Smiths Falls zoning for small homes

Town of Smiths Falls, a single-tier municipality. Population 9,254 (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 · Smiths Falls’s term: “additional residential unit”

One additional residential unit is permitted in a building ancillary to a single-detached, semi-detached or rowhouse dwelling, with a building permit. It follows the main dwelling's setback and height rules, except for a 1.2 m rear yard. [1]

Number allowed: One ARU within the dwelling and one ARU in an ancillary building (s.4.2.1-2) [2]
Maximum size: Not to exceed 40% of the gross floor area of the main dwelling unit (s.4.2.6) [2]
Maximum height: Maximum building height for the main dwelling in the zone (s.4.2.5 a); e.g. 11 m in R1 (Table 6-1) [2]
Setbacks: Minimum setbacks of the main dwelling, except 1.2 m rear yard; 1.2 m interior side yard for semi/rowhouse lots (s.4.2.5 a) [2]
Parking: Parking per by-law (1 space per ARU), shared parking area, no new driveway; tandem space allowed (s.4.2.9-12) [2]
Servicing: Adequate public or private water and sanitary sewer services required (s.4.2.4) [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 · Smiths Falls’s term: “single-detached dwelling”

The residential zone lot and building requirements for single-detached dwellings set lot area, frontage, yards, coverage and height but no minimum dwelling floor area.

Minimum dwelling size: None stated in Table 6-1 (R1) or Table 7-1 (R2) [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 · Smiths Falls’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”

No mobile home or recreational vehicle may be used for residential purposes except temporarily on a construction site, and no zone permits a mobile home park. A parked RV may be used for sleeping for no more than 30 consecutive days by a person in transit.

Where allowed: Not permitted as a dwelling; only as temporary residence on a construction site until work is completed (s.4.20) [2]
Approvals: Temporary uses only by zoning amendment adding a 't' suffix (s.5.6); RV living/sleeping max 30 consecutive days, not leased or rented (s.4.24) [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

Human habitation is not permitted in a garage or other building accessory to a residential use unless it is a permitted additional residential unit. The town has no rural or waterfront residential zones with sleeping cabin provisions.

Where allowed: Not permitted: occupancy restriction on buildings accessory to a residential use (s.4.25.1) [2]
Maximum height: Accessory buildings 4.5 m in residential zones (s.4.1) [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

Only the as-adopted August 22, 2022 text is posted; no office consolidation. Housekeeping amendment ZA-24-02 (public meeting October 2024) was found only as a notice (seen via search snippet); its listed changes do not include ARUs, but whether it or other amendments changed the provisions above could not be confirmed. The Town's ARU zoning information sheet (Feb 2026 PDF) reproduces s.4.2 unchanged.

Sources

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