North Huron zoning for small homes

Township of North Huron, in the County of Huron. Population 5,052 (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 · North Huron’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU) in an accessory building”

In the R1 zone, one of up to two additional residential units may be in a detached accessory building on a fully serviced lot. On partial or private services a single ARU needs a lot of 2 acres or more, or a rezoning with a nitrate study. ARUs in accessory buildings are also permitted in the AG1 and AG4 agricultural zones.

Number allowed: Fully serviced R1 lot: maximum two ARUs, both in or attached to the main dwelling, or one in the dwelling and one in a detached accessory structure; maximum one ARU per detached accessory building (s. 26.9.1.1) [1]
Maximum size: No greater than 75% of the gross area of the main floor of the dwelling, including attached garages, within the zone's maximum lot coverage (ss. 26.9.1.4, 26.9.2.2) [1]
Maximum height: 6 m (ss. 26.9.1.4, 26.9.2.2) [1]
Setbacks: Rear or interior side yard only; minimum 3 m rear yard and 3 m interior side yard (ss. 26.9.1.4, 26.9.2.2) [1]
Parking: One on-site parking space per ARU in addition to the standard residential requirement (ss. 26.9.1.2, 26.9.2.1) [1]
Minimum lot size: On partial or private services: lot of 2 acres or larger for a single ARU (sharing the main dwelling's laneway); under 2 acres requires a rezoning with a hydrogeological nitrate study (s. 26.9.2.1) [1]
Separation from house: AG1 and AG4 zones: accessory building with an ARU within a maximum of 60 m of the main dwelling (AG4: or of the shared well), using the same laneway (ss. 4.4, 7.4.1.2) [1]
Where allowed: R1 (s. 26.2), General Agriculture AG1 (s. 4.2-4.3: two ARUs, max one detached) and Agricultural Small Holding AG4 (s. 7.2-7.3); a mobile home may serve as the ARU in R1 (s. 26.3). No new residential units, including ARUs, in the R1-FW floodway zone [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites are permitted under Planning Act s. 39.1 by temporary use by-law with an agreement; they count toward the maximum dwellings per property and may transition to permanent ARUs (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 · North Huron’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1, AG1 and AG4 zone provisions set no minimum dwelling floor area for a single detached dwelling. The by-law's definitions describe a dwelling as placed on a permanent foundation over a cellar or basement, and a modular home as at least 6.0 m wide on its shortest side.

Minimum dwelling size: None in the R1 single detached zone provisions (s. 26.4) or the AG1 (s. 4.4) and AG4 (s. 7.4) zone provisions; a minimum floor area appears only for mobile home park sites (55 m², s. 29.5) and some site-specific zones [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 · North Huron’s term: “mobile home / travel trailer / park model trailer”

Mobile homes (CSA Z240, at least 50 m², on permanent foundations) are permitted only where a zone provides for them: the R4 Mobile Home Park zone, as the main dwelling or detached ARU in AG1, on a masonry foundation in AG4, and as an ARU in R1. Travel trailers and motor homes may not be used for permanent living; park model trailers are permitted in the RC2 trailer park zone, which excludes year-round occupation.

Where allowed: Mobile homes are prohibited in any zone unless specifically provided for (s. 3.29.5). Provided for in: R4 Mobile Home Park zone (s. 29); AG1 main dwelling or detached ARU (s. 4.3); AG4 single dwelling on a solid masonry foundation wall, or ARU (s. 7.3); R1 as an ARU (s. 26.3) [1]
Minimum dwelling size: Mobile home definition requires a floor area of not less than 50 m² and construction to CSA Z240 (s. 2); 55 m² minimum unit floor area on a mobile home park site (s. 29.5) [1]
Temporary garden suite: Garden suites (portable units) are permitted under Planning Act s. 39.1 by temporary use by-law (s. 3.11) [1]
Approvals: No travel trailer or motor home may be used for primary residential, permanent living in any zone unless permitted; occasional short-term non-commercial use up to 2 weeks a year where there is a building on the property; temporary occupancy after a catastrophe at the Chief Building Official's discretion with an agreement (s. 3.26.10) [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.

Not allowed · North Huron’s term: “accessory building”

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation except where a dwelling is a permitted accessory use. The by-law has no separate bunkie, sleeping cabin or guest cabin provision.

Maximum height: Accessory buildings in Settlement Areas: 5 m in residential zones; 10 m (max 2 storeys) in other zones (s. 3.3.3) [1]
Approvals: Accessory buildings, structures and uses shall not include 'any building used for human habitation except where a dwelling is a permitted accessory use' (s. 3.3.1) [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

Consolidation dated May 2026 (prepared with Huron County Planning) and includes 5-year review By-law 71-2023 and amendments to By-law 33-2026. It notes an outstanding OLT appeal (OLT-23-001077) on a site-specific property. The R2 and R3 zones also have ARU provisions, which were not reviewed in detail. No municipal ARU guide page was found.

Sources

Not legal advice

Confirm with your municipality before you buy, build or move in.

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 North Huron’s area yet. These cover all of Ontario.

All Ontario municipalities