Cobourg zoning for small homes

Town of Cobourg, in the County of Northumberland. Population 20,519 (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 · Cobourg’s term: “additional residential unit in a detached accessory building”

One additional residential unit is permitted in a detached accessory building on a lot with a single detached, semi-detached or street townhouse dwelling, in the R1–R5 zones and the Rural zone (single detached lots). Size, height and setback limits apply. [1]

Where allowed: R1–R5 zones on lots with a single detached, semi-detached or street townhouse dwelling (Table 6.1); Rural (RU) and Development (D) zones on lots with a single detached dwelling (Table 11.1); not in the EC zone or a floodplain (s. 4.3.1 e)) [2]
Number allowed: Up to two additional residential units per lot, of which at most one may be in a detached accessory building (s. 4.3.1 b)) [2]
Maximum size: Gross floor area not to exceed 50% of the primary dwelling unit's gross floor area, and not more than 50% of the rear yard (s. 4.3.3 d)) [2]
Maximum height: 4.5 m; 8.0 m if above a detached garage on a lot accessed by a lane (s. 4.3.3 c)) [2]
Setbacks: Rear lot line 1.0 m (0.6 m if lane-accessed); interior side 1.2 m (reductions for lane access); exterior side as for main building, 6.0 m if driveway crosses it; max 40 m from the street relied on for access unless lane-accessed (s. 4.3.3 b), e)) [2]
Separation from house: Minimum 4.5 m from the main building (s. 4.3.3 g)) [2]
Servicing: Where municipal sewer and water are available, both units must connect (s. 4.3.1 d)) [2]
Parking: Per s. 5.4; tandem parking permitted (s. 4.3.1 f)) [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 · Cobourg’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1–R3 and Rural zone standards regulate lot area, frontage, yards, coverage and height, and no minimum dwelling floor area was found in the by-law.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated in Table 6.2.1 (R1–R3) or Table 11.2 (RU) [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.

Not allowed · Cobourg’s term: “trailer / mobile home dwelling / park model home”

The by-law prohibits use of any tent, trailer or vehicle for human habitation except in an expressly permitted campground, trailer park or mobile home park, and a recreational trailer may not be used for habitation. No zone permits mobile home dwellings or a mobile home park; the only trailer park (Victoria Park, OS-1 exception) and municipal campgrounds are defined for temporary or seasonal use.

Where allowed: No zone found permitting mobile home dwellings or mobile home parks; trailer park permitted only at Victoria Park (OS-1 exception) and 'trailer park' is defined as temporary or seasonal parking for the travelling or vacationing public [2]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites are listed as permitted in R1–R3 (Table 6.1); where permitted by a Temporary Use By-law: max 80 m² and 40% of the main building's first-storey floor area, max height 4.5 m (s. 4.9). A garden suite is defined as portable and may be a modular home, 'but not a trailer' [2]
Approvals: Use of any tent, trailer or vehicle for human habitation prohibited except in an expressly permitted campground, trailer park or mobile home park (s. 4.24 l)); recreational trailers not to be used for habitation (s. 5.3.5 a)) [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.

Not allowed · Cobourg’s term: “accessory building”

No accessory building or structure may be used for human habitation unless specifically permitted by the by-law, and no bunkie or sleeping cabin provision was found.

Approvals: No accessory building or structure shall be used for human habitation except if specifically permitted (s. 4.1.1 b)); use of any accessory building for human habitation is listed as prohibited in any zone (s. 4.24 k)) [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

By-law 066-2025 passed December 17, 2025 (appeal deadline January 7, 2026); whether any appeal was filed was not confirmed. The PDF read is the as-passed by-law, not a consolidation. By-law 85-2003 still applies to employment lands (s. 1.6; town zoning page); 85-2003 was not reviewed. s. 4.3.1 c) cross-references 'Section 4.9 (Frontage on a Public Street)' but s. 4.9 in the document is Garden Suites. Garden suites appear as permitted in Table 6.1 for R1–R3, while s. 4.9 frames its provisions as applying where a garden suite is permitted by a Temporary Use By-law; how these interact was not confirmed. Zoning maps are posted separately.

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

Suggest a correction or source

Know of a by-law change, an exception or an official page we missed? Tell us. An editor checks every suggestion before the page changes.

Find help nearby

We don’t have a directory page for Cobourg’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.

All Ontario municipalities