Hornepayne zoning for small homes
Township of Hornepayne, a single-tier municipality. Population 968 (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 · Hornepayne’s term: “additional dwelling unit in an accessory building / garden suite”
In Residential Zones the by-law permits a residential unit in a building accessory to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse, subject to the accessory building rules. Additional dwelling units are also listed as permitted in the R1, R2, RR and RU zones.
- Where allowed
- Secondary and additional dwelling units permitted in R1, R2, RR (Rural Residential) and RU (Rural) zones per s.3.1.1; garden suites also listed in RR [1]
- Maximum height
- Accessory buildings max 5.0 m (16.4 ft) in a Residential Zone (s.3.1 c) [1]
- Separation from house
- No accessory building within 2.0 m (6.6 ft) of the main building (s.3.1 c) [1]
- Setbacks
- Not closer than 1.2 m (3.9 ft) to an interior side or rear lot line on residential lots (s.3.1 d); garden suites must meet accessory building setbacks (s.3.1.1 c) [1]
- Parking
- 1 parking space per dwelling unit for a secondary unit, additional residential unit or garden suite; tandem parking in the existing driveway permitted [1]
- Servicing
- Permitted on private individual systems if the private sewage system can accommodate the change in use; R1 and R2 zones otherwise require municipal piped services (s.3.11) [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 · Hornepayne’s term: “tiny home / single detached dwelling”
The by-law defines a tiny home as a self-contained dwelling unit of 17.5 to 37 m² and treats one on a foundation as a single detached dwelling. The R1, RR, RR1 and RU zone tables set no minimum floor area for a single detached dwelling.
- Minimum dwelling size
- None set for single detached dwellings in R1, RR, RR1 or RU; 'Tiny Home' defined as 17.5 m² to 37 m² and considered a single detached dwelling unless on wheels [1]
- Minimum lot size
- R1: 500 m² (5,382 sq ft); RR and RU: 1.0 ha (2.5 ac); RR1: 0.4 ha (1 ac) [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.
Not allowed · Hornepayne’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”
A tiny home on wheels is treated as a mobile home, and no zone in the by-law lists mobile homes or mobile home parks as a permitted use. Human habitation of a trailer or recreational vehicle is prohibited except a recreational vehicle for up to 14 days on a lot with a residential use, or during reconstruction of a damaged dwelling.
- Where allowed
- No zone lists mobile homes or mobile home parks as a permitted use; a tiny home on wheels 'shall be considered a mobile home' [1]
- Temporary garden suite
- Garden suites (temporary, portable, excluding trailers) are listed as a permitted use in the RR zone; temporary use by-laws under s.39 of the Planning Act may be passed (s.4.7) [1]
- Approvals
- No human habitation in any trailer or recreational vehicle (s.3.15); RV habitation permitted up to 14 days on a lot with a primary residential use (s.3.19.2); RV as temporary accommodation up to 2 years only while a damaged dwelling is reconstructed (s.3.22) [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 · Hornepayne’s term: “sleep camp”
Sleep camps are named as accessory buildings in the Rural Residential (RR) and Recreational Residential (RR1) zones, set back at least 7 m from the high water mark with no plumbing or cooking facilities. Elsewhere, accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation unless a dwelling or guest cabin is a permitted accessory use.
- Where allowed
- RR and RR1 zones (s.16.3 c, s.17.4 c) [1]
- Setbacks
- At least 7 m (23 ft) from the high water mark [1]
- Kitchen
- No plumbing or cooking facilities permitted [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
Sources
- Zoning By-law 1897
- Planning Act (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 299/19: Additional residential units (Ontario e-Laws)
- Development Charges Act, 1997 (Ontario e-Laws)
- Government of Ontario PDF
- Build or buy a tiny home: Building Code requirements (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code Act, 1992 (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 163/24: Ontario Building Code (Ontario e-Laws)
- 2024 Ontario Building Code (Government of Ontario)
- Build or buy a tiny home: permits and inspections (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code updates (Government of Ontario)
Not legal advice
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 Hornepayne’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.