more than the unit count?
Floor space ratio compares the total floor area of the buildings on a lot with the size of the lot. An FSR of 1.0 on a 400 m² lot means you can build up to 400 m² of floor area in total, spread over as many storeys as the zone allows. An FSR of 0.85 on the same lot means 340 m².
The formula is short: lot area × FSR = maximum floor area.
| Sample lot | FSR | Max units | Max floor area | Average per unit | Max building footprint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 m² (2,691 sq ft) in LR1 | 0.85 | 3 | 212.5 m² (2,287 sq ft) | 70.8 m² (762 sq ft) | 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) |
| 400 m² (4,306 sq ft) in LR1 | 0.85 | 4 | 340 m² (3,660 sq ft) | 85 m² (915 sq ft) | 160 m² (1,722 sq ft) |
| 400 m² (4,306 sq ft) in LR2 | 1.0 | 6 | 400 m² (4,306 sq ft) | 66.7 m² (718 sq ft) | 180 m² (1,938 sq ft) |
| 600 m² (6,458 sq ft) in LR2 | 1.0 | 6 | 600 m² (6,458 sq ft) | 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) | 270 m² (2,906 sq ft) |
Illustrative maximums only, before the garage and storage deductions in the bylaw and before any site-specific limits. Calculated from City of North Vancouver Zoning Bylaw No. 6700, Amendment Bylaw No. 9137 (adopted December 8, 2025), ss. 573, 575 and 576. Not a feasibility study; confirm any lot with the City.
That is why I tell owners to look at FSR before they look at the headline unit count. The City's bylaw lets a larger lot in LR2 hold up to six units, but six units sharing 400 m² of floor area are small. Six units on a 600 m² lot are noticeably more comfortable. The unit cap tells you the most homes you could fit. FSR tells you how much house there is to share between them.
If you have read my earlier posts on this, such as my overview of North Shore zoning changes in 2026, this is the next layer down: what the numbers in the bylaw actually do on a real lot.
HOW DOES THE CITY OF NORTH VANCOUVER CALCULATE FSR IN THE ‘GO’ ZONE?
The rules sit in the City's Zoning Bylaw No. 6700, as amended by Amendment Bylaw No. 9137, which council adopted on December 8, 2025. The GO zone applies to properties in the LR1 and LR2 land use designations, with some exceptions such as certain heritage areas and lots over 4,050 m².
The FSR caps
LR1: 0.85 times the lot area (section 575(1)).
LR2 and Residential Level 4: 1.0 times the lot area (section 575(2)).
How floor area is measured
Floor area is measured to the outside of the exterior walls, which means wall thickness counts. The bylaw then leaves certain spaces out of the calculation, including crawl spaces, mechanical and electrical rooms serving more than two units, garbage and recycling rooms (up to double the minimum required), secure bicycle parking rooms, any floor portion containing an elevator, and stairs that provide access from an at-grade entrance to a unit above or below grade.
The garage and storage deductions
The bylaw also takes floor area off the total for parking. As I read section 575(4), 16 m² is deducted for each unit that has a parking space in a garage, and up to 8 m² per unit is deducted for a mobility parking and recreational storage area. Those deductions leave more room for living space inside the same FSR.
The other limits that sit alongside FSR
FSR is only one of the rules. The others, from the same bylaw, are:
Height: a maximum of three storeys, with 7.0 m within 5 m of the rear lot line and 10.0 m from the lowest floor to the highest point of the uppermost ceiling.
Lot coverage: 30% for one unit, 35% for two, 40% for three or four, and 45% for five or six.
Permeable area: 50% for one unit, falling to 30% for five or six units.
Parking: a minimum of 0.5 spaces per dwelling unit.
Minimum unit size: no dwelling unit may have an interior floor area under 50 m².
What does this look like on a real lot?
Here is how the arithmetic plays out on four sample lots. These are maximums only. They do not account for setbacks, a site's slope, trees, services, or the deductions described above, and they are not a feasibility study.
A few things stand out when you read the table.
More units does not mean more building
Moving from LR1 to LR2 on the same 400 m² lot lifts the FSR from 0.85 to 1.0, which is about 18% more floor area. It also raises the unit cap from four to six. That means the average home gets smaller, not larger, if a builder uses the full unit count.
Lot size changes the picture quickly
A 250 m² lot in LR1 is limited to three units and about 212 m² of total floor area. A 600 m² lot in LR2 reaches the six-unit cap with room to spare, and the average home is closer to 1,076 sq ft. Small differences in lot size show up as big differences in what can be built.
The footprint is a separate cap
Lot coverage limits the footprint, so a building that wants more floor area has to go up within the three-storey limit. On the 400 m² LR2 lot, 45% coverage is 180 m² of footprint, so reaching 400 m² of floor area takes about two and a quarter storeys of full-footprint building. That is workable, but it shows why the three limits (FSR, coverage and height) have to be read together.
What This Means for You
If you own a single-family home in the City of North Vancouver, start by confirming which designation your lot sits in, LR1 or LR2, because it changes the FSR and the unit cap. The City's zoning maps and the Ground Oriented Zone handout on cnv.org are the right places to check, and the bylaw itself controls if anything differs.
Then do the multiplication with your own lot area. If you are thinking about selling, that number is a rough indicator of what a builder or buyer may see in the lot. I would treat it as one input, not a price: construction costs, financing and the market all affect whether a site pencils out, and the City's own materials do not promise any particular outcome. If you are thinking about staying, it tells you whether a small multi-unit project, such as a multigenerational build with family, is realistic on your land.
If you are a buyer looking at a home partly for its redevelopment potential, ask your lawyer or notary to check for covenants, rights of way and other title charges before you assume the numbers work. My post on statutory rights of way explains why those can take part of a lot out of play. For the broader policy picture across the three North Shore municipalities, my post on small-scale multi-unit housing is a useful companion.
One caution: this post covers the City of North Vancouver only. The District of North Vancouver and West Vancouver have their own rules, and the District's approach is different. My posts on the District's new zoning bylaw and whether you can subdivide a District property cover those.
I am a realtor, not an architect or a planner, so a design professional or the City's planning department should confirm what is buildable on a specific lot before you make a decision that depends on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FSR mean in real estate?
FSR is floor space ratio, the total floor area of a building divided by the area of its lot. A zone sets a maximum FSR, so multiplying your lot area by the FSR gives the most floor area you can build.
What is the FSR in the City of North Vancouver's GO zone?
It is 0.85 in Low Rise Neighbourhood 1 (LR1) and 1.0 in Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 (LR2) and Residential Level 4, under Zoning Bylaw No. 6700, Amendment Bylaw No. 9137, adopted December 8, 2025.
How many units can I build on my City of North Vancouver lot?
Up to three units on lots of 280 m² or less. On lots over 280 m², up to four units in LR1 and up to six units in LR2 or Residential Level 4.
How do I calculate FSR for my lot?
Multiply your lot area in square metres by the FSR. A 400 m² lot at 0.85 FSR gives 340 m² of maximum floor area. At 1.0 FSR it gives 400 m². To convert to square feet, multiply by 10.764.
Does the FSR include garages and basements?
Some spaces are excluded and some floor area is deducted. Crawl spaces, certain mechanical rooms, secure bicycle rooms, and some stair and elevator areas are excluded, and the bylaw deducts floor area for garage parking and for mobility parking and storage areas. The bylaw does not say what happens with other basement space in the material I reviewed, so please check the full bylaw or ask the City.
Is FSR or the number of units the bigger limit?
For the size of the homes, FSR is usually the bigger limit, because it caps the total floor area that all the units share. The unit cap only sets how many homes that floor area can be split into.
Do lot coverage and height limits still apply?
Yes. Lot coverage runs from 30% for one unit to 45% for five or six units, buildings are limited to three storeys, and setbacks and permeable area requirements also apply.
Does a higher FSR make my land worth more?
It can change what a builder or buyer is willing to pay, but it does not guarantee a price. Construction costs, financing, lot shape and market conditions all matter, so I would treat the FSR as one input into a conversation, not a valuation.
Does this apply in the District of North Vancouver or West Vancouver?
No. This post covers the City of North Vancouver's GO zone. The District and West Vancouver have separate bylaws.
Thinking about what your lot could support?
If you own in the City of North Vancouver and want a second set of eyes on what your lot's zoning might mean for a sale or a future project, get in touch with me here. There is no pressure, and I am happy to bring in the right planning or design professional when it matters.
Related Reading
North Shore Zoning Changes 2026: What CNV, DNV, and West Van's New Rules Mean for Your Property
What Is Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing, and Does It Apply to My Lot?
What Is a Statutory Right of Way on a BC Property, and Can I Still Build on It?
Can You Subdivide Your District of North Vancouver Property Under the New Zoning?
District of North Vancouver's New Zoning Bylaw: What Changed in July 2026
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Matt@RossettiRealty.ca
About Matt Council
Matt Council is a North Vancouver Realtor and West Van specialist with a background in finance, focused on a data-driven, pressure-free approach to buying and selling on the North Shore.