Pelham zoning for small homes

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 · Pelham’s term: “additional residential unit (ARU) in a detached ancillary structure or detached garage”

One ARU may be located in a detached ancillary structure or detached garage on a residential lot in the settlement area and in the Agricultural and Rural Residential zones (outside the Greenbelt). In the Specialty Agricultural (Greenbelt) zone, a detached ARU is permitted only in a structure built before July 1, 2017. [1]

Number allowed: Up to two ARUs per lot; only one may be detached from the primary dwelling (s. 3.29.1 a), 3.29.2 a)); one ARU only in the Specialty Agricultural zone (s. 3.29.3 a)) [2]
Maximum size: 50% of the primary dwelling's gross floor area, to a maximum of 93 m² in the settlement area and 112 m² in agricultural/rural residential and Specialty Agricultural zones (s. 3.29.1 b), 3.29.2 b), 3.29.3 c)) [2]
Maximum height: 8.0 m for a detached garage containing an ARU (s. 3.29.1 h)); 7.0 m for accessory buildings generally (s. 3.1 f)) [2]
Separation from house: Minimum 2.4 m from any other building containing a dwelling unit; maximum 40.0 m from the primary dwelling (s. 3.29.1 d), e)) [2]
Setbacks: Accessory buildings at least 1.0 m from interior side and rear lot lines and not in required front or exterior side yard (s. 3.1 c), g)) [2]
Parking: One space per ARU in addition to the primary dwelling's parking (s. 3.29.1 c)) [2]
Servicing: Outside the settlement area, on-site sewage and water must be adequate and approved by the relevant authority (s. 3.29.2 g)) [2]
Where allowed: Settlement area lots permitting residential use; Agricultural and Rural Residential zones outside the Greenbelt Plan area; Specialty Agricultural zone only in structures built before July 1, 2017 and outside the Greenbelt Natural Heritage System (s. 3.29) [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 · Pelham’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1 and other main residential and rural zone requirements for a single detached dwelling set no minimum floor area. Minimum ground floor areas (e.g. 88 m² one-storey) appear only for back-to-back townhouses in the greenfield R3 zone and in site-specific exceptions.

Minimum dwelling size: None for single detached dwellings in the main residential and rural zones (e.g. s. 6.1.2 R1); 88 m² one-storey minimum ground floor area applies to back-to-back townhouses (s. 7.3.8) and certain site-specific exceptions [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 · Pelham’s term: “trailer / tourist trailer / mobile home dwelling”

Use of any trailer, tourist trailer, motor home or shipping container for human habitation is prohibited except in a camping establishment, trailer park or mobile home park, and no zone permitting a mobile home park was found. A mobile home or trailer may be used temporarily (up to 18 months) only after a farm dwelling in the A or SA zone is destroyed or ordered demolished.

Where allowed: Only in a camping establishment, trailer park or mobile home park (s. 3.25 a)); no mobile home park zone found; campgrounds are defined as seasonal (April 1–November 15) [2]
Approvals: Temporary use of a mobile home, motor home or tourist trailer up to 18 months after destruction or ordered demolition of a farm dwelling in the A or SA zone (s. 3.35 b)) [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 · Pelham’s term: “accessory building”

Detached accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation except for additional residential units, and no bunkie or sleeping cabin provision was found.

Approvals: Accessory buildings not to be used for human habitation, except for second dwelling units (s. 3.1 b)) [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

Office consolidation dated October 1, 2026 includes ARU amendment By-law 19-2026 (April 8, 2026); the Town's ARU page states the appeal was settled and the regulations are in effect. The by-law does not apply to appealed lands or the Niagara Escarpment development control area (per inventory notes; not re-checked). s. 3.1 b) still cross-references 'Second Dwelling Units that are subject to Section 3.30', but s. 3.30 is now Short-Term Accommodations and ARUs are in s. 3.29. 'Garden suite' is defined but no garden suite provisions or temporary use by-law were found in the text.

Sources

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.

Pelham zoning for small homes

Backyard suite

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on a foundation

Ontario-wide rule

Tiny home on wheels or park model

Ontario-wide rule

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

Ontario-wide rule

Official links

Sources

Suggest a correction or source

Find help nearby