Zorra 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 with limits · Zorra’s term: “detached additional residential unit”

One detached additional residential unit is permitted per lot in the R1, R2, R3, CC, V, RE and RR zones, in the rear or interior side yard, subject to lot area, servicing and size limits. In the A1 and A2 zones a detached unit is subject to approval of a planning application, except on existing agricultural lots inside settlements. [1][2][3]

Number allowed: Detached additional residential units: maximum 1 per lot in every zone column; total additional residential units per lot: 2 in the Village of Thamesford and 1 in the Village of Embro (fully serviced R1, R2, R3, CC, V), 1 where not served by municipal sewage or in RE/RR zones in a settlement, 2 in A1, A2, RR and RE zones outside a settlement (Tables 5.4.2.3 and 5.4.2.4) [4]
Maximum size: Cumulative dwelling unit area of all additional residential units: 50% of the principal dwelling's dwelling unit area or 100 m² (1,076 ft²), whichever is less; outside settlements 50% or 140 m² (1,507 ft²), whichever is less; also limited by accessory lot coverage (R1/R2/R3: 10% of lot area or 100 m²; RE/RR: 10% or 170 m² of ground floor area) [4]
Maximum height: Per accessory building table: 4.0 m (13.2 ft) in R1, R2, R3 zones and 5.0 m (16.4 ft) in RE, RR zones, and in settlement zones not above the height of the principal dwelling; 5.0 m (16.4 ft) in A1/A2 zones [4]
Minimum lot size: Fully serviced R1, R2, R3, CC, V lots: per the zone provisions for the principal dwelling; all other columns: 0.6 ha (1.48 ac) [4]
Setbacks: Rear yard or interior side yard only; 1.2 m (3.9 ft) side and rear yard setbacks; maximum 40 m (147.6 ft) from a public street in settlements; solid 1.8 m privacy fence required in serviced and unsewered settlement zones [4]
Separation from house: Minimum 1.0 m (3.3 ft); in A1/A2 zones minimum 1.0 m and maximum 30 m from the principal dwelling [4]
Parking: 1 space per additional residential unit (tandem permitted, not within a private garage) [4]
Servicing: Inside a settlement the principal dwelling must be connected to municipal water and/or sewer and the County must confirm capacity in writing; not permitted on lots served by private communal systems; outside settlements MDS I must be met [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. [5][6][7]

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 · Zorra’s term: “single detached dwelling”

The R1, RR, RE and V zones set a minimum gross floor area of 93 m² for a single detached dwelling. The separate minimum for single detached dwellings in the A1 and A2 zones was deleted by By-law 30-23. [8][9][1]

Minimum dwelling size: Gross Floor Area, Minimum: 93 m² (1,001 ft²) in the R1 zone (Table 11.2) [10]
Minimum dwelling size: 93 m² (1,001 ft²) also in the RR zone (Table 9.2), RE zone (Table 10.2) and V zone (single detached dwelling) [11]

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. [5][12][13][14][15][16][17]

Tiny home on wheels or park model

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

Allowed with limits · Zorra’s term: “trailer / mobile home / recreational vehicle”

A dwelling is defined to exclude a trailer, mobile home, motor home or recreational vehicle, and no recreational vehicle may be used for permanent home occupancy while stored on a lot. A mobile home may be used as an accessory dwelling to a farm in the A1 or A2 zones, one site-specific REC-7 zone permits a trailer camp occupied year round, and a temporary garden suite requires a Section 39 temporary use by-law. [18][1]

Where allowed: "Dwelling" excludes a trailer, mobile home, motor home or recreational vehicle, but "may include a mobile home for the purposes of an accessory dwelling to a farm in the A1 or A2 Zones" [1]
Where allowed: REC-7 zone (Lot 25, Concession 1, West Zorra): "a trailer camp, occupied continuously year round", maximum 96 trailer sites [19]
Where allowed: "Mobile home" means a prefabricated dwelling unit with a minimum 65 m² (700 ft²) gross floor area meeting CAN/CSA Z-240; a trailer is a portable unit for temporary accommodation [20]
Temporary garden suite: Requires a zoning amendment under Section 39 of the Planning Act for up to 20 years; occupied by retired parents/grandparents of the owner or the retiring owner; one storey, maximum 70 m² (753.5 ft²) dwelling unit area; not permitted on a lot with a detached additional residential unit [4]

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. [17][12][5][14][13]

Bunkie or sleeping cabin

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

Not allowed · Zorra’s term: “accessory building”

Accessory buildings may not be used for human habitation except as permitted in the by-law, and the by-law contains no provision for a sleeping cabin or bunkie. Habitable space in a detached building is regulated as a detached additional residential unit. [4]

Where allowed: Accessory use, building or structure "is not to be used for human habitation except as permitted in this Zoning By-Law" (s.5.1.1.2) [18]

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. [14][12][5][21]

Official links

Last confirmed October 2026.

Notes and caveats

The County-hosted section PDFs reflect the consolidation as of September 30, 2022 and do not yet include ARU By-law 30-23 (in force May 17, 2023) or By-law 08-26 (passed February 18, 2026); answers combine the 2022 text with both amending by-laws, which were read directly (08-26 is a scanned PDF and was read page by page). The 'awaiting consolidation' list link on the County page resolves to a key map PDF, so other post-2022 amendments could not be checked. Many County files link to cdn.umb-sites.dev, which failed TLS (expired certificate); the same files were read at www.oxfordcounty.ca/media/ paths.

Sources

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Zorra 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

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