Central Frontenac zoning for small homes

Township of Central Frontenac, in the County of Frontenac. Population 4,892 (2021 census).

Backyard suite

A separate home in the yard of a house: garden suite, laneway suite or coach house, including prefab, modular or container units used this way.

Allowed with limits · Central Frontenac’s term: “additional residential unit (detached) / garden suite”

An additional residential unit, including one in a detached building, is permitted as an accessory use to a single detached, semi-detached or row dwelling in any zone except Waterfront Residential (RW). It must be serviceable with an on-site or private communal sewage system and meet the zone's minimum lot area. A portable garden suite needs a site-specific temporary use by-law. [1]

Where allowed: Any zone except the Waterfront Residential (RW) zone (s. 4.2.7) [2]
Servicing: Must be adequately serviced with an individual on-site sewage disposal system or private communal system (s. 4.2.7, s. 4.43) [2]
Minimum lot size: Lot must meet the zone's minimum lot area (s. 4.2.8); e.g. 5,000 m² in R1, 0.8 ha for residential uses in the Rural (R) zone [2]
Setbacks: A free-standing additional residential unit must be at least 3 m (9.8 ft) from any rear or interior side lot line (s. 4.1.1.5) [2]
Maximum height: Accessory building: 6 m (19.7 ft) in the R1 and R zones [2]
Parking: Parking provisions of ss. 4.32 and 4.33 must be met (s. 4.2.8) [2]
Number allowed: Up to three dwelling units in total (definition 'Dwelling - Additional Residential Unit') [2]
Temporary garden suite: By site-specific temporary use by-law (Planning Act s. 39): max net floor area 74 m² (800 sq ft), max height 6 m or the average height of main buildings on the subject and abutting lots (whichever is less), rear or interior side yard, 3 m from rear/side lot lines; a mobile home or tiny home may be used as a garden suite (s. 4.2.10) [2]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law stops municipalities from banning one residential unit in a building ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse on a parcel of urban residential land, as long as the lot has no more than three units in total. Municipalities still set most other zoning rules, but provincial law limits parking requirements, minimum unit size, lot coverage and separation distances. These units are also exempt from development charges and parkland dedication. [3][4][5]

Tiny home on a foundation

A small house as the main home on its own lot. The key rule is any minimum dwelling size.

Allowed · Central Frontenac’s term: “tiny house”

'Dwelling – Tiny House' (site-built or prefabricated, on a foundation with wheels removed) is a listed permitted use in the R1, RW, Rural and Limited Service Rural zones. The base zones set no minimum dwelling floor area.

Where allowed: Tiny House is a permitted residential use in the General Residential (R1), Waterfront Residential (RW), Rural (R) and Limited Service Rural (LSR) zones (ss. 5.4.1, 5.6.1, 5.16.1, 5.17.1) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: None in the R1, RW, R or LSR base zone requirements; some exception zones set minimums, e.g. RW-X1 27.9 m² (300 sq ft) and RW-X3 60 m² (645.8 sq ft) [2]
Minimum lot size: 5,000 m² (1.25 ac) in R1; 0.8 ha (2 ac) in RW and for residential uses in R and LSR [2]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law sets no minimum total size for a house that is the main dwelling. The Building Code sets minimum room areas, so the smallest compliant dwelling is roughly 17.5 m² by the Province's own estimate. Municipalities may still set minimum floor areas for main dwellings in their zoning by-laws. The provincial ban on minimum sizes covers only additional residential units. [3][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Living full-time in a tiny home on wheels or a park model home.

Allowed with limits · Central Frontenac’s term: “recreational vehicle / mobile home / park model trailer”

A recreational vehicle may not be used as a dwelling unit or for permanent occupancy. One RV may be used on a vacant lot in the Rural or Limited Service Rural zones if served by an approved sewage system. Mobile home dwellings are permitted uses in R1, RW, Rural and LSR, and park model trailers in RW, Rural and LSR. A tiny house counts as a dwelling only once its wheels are removed.

Where allowed: One RV may be used on a vacant lot in a Rural (R) or LSR zone if the lot has an approved sewage disposal system and no permanent additions (s. 4.1.2.5); RVs otherwise permitted in an RV park or campground (s. 4.1.2.2) [2]
Where allowed: Dwelling – Mobile Home is permitted in R1, RW, R and LSR; Dwelling – Park Model Trailer (defined as a seasonal recreational building) in RW, R and LSR [2]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suite by site-specific temporary use by-law; 'A mobile home and a tiny home shall be permitted as a garden suite' (s. 4.2.10 f); a garden suite excludes a recreational vehicle [2]
Approvals: 'A recreational vehicle shall not be used as a dwelling unit or for permanent occupancy' (s. 4.1.2.1) [2]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario has no single rule for living full-time in a tiny home on wheels. A unit on wheels can count as a 'building' that needs a permit and must meet the Building Code once it stays in one place, is hooked up to services or is anchored. Park model trailers are recognized only as seasonal recreational buildings. Municipalities may allow a portable garden suite under a temporary-use by-law for up to 20 years, with extensions of up to 3 years each. [11][6][3][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.

Allowed · Central Frontenac’s term: “sleep cabin”

A sleep cabin is a one-storey accessory building of up to 37 m² used for sleeping, with no cooking facilities (sanitary facilities allowed). One is permitted per lot as an accessory use, and it is listed in the Waterfront Residential, Rural and Limited Service Rural zones.

Maximum size: 37 m² (400 sq ft) gross floor area (definition 'Sleep Cabin') [2]
Maximum height: One storey (definition); accessory building height 6 m (19.7 ft) in the RW and R zones [2]
Number allowed: One sleep cabin or one loft-above-a-garage per lot (s. 4.2.1); not on a lot with a garden suite (s. 4.2.3) [2]
Kitchen: Cooking facilities not permitted; may contain sanitary facilities (definition) [2]
Setbacks: At least 3 m (9.84 ft) from interior side and rear lot lines (s. 4.2.4) [2]
Separation from house: At least 3 m (9.84 ft) from a main building (s. 4.2.5) [2]
Where allowed: Listed as a permitted accessory use in the RW, R and LSR zones (ss. 5.6.1, 5.16.1, 5.17.1); not listed in R1 [2]

Ontario-wide rule

Ontario law has no rule written specifically for bunkies or sleeping cabins. Whether one needs a building permit depends on the Building Code Act's definition of 'building' and the Code's shed exemption. That exemption covers only storage-use sheds, so it does not cover a structure used for sleeping. Municipal zoning rules for accessory buildings still apply. [8][6][3][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The document reads 'By-law 2011-52 consolidated with amendments to July 11, 2023'. It was uploaded in March 2026 to the planning documents page, which links no newer consolidation. Section 4.2.1 phrases the sleep cabin as accessory 'to a permitted waterfront residential dwelling', while the Rural (R) and LSR zone tables also list Sleep Cabin as a permitted accessory use. The by-law sets no specific size cap for an additional residential unit; the zone's accessory lot coverage (5% in R1 and R) and height limits apply. Several exception zones set different rules.

Sources

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