Deseronto zoning for small homes

Town of Deseronto, in the County of Hastings. Population 1,747 (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 · Deseronto’s term: “Additional Residential Unit (detached)”

One detached additional residential unit is permitted with a single detached or semi-detached dwelling in the R1, R2 and R3 zones, but only where the house and unit are connected to full municipal sewer and water. It is limited to 75 m² and must sit on a permanent footing or foundation. Ontario's Planning Act (s. 35.1) overrides zoning provisions that would prohibit one unit in a building ancillary to a house on serviced urban land. [1][2]

Where allowed: Residential Type 1, 2 and 3 (R1, R2, R3) zones, on the same lot as a single detached or semi-detached dwelling (ss.5.1.5 c, 6.1.1.1, 6.2.1.1, 6.3.1.1) [3]
Number allowed: Maximum two Additional Residential Units: one attached and one detached (s.5.1.5 a) [3]
Maximum size: Gross floor area limited to a maximum of 75 square metres (s.5.1.5 c v) [3]
Servicing: Primary dwelling and detached ARU must be connected to full municipal sanitary sewer and water services (s.5.1.5 c iv) [3]
Parking: 1 space per additional dwelling unit (s.5.17 parking table) [3]
Maximum height: 5 metres for any accessory building or structure (s.5.1.3); no separate height is set for detached ARUs [3]
Setbacks: Detached accessory buildings in R1: interior side yard 1.5 m, exterior side yard 4.5 m, rear yard 1.5 m (s.6.1.4) [3]
Approvals: Must be placed on a permanent footing/foundation, have direct pedestrian access from a public street or laneway, and cannot be severed (s.5.1.5 c) [3]

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. [2][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 · Deseronto’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The residential zones (R1, R2, R3) set lot, yard, coverage and height rules but no minimum dwelling unit floor area for a single detached dwelling. The Town has no rural zone.

Minimum dwelling size: No minimum dwelling unit area is set in the R1 zone regulations (s.6.1.2), which also apply in R2 and R3 [3]
Minimum lot size: R1 single detached on full municipal services: 550 m² and 15.0 m frontage (s.6.1.2); partial or private services: 1,100 m² to 4,000 m² (s.6.1.3) [3]

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. [2][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 · Deseronto’s term: “trailer / motorized mobile home”

The by-law prohibits the use of tents and trailers for human habitation, and no zone lists a mobile home park or trailer park as a permitted use. It contains no garden suite or temporary-use provisions for portable dwellings.

Where allowed: Trailers, motorized mobile homes, truck campers and camper trailers may only be parked or stored on the owner's lot (s.5.25.1) [3]
Approvals: 'The use of tents and trailers for human habitation or for business or other purposes is prohibited' (s.5.25.2) [3]

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][2][8][7]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Deseronto’s term: “private cabin”

A 'private cabin' (detached accessory sleeping building without cooking facilities) is defined, but it is not listed as a permitted use in any zone, and accessory uses exclude any building used for human habitation unless specifically permitted. Deseronto has no rural or waterfront residential zones.

Kitchen: Private cabin: accessory building for sleeping accommodation in which sanitary facilities may be provided but shall not contain cooking facilities (s.4.27) [3]
Approvals: Accessory uses shall not include 'any building used for human habitation, except as in this By-law is specifically permitted' (s.5.1.1 b) [3]

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][2][12]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The posted PDF is titled By-law 27-2023 (April 2023, created 28 Apr 2023, linked as 'Zoning By-Law and Map' from https://www.deseronto.ca/residents/by-laws-and-standards) but its enacting page still shows blanks ('By-law No. __-2023', date of passing blank); it is not marked draft. No amendments or consolidation are posted. The 'Trailer' definition (s.4.157) refers to a 'mobile home dwelling unit as defined herein' but no such definition or permitted use was found. Schedule A map is separate and was not reviewed.

Sources

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