King zoning for small homes

Township of King, in the Region of York. Population 27,333 (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 · King’s term: “additional residential unit (detached accessory building)”

In the Countryside and hamlets (By-law 2022-053), up to two additional residential units are permitted on lots that permit a single detached dwelling, one of which may be in a detached accessory building; in Oak Ridges Moraine Countryside zones only one unit is permitted and it must be inside the principal dwelling. The urban by-law for King City and Schomberg (2017-66, 2018 consolidation) permits a second dwelling unit only within the principal dwelling. 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]

Maximum size: 50% of the principal dwelling's gross floor area or 85.0 m², whichever is less [3]
Maximum height: Accessory building height limits: 4.5 m in Residential zones except Rural Residential; 7.0 m in Rural Residential and other zones [3]
Setbacks: Not in a front or exterior side yard; accessory buildings at least 1.2 m from rear and interior side lot lines [3]
Separation from house: Accessory buildings at least 1.8 m from the main building [3]
Number allowed: Up to 2 additional units per lot, only 1 in a detached accessory building; 1 (attached only) in Oak Ridges Moraine Countryside zones; none in ORM Natural Core/Linkage and Feature Protection zones [3]
Parking: 1 additional space per additional residential unit (tandem permitted) [3]
Where allowed: Countryside/hamlet lots under 2022-053; in King City and Schomberg (By-law 2017-66) a second dwelling unit must be contained within the principal dwelling [4]

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][5][6]

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 · King’s term: “single detached dwelling”

By-law 2022-053 sets no general minimum dwelling floor area in its residential, hamlet, rural or agricultural zones; minimum floor areas (75–140 m²) appear only in site-specific exceptions. The minimums found in the urban by-laws 2017-66 and 2016-71 are also site-specific exceptions.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the general zone provisions of 2022-053 (site-specific exceptions set 75.0–140.0 m²; farm help dwellings 58.0 m²) [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][7][8][9][10][11][12]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Not allowed · King’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle / trailer”

By-law 2022-053 prohibits trailer parks, tourist trailer parks and mobile home parks, and prohibits using a recreational vehicle, trailer, shipping container or similar for human habitation except as the by-law specifically provides (a mobile home or RV may be used as a seasonal farm help dwelling). Garden suites are offered only by temporary use by-law in Hamlet Residential and Hamlet Rural zones. [13]

Where allowed: No zone; mobile home or recreational vehicle permitted only as a seasonal farm help dwelling [3]
Temporary garden suite: Only by temporary use by-law (Planning Act s.39) in Hamlet Residential or Hamlet Rural zones; max 20 years from building permit; 1 per lot; rear or interior side yard; max floor area 85.0 m²; parking required [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. [12][7][2][9][8]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed

By-law 2022-053 states that an accessory building or structure shall not be used for human habitation except where specifically permitted, and it makes no provision for bunkies or sleeping cabins. The urban by-laws 2017-66 and 2016-71 contain the same rule.

Maximum height: Accessory buildings: 4.5 m in Residential zones except Rural Residential; 7.0 m in Rural Residential and other zones [3]
Number allowed: Maximum 3 accessory buildings in any Residential zone [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. [9][7][2][14]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

King has three main zoning by-laws. 2022-053 covers the Countryside, hamlets and the Nobleton Village Reserve. 2017-66 covers the King City and Schomberg urban areas; the posted consolidation is dated July 3, 2018. 2016-71 covers the Nobleton urban area. The 2022-053 text is an annotated version posted August 2023, not a dated consolidation. Parts of 2022-053 shown in blue are under OLT appeal (OLT-22-004723), and the blue highlighting cannot be seen in the extracted text, so it is not known whether the cited provisions are in force. On appealed lands, the old By-law 74-53 still applies; it sets large minimum floor areas (e.g. 116 m² and 170 m² in some zones), which were not fully reviewed. The Township's zoning page says a May 27, 2024 housekeeping amendment to 2022-053 is under OLT appeal; the posted PDF of By-law 2024-028 is a scan with no text layer and was not read. ORM lands are also subject to By-law 2005-23 and amendment 2023-014, which were not reviewed. No ARU amendment to the urban by-laws 2017-66 or 2016-71 was found on king.ca. Planning Act s.35.1 (provincial as-of-right ARUs on serviced urban residential lots) may permit a detached unit despite the 2018 urban text. This was not verified against an official King source. A rural zoning by-law review is in progress: https://speaking.king.ca/rural-area-zoning-by-law-review.

Sources

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