Smooth Rock Falls zoning for small homes
Town of Smooth Rock Falls, a single-tier municipality. Population 1,200 (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 · Smooth Rock Falls’s term: “accessory apartment”
The by-law permits one accessory apartment within a detached dwelling and prohibits human habitation in buildings accessory to a residential use; a garden suite is defined but not listed as a permitted use in any zone. On fully serviced urban residential lots, Planning Act s.35.1 prevents zoning from prohibiting one residential unit in a building ancillary to a house. 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]
- Where allowed
- Accessory apartments are a permitted use in the R1 zone; maximum one accessory apartment in a detached dwelling (s.5.2, 3.1.1 iii) [2]
- Maximum size
- No more than 40% of the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, except a basement unit which has no maximum (s.3.1.1 i) [2]
- Parking
- Per Section 3.21; tandem parking in the existing driveway permitted (s.3.1.1 v) [2]
- Approvals
- No human habitation permitted in any private garage or other building accessory to a residential use unless specifically permitted elsewhere (s.3.18 a) [2]
- Approvals
- Planning Act s.35.1(1)(c): a zoning by-law may not prohibit one residential unit in a building or structure ancillary to a detached house, semi-detached house or rowhouse on a parcel of urban residential land (fully serviced settlement-area lot) if the house contains no more than two units (statute text as quoted in an official West Grey staff report) [3]
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. [1][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 with limits · Smooth Rock Falls’s term: “single detached dwelling”
The R1 zone sets a minimum dwelling unit area of 55.7 m² (600 sq ft) and the Rural zone a minimum of 55.74 m² (600 sq ft).
- Minimum dwelling size
- R1 zone: Dwelling Unit area (minimum) 55.7 m² (600 ft²) (s.5.3); RU zone: 55.74 m² (600 ft²) (s.19.3) [2]
- Minimum lot size
- R1: 511 m² (5,500 ft²), 16.7 m frontage (s.5.3); RU residential use: 0.8 ha (2.0 ac), 66.7 m frontage (s.19.3) [2]
- Servicing
- All dwellings in the R1 zone must be serviced with a public water and sewer system (s.5.4 b) [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. [1][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.
Allowed with limits · Smooth Rock Falls’s term: “mobile home / recreational vehicle”
Mobile homes are permitted in the Mobile Home Park (RMH) zone and listed as a permitted use in the Rural (RU) zone, and are otherwise prohibited; no human habitation is permitted in any trailer or recreational vehicle. A mobile home is defined as built to the Ontario Building Code and excludes recreational vehicles and travel trailers.
- Where allowed
- Locating a mobile home or mobile home park is prohibited except as provided in a specific zone (s.3.13); mobile homes permitted in the RMH zone (s.8.2) and the RU zone (s.19.2) [2]
- Minimum dwelling size
- RMH zone: gross floor area per dwelling unit (minimum) 55.7 m² (600 ft²); site area 371.6 m² (s.8.3) [2]
- Temporary garden suite
- Garden Suite / Granny Flat defined as a temporary, portable detached unit ancillary to a single or semi-detached dwelling, excluding a trailer; no zone lists it as a permitted use (definitions) [2]
- Approvals
- No human habitation permitted in any trailer or recreational vehicle (s.3.18 c); a recreational vehicle may be used as temporary accommodation only while a damaged dwelling is being reconstructed, up to two years (s.3.28 a) [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][1][8][7]
Bunkie or sleeping cabin
A small sleeping building with no kitchen, usually beside a cottage or house.
Allowed with limits · Smooth Rock Falls’s term: “sleep camp”
The Waterfront (W) zone refers to sleep camps as accessory buildings that must be set back from the water and have no plumbing or cooking facilities; outside that provision, human habitation is not permitted in buildings accessory to a residential use.
- Where allowed
- W zone: all accessory buildings, gazebos, saunas, sleep camps and decks set back at least 9.1 m (30 ft) from the high water mark (s.20.4 b) [2]
- Kitchen
- No plumbing or cooking facilities shall be permitted (s.20.4 b) [2]
- Maximum height
- Accessory buildings on residential lots: 5.5 m (18 ft); 20% total accessory lot coverage; 1.5 m interior side and 0.6 m rear setback; 1.2 m separation (s.3.1 b) [2]
- Approvals
- No human habitation in any building accessory to a residential use unless specifically permitted elsewhere in the by-law (s.3.18 a) [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][1][12]
Official links
Last confirmed October 2026.
Notes and caveats
Sources
- Planning Act (Ontario e-Laws)
- Comprehensive Zoning By-law 2016-04
- westgrey.com PDF
- O. Reg. 299/19: Additional residential units (Ontario e-Laws)
- Development Charges Act, 1997 (Ontario e-Laws)
- Government of Ontario PDF
- Build or buy a tiny home: Building Code requirements (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code Act, 1992 (Ontario e-Laws)
- O. Reg. 163/24: Ontario Building Code (Ontario e-Laws)
- 2024 Ontario Building Code (Government of Ontario)
- Build or buy a tiny home: permits and inspections (Government of Ontario)
- Building Code updates (Government of Ontario)
Not legal advice
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