Hanover zoning for small homes

Town of Hanover, in the County of Grey. Population 7,967 (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 · Hanover’s term: “additional detached dwelling (garden suite)”

An Additional Detached Dwelling, which the by-law says is often called a garden suite, is a listed permitted use in the R1, R2 and R3 residential zones. It is subject to size, height and bedroom limits and to the accessory building coverage and setback rules. [1]

Where allowed: Listed as a permitted use in the Residential Type 1 (R1), Residential Type 2 (R2) and Residential Type 3 (R3) zones (ss.8.2, 9.2, 10.2; By-law 3269-23) [2]
Maximum size: 69 m² floor area, maximum two bedrooms (definition 'Dwelling, Additional Detached'). Under s.7.7 it must also meet the accessory building lot coverage limit in s.7.2.3: all accessory buildings together may cover at most 10% of the lot area or 56 m² of gross building area [2]
Maximum height: 5 m (definition; also the s.7.2.3 accessory building height limit) [2]
Setbacks: Must meet the minimum front, side and rear yard provisions for accessory buildings in the zone (s.7.7). Residential accessory buildings must be at least 1 m from rear and side lot lines (s.7.2.2) [2]
Parking: 1 space per dwelling unit, in addition to the spaces required for the principal detached dwelling [2]
Approvals: The Town assigns a secondary municipal address to each unit (definition) [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 with limits · Hanover’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1 zone requires a minimum floor area of 74.5 m² per unit for a single detached dwelling, and the R2 and R3 zones apply the same R1 standards to single detached dwellings. The Town has no rural zones.

Minimum dwelling size: Floor Area/Unit minimum 74.5 m² in the R1 zone (s.8.3(a)(vi), By-law 3015-18). The R2 and R3 zones permit single detached dwellings 'in accordance with Section 8.3' [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 · Hanover’s term: “mobile home / trailer”

The by-law prohibits locating and using a mobile home in any zone, temporarily or permanently. It also prohibits using a trailer or similar vehicle body for human habitation, and allows travel trailers and motor homes only for temporary accommodation in a Recreational Commercial zone.

Where allowed: s.6.15.3 'Mobile Homes Prohibited in all Zones': 'No person shall locate and use a mobile home in any zone temporarily or permanently.' The zone list has no mobile home or trailer park zone [2]
Approvals: s.6.15.6: no truck, bus, coach or street car body, railway car, trailer or caboose shall be used for any storage or human habitation, whether or not mounted on wheels. s.6.13.7: no travel trailer, motor home or truck camper may be used for primary residential or permanent living accommodation, except temporary accommodation in a Recreational Commercial zone [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 · Hanover’s term: “accessory building”

Hanover is an urban municipality with no rural or waterfront residential zones. Its by-law excludes 'any building used for human habitation' from permitted accessory buildings except where specifically permitted, and it does not specifically permit a sleeping cabin.

Where allowed: s.7.2.1(ii): accessory buildings in residential zones shall not include 'any building used for human habitation except where specifically permitted in this By-law'. s.6.9.1.2 says the same for all zones, except where a dwelling is a permitted accessory use [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 by-law text reads 'Adopted December 7, 2015 (Amended as at June 17, 2024)'. The planning page labels it 'Amended JUN.17.2024'. The 69 m² maximum for an Additional Detached Dwelling in its definition is larger than the 56 m² cap on total accessory building coverage in s.7.2.3, which s.7.7 also applies to these units, so the lower figure may govern in practice. Readers should confirm with the Town. Hanover has no rural or waterfront zones, so the bunkie answer reflects the residential accessory building rules. The Schedule A zoning map is a separate PDF and was not reviewed.

Sources

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