Features/Discover

The rulebook for any site, layered onto the parcel.

Base zoning, overlays, setbacks, height, FAR, and density — read together against the lot. UnlockLand turns scattered bylaws into one clear picture of what the rules actually allow.

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Step two of the UnlockLand workflow — discover the site, then understand its rules.

Civic district where local zoning bylaws are set and enforced
The rules behind every parcel

Scattered bylaws, resolved into one clear picture of what you can build.

Per parcel
7
controls traced
2
overlays flagged
Zoning Intelligence · 88 Olaya Street RULES RESOLVED
R-3
Medium-Density Residential
Base zone · permits multi-unit up to 8 storeys
2 overlays
Control Value Source
Floor area ratio2.6§4.2.1
Max height28 m · 8 fl§4.2.3
Setback · front6.0 m§4.3.1
Setback · side3.0 m§4.3.2
Setback · rear7.5 m§4.3.3
Parking1.25 / unit§6.1
Site coverage30%§4.2.2

Citations link to the governing bylaw · last synced 12 Mar 2026.

Subject parcel · aerial
Aerial view of the subject parcel on Olaya Street within its district R-3 · subject 88 Olaya Street
Overlays & encumbrances
Transit overlay · TOD-2
+0.4 FAR bonus available · §9.4
Heritage frontage · partial
Street façade controls apply · §11.2

Illustrative interface — base zone, every control, and the overlays that override it, each traced to its bylaw.

Every rule that governs the lot, in one place

Zoning is rarely one number. A site is governed by a base zone, then reshaped by overlays, setbacks, height caps, and density formulas that interact in ways that are easy to miss. Zoning Intelligence reads them as a system and tells you what they mean for this parcel.

Base zone & uses

The governing zone with permitted, conditional, and prohibited uses — so you know what's allowed before you design anything.

Bulk & density controls

Setbacks, height limits, FAR, coverage, and unit density — the formulas that decide how much can actually fit on the lot.

Overlays & encumbrances

Overlays, easements, and heritage listings flagged on the parcel — the layers that quietly override the base zone.

How it works

STEP 1

Match the controls

UnlockLand pulls the base zone for the parcel, then finds every overlay, district, and special area that touches the lot.

STEP 2

Resolve the interactions

Setbacks, height, FAR, coverage, and density are reconciled against each other so the binding limit on the site is clear.

STEP 3

Flag what overrides

Easements, heritage, and environmental encumbrances are surfaced so nothing that could reshape the project stays hidden.

What's allowed — and what quietly overrides it

Permitted, conditional, and prohibited uses at a glance, with every overlay stacked on top of the base zone in the order it applies.

Use permissions · R-3
Multi-unit residentialPermitted
Townhouse / rowPermitted
Ground-floor retailConditional
Live-work unitsConditional
Standalone officeProhibited
IndustrialProhibited
How the rules layer
Layer 1 · base zone
R-3 · FAR 2.6 · 28 m
Layer 2 · transit overlay
TOD-2 · +0.4 FAR → 3.0
Layer 3 · heritage frontage
Façade controls · no height bonus on street
Effective rule
FAR 3.0 · height 28 m · heritage façade on Olaya St

What goes in, what comes out

You provide
  • A resolved parcel from Address Search
  • Optional: a proposed use or program
  • Optional: jurisdiction or bylaw references
UnlockLand returns
  • Base zone with permitted & conditional uses
  • Setbacks, height, FAR, coverage & density limits
  • Overlay, easement & heritage flags
  • A rules profile ready for development potential

Where it fits in the workflow

Zoning Intelligence sits between finding a site and sizing it up. Pull a parcel from Address Search, decode its rules here, then carry the constraints straight into a buildable read on Development Potential.

Before
Address Search
Find the parcel from any address.
Next
Development Potential
Turn rules into buildable envelope.
Platform
See the full workflow
How discovery connects to decisions.

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