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A Coach House means: A separate dwelling unit that is subsidiary to and located on the same lot as an associated principal dwelling unit but is contained in its own building that may also contain uses accessory to the principal dwelling. These new housing units are permitted in Ottawa’s urban, suburban and rural areas subject to Section 3.1 of the Official Plan and Section 142 of the Zoning By-law.
If you are adding or retrofitting an existing accessory structure to create a Coach House, you need a building permit before proceeding. For the urban area, the coach house must have servicing from the primary homes municipal water and sewer connection.
Lots with a detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling, linked detached dwelling, duplex dwelling or a townhouse are permitted to apply for a Coach House.
There are maximum unit size restrictions for the urban and rural area which are tied to the size of your lot and the size of your principle dwelling unit, as detailed in Section 142 of the Zoning By-law.
No additional parking is required, but where provided it must meet the related parking Zoning By-law provisions. Parking in tandem in the existing driveway is permitted.
A building permit is necessary for all applications. A homeowner must schedule a service consultation meeting before applying for the building permit if they plan to construct a coach house. The homeowner and their general contractor should communicate with the Building Code Services office responsible for their property’s location. If you need assistance obtaining a coach house permit in Ottawa, contact Magnolia Construction.
If an application fails to meet the Zoning By-law’s performance criteria, it needs to be redesigned to adhere to them. However, if the unique circumstances of a property make it difficult to strictly comply with the Zoning By-law for coach house development, a minor variance can be applied for from the Committee of Adjustment. To apply for a minor variance, it’s recommended that applicants arrange a Pre-Application Consultation Meeting with City Planning Staff and speak to a planner in the Planning, Real Estate and Economic Development Branch.