Chatham-Kent zoning for small homes

Municipality of Chatham-Kent, a single-tier municipality. Population 103,988 (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 · Chatham-Kent’s term: “additional dwelling unit in an accessory building”

Dwelling units in an accessory building are permitted only where municipal servicing exists. In the RL, RM and UC(OS) zones, full municipal water and sewer are required. In the RR, ER, VR and RLR zones, municipal water is required. They are not permitted in an accessory building in the A1 zone. [1]

Number allowed: RL/RM/UC(OS) with municipal water and sewer: up to two units in an accessory building to a single detached dwelling (one for semi-detached/row house), with no more than four units on the property. RR/ER/VR/RLR with municipal water: one unit in an accessory building, with no more than two units on the property (s. 4.6(3)) [2]
Servicing: RL/RM/UC(OS) need municipal water and sanitary sewer; RR/ER/VR/RLR need municipal water service (s. 4.6(3)(a),(b)) [2]
Where allowed: A1 Agricultural zone: one additional unit is allowed only inside the single detached dwelling, not in an accessory building (s. 4.6(3)(c)) [2]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 6 m maximum in all zones other than Agricultural (s. 4.2(3)) [2]
Maximum size: All accessory buildings together: no more than 10% lot coverage (s. 4.2(2)). With an additional dwelling unit in RL/RM/UC(OS), overall lot coverage is limited to 45% (s. 4.6(3)(a)(iii)) [2]
Setbacks: Accessory buildings to a single dwelling in the rear or interior side yard: at least 0.6 m from any lot line, and behind the rear face of the dwelling (s. 4.2(4)(a)) [2]
Parking: A parking space for an additional dwelling unit may be tandem (s. 4.6(3)(a)(iv)) [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 · Chatham-Kent’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The performance standard charts for the residential and agricultural zones set no minimum floor area for single detached dwellings. The 'Dwelling' definition requires a permanent foundation over a crawlspace or basement and excludes park model trailers and travel trailers.

Minimum dwelling size: None found in the RL or A1 performance standard charts [2]
Minimum lot size: RL1–RL5, RL7, RL8 (base row): 557.4 m² lot area and 15.24 m frontage (RL chart) [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 · Chatham-Kent’s term: “mobile home / park model trailer”

Using an occupied vehicle for habitation is prohibited, except a mobile home where specifically permitted or a travel trailer for temporary stays in a permitted campground. Mobile homes are allowed in the Mobile Home Park (MH) zone and RL6 Mobile Home Subdivision zone, and as one mobile home accessory to farming on A1 lots of 20 ha or more. Park model trailers are listed in the Seasonal Residential (SR) and Tourism Commercial (TC) zones.

Where allowed: MH Mobile Home Park zone (s. 5.7); RL6 Mobile Home Subdivision; A1: one mobile home accessory to an agricultural use on a lot of at least 20 ha (A1 chart); park model trailers in the SR and TC zones (s. 5.8, 5.12) [2]
Minimum dwelling size: A 'mobile home' is defined as a factory-built dwelling of at least 24 m², with a main unit length more than three times its width [2]
Temporary garden suite: No standing garden suite provision; s. 4.34 covers temporary use by-laws passed under Planning Act s. 39 [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 with limits · Chatham-Kent’s term: “bunkie”

A bunkie is defined as an accessory structure for sleeping only, with no plumbing. One bunkie, accessory to a single detached dwelling or cottage, is a listed permitted use only in the Recreational and Lakeside Residential (RLR) zone.

Maximum size: 30 m² floor area maximum (definition of 'Bunkie') [2]
Kitchen: Sleeping accommodation only, with no plumbing; it is not a dwelling unit [2]
Number allowed: One per lot (s. 5.9.1(c)) [2]
Where allowed: RLR zone only (s. 5.9.1) [2]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 6 m outside Agricultural zones (s. 4.2(3)) [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

Read the consolidation dated April 27, 2026. The bunkhouse in A1 is a separate use (temporary farm-labour housing), not a bunkie. The growth-management amendment (OPA 90 / Deferred Development zone) that was going to Council in July 2026 was not checked and is not in this consolidation. The ADU guide page loaded but its body text was not reviewed in detail.

Sources

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