Kearney zoning for small homes

Town of Kearney, a single-tier municipality. Population 974 (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 · Kearney’s term: “additional residential unit in an accessory building”

One additional residential unit is permitted in a building accessory to a detached, semi-detached or townhouse dwelling, but it must be located above the accessory building, such as over a garage. Additional residential units are not permitted on waterfront lots or on lots that do not meet the frontage or area minimums.

Maximum size: If at or above grade, not more than 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area, and not exceeding the footprint of the accessory building (s.3.25 vi, viii) [1]
Where allowed: In any zone where the dwelling type is permitted; must be located above the accessory building; not on waterfront lots; not on lots legally non-complying for frontage or area (s.3.25 i, v, viii, xi) [1]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings in Residential zones: 7.5 m, except where an ARU is on a second storey, in which case the zone height applies (9.0 m in RTS and RWF) (s.3.2.2 iii, 4.1.3, 4.2.3) [1]
Setbacks: Must meet the principal dwelling's setback requirements (s.3.25 i d) [1]
Number allowed: One in the principal dwelling and one in an accessory building (s.3.25 iii, iv); no garden suite or rooming units on a lot with ARUs (s.3.25 x) [1]
Parking: One space per ARU; tandem parking permitted (s.3.25 ix) [1]
Servicing: Must demonstrate sufficient on-site water and sewage capacity to the Town's satisfaction (s.3.25 xii) [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 · Kearney’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The Residential Townsite, Residential Waterfront, Rural Residential and Rural zone provisions set no minimum dwelling floor area. Minimum lot areas range from 0.4 ha to 10 ha.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the RTS, RWF, RR or RU zone provisions (s.4.1.3, 4.2.3, 4.3.3, 4.4.3) [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 · Kearney’s term: “mobile home / travel trailer”

A mobile home (CSA Z240 or Z241) is a permitted use in the Rural (RU) zone, which has a 10 ha minimum lot area. One travel trailer, motor home or camper may be used in the yard of a Residential or Rural zone lot, and occupying it for more than 14 days a year requires a Town Camper Licence unless it is in a camping establishment.

Where allowed: 'Mobile home' listed as a permitted use in the Rural (RU) zone (s.4.4.2); RU minimum lot area 10 ha, frontage 100 m (s.4.4.3). The mobile home definition covers CSA Z240 or Z241 units but not motor homes or travel trailers (s.5) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Not offered in the general provisions. Site-specific temporary uses under Section 39 are listed in Table 2 (s.4.16.2), which was empty in this version. A trailer may be occupied while a destroyed dwelling is rebuilt under a building permit (s.3.32) [1]
Approvals: One travel trailer, motor home or camper may be used in the yard of a Residential or Rural zone lot if it meets accessory building setbacks. Occupying it for more than 14 days in a calendar year requires a Camper License under the Camper Licensing By-law, unless it is in a Camping Establishment (s.3.30.2) [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 · Kearney’s term: “guest cabin / bunkie”

One accessory guest cabin/bunkie is a permitted use in the Residential Waterfront (RWF) zone. It is not listed in the Rural Residential or general Rural zone permitted uses, and appears only in some site-specific exceptions.

Where allowed: 'Accessory guest cabin/bunkie, one only' permitted in the Residential Waterfront (RWF) zone (s.4.2.2); not listed in RR (s.4.3.2) or RU (s.4.4.2) [1]
Maximum size: 23 m² ground floor area (s.3.2.7 iii) [1]
Maximum height: 6.0 m (s.3.2.7 iv); defined as single storey (s.5, Guest Cabin) [1]
Number allowed: One per lot in RWF (s.4.2.2) [1]
Kitchen: No cooking facilities. It may connect to a sewage or pressurized water system, subject to North Bay–Mattawa Conservation Authority and Building Department approvals (s.3.2.7 i–ii) [1]
Setbacks: Must meet all setbacks that apply to the principal building on the lot (s.3.2.7 v) [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 PDF at /media/426 is By-law 2022-20 (repealing 2002-28). It states no consolidation date, and the enactment block's dates are blank. PDF metadata shows a 2024 creation date and a 2025 modification date. A search of townofkearney.ca turned up no later township-wide amendment, but I did not check this exhaustively. Camper Licensing By-law terms (duration and seasonal limits) were not reviewed. Interactive zoning lookup: https://www.townofkearney.ca/find-my-property-zoning

Sources

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