East Ferris zoning for small homes

Municipality of East Ferris, a single-tier municipality. Population 4,946 (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 · East Ferris’s term: “coach house”

A coach house (a detached second unit) is permitted in the Rural (R), Hamlet Residential (RH) and Urban Residential (RU) zones but not in the Estate Residential (RE) or Lakefront Residential (RL) zones. Only one second unit or coach house is allowed per lot. [1]

Where allowed: R, RH and RU zones; RE permits a second unit but not a coach house; not listed in RL (Table 5A and note 2) [1]
Number allowed: 1 coach house per lot; not combined with a second unit, B&B, group home or rooming units (s.3.29.9, 3.29.14) [1]
Maximum size: No larger in floor area than 75% of the main floor area of the main building (s.3.29.16) [1]
Maximum height: One or two storeys, max. height equal to the accessory building limit for the zone (6 m in rural and residential zones) (s.3.29.17; s.3.2.5; Table 5C) [1]
Separation from house: 5 m between the coach house and the primary dwelling (s.3.29.12) [1]
Parking: 1 additional unstacked space with unimpeded access (s.3.29.15; parking table) [1]
Servicing: Sufficient water supply and sewage disposal must be available for the dwelling and coach house (s.3.29.10) [1]
Minimum lot size: 0.8 ha for single detached dwellings in the RH and RU zones (Table 5B) [1]

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][3][4]

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 · East Ferris’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The rural and residential zone tables set lot, coverage, setback and height standards but no minimum floor area for a single detached dwelling. The only 70 m² minimum applies to an owner/operator dwelling unit on non-residential lots (s.3.12.2). [1]

Minimum dwelling size: None for single detached dwellings in the R, RE, RL, RH or RU zones (Table 5B) [1]

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][5][6][7][8][9][10]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · East Ferris’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”

Mobile homes are permitted in the Mobile Home Park (RMH) zone. Recreational vehicles, tent trailers and other non-dwelling structures may not be lived in for more than 14 consecutive days or 28 days a year, except for up to one year while a dwelling is being built. [1]

Where allowed: Mobile Home Park (RMH) zone (Table 5A; s.3.23); otherwise using a mobile home or tourist trailer for habitation is prohibited unless in a recognized Mobile Home Park (s.3.35.4) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Not mentioned in the by-law; a travel trailer or RV may not be used as a coach house (s.3.29.18) [1]
Approvals: RV habitation limited to 14 consecutive days or 28 days per calendar year; up to 1 year as temporary accommodation during construction of a dwelling (s.3.34, 3.34.3) [1]

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. [10][5][2][7][6]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Allowed with limits · East Ferris’s term: “bunkie”

A bunkie (sleeping accommodation, not a dwelling unit) is expressly permitted in the Lakefront Residential (RL) zone. In other zones, using an accessory building for human habitation is not permitted unless expressly allowed. [1]

Where allowed: Lakefront Residential (RL) zone, subject to s.3.2.4; may be in the front yard where the lot abuts a navigable lake (s.3.2.4, 3.2.4.10, 3.2.6) [1]
Maximum height: One storey for shoreline accessory structures (s.3.2.4.1); accessory buildings max. 6 m (s.3.2.5) [1]
Maximum size: All accessory buildings to a residential use: 89.2 m² (960 sq ft) on lots up to 0.6 ha; 111.5 m² (1200 sq ft) on 0.61–4.0 ha; 148.6 m² (1600 sq ft) over 4.01 ha (s.3.2.7) [1]
Setbacks: 2 m from lot lines in RL (Table 5C); 30 m from the high water mark for buildings (Table 5B/5C note 1) [1]
Kitchen: May or may not include washroom facilities; not a dwelling unit (definition 'Bunkie') [1]

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. [7][5][2][11]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The cover of the PDF reads 'Updated consolidated by-law as of July 15th, 2026' (the inventory listed it as undated). The site-specific exceptions in the separate Special Zones file (Aug 2023 version) were not reviewed. The coach house rules allow only one additional unit per lot. The Second Unit waterfront exclusion (no unit on lots fronting Lake Nosbonsing, Trout Lake or Mink Lake, or in the Trout Lake Influence Area, s.3.29.3) is worded for Second Units; whether it also covers coach houses is unclear. Section numbering has a typo: 3.30.8 sits inside 3.29.

Sources

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