{"title":"Barriere secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Barriere?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"building-and-renovating","name":"Building, renovating and your property"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Barriere","url":"https://www.barriere.ca"},"short_answer":"In Barriere a secondary dwelling unit, inside the house or in a detached building, is allowed in the SH, CR, R and RP zones. It needs a District building permit and 1 parking space. A detached unit cannot be a short term rental or bed and breakfast.","aliases":["secondary suite barriere","basement suite barriere","carriage house barriere","laneway house barriere"],"cost":"A building permit fee applies. See the building-permit-fees answer. No separate suite fee is stated.","how_long":"The District does not state a processing time. Ask the Building Inspector.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"District Office (planning and zoning)","value":"250-672-9751"},{"type":"phone","label":"Building Inspector (Tuesday to Friday, by appointment)","value":"250-214-3508"},{"type":"email","label":"District Office","value":"inquiry@barriere.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"District Office","value":"4936 Barriere Town Road, Barriere, BC V0E 1E0","note":"Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF)","url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242"},{"title":"Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF)","url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461"},{"title":"Building Inspection and Development Permits, District of Barriere","url":"https://www.barriere.ca/p/building-inspection-development-permits"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Barriere building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Barriere building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Barriere zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"short-term-rental","title":"Barriere short-term rental rules (Airbnb, Vrbo)","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/short-term-rental/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/sun-peaks","name":"Sun Peaks","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/clearwater","name":"Clearwater","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kamloops","name":"Kamloops","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sicamous","name":"Sicamous","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cache-creek","name":"Cache Creek","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/secondary-suite/"}],"topic":{"title":"Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/secondary-suite/"},"facts":{"suite_allowed":{"label":"Secondary suite allowed","value":"A secondary dwelling unit, inside the principal dwelling or in an accessory building, is listed as an accessory use in the SH, CR, R and RP zones. It is not listed in the multi-family, mobile home, commercial, industrial or other zones.","short":"Yes, in SH, CR, R and RP zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"Division Four to Six and Eighteen, permitted uses; Division One definition","quotes":["Single Detached Dwelling • Secondary Dwelling Unit","\"Secondary Dwelling Unit\" means a dwelling unit located either within the principal dwelling unit, or in","No use of land is permitted in any zone unless that use is specified under the heading"]},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461","title":"Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF)","section":"s. 1(a)","quotes":["Secondary Dwelling Unit” means a dwelling unit located either within the principal"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Yes, in the same zones (SH, CR, R, RP). A detached unit must be 4 m from the front and rear lot lines and 1.5 m from the side (4.5 m if the side abuts a highway), at most 12 m high, with its entrance visible from the road. It cannot be a short term rental or bed and breakfast.","short":"Yes, in SH, CR, R, RP zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"s. 3.8(a)","quotes":["A detached Secondary Dwelling Unit entrance shall be identified and visible","No detached Secondary Dwelling Unit shall be used for short term rental or bed","A detached Secondary Dwelling must be setback a minimum of 4 meters from","a minimum of 1.5 meters from the side of the property unless the side lot","abuts a highway where it shall be 4.5 meters","The maximum height of a detached Secondary Dwelling Unit shall be 12"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"A single detached dwelling may have one principal dwelling unit and a secondary dwelling unit. The unit must be appropriately serviced. No size cap or owner-occupancy rule was found.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"Division One, \"Single Detached Dwelling\"; s. 3.8(a)(iv)","quotes":["where permitted by this Bylaw, one principal dwelling unit and a secondary dwelling unit.","A Secondary Dwelling Unit must be appropriately serviced;"]},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461","title":"Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF)","section":"s. 1(a)","quotes":["having a floor area less than 40"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"1 parking space per suite.","short":"1 space per suite","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"s. 3.10(a) table","quotes":["Secondary Suite 1 parking space per suite","parking is provided in accordance with the requirements of this By-law;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit from the District is required for the secondary dwelling unit. The zoning bylaw does not mention a separate development permit for a suite.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"s. 3.8(a)(i)","quotes":["a building permit is obtained from the District for the Secondary Dwelling Unit;"]},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/p/building-inspection-development-permits","title":"Building Inspection and Development Permits, District of Barriere","section":"Building Inspection & Planning/Development","quotes":["Thinking of adding a secondary suite inside your home?"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111, s. 3.8 (as amended by Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245); Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","section":"s. 3.8","quotes":["3.8 SECONDARY DWELLING UNIT"]},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461","title":"Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF)","section":"title","quotes":["A bylaw to amend “District of Barriere Zoning Bylaw No. 111”"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\n[Zoning Bylaw No. 111](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242), as amended by [Bylaw No. 245](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461), lists a secondary dwelling unit, inside the principal dwelling or in an accessory building, as an accessory use in the SH, CR, R and RP zones. It is not listed in the multi-family, mobile home, commercial, industrial or other zones. A single detached dwelling may have one principal dwelling unit and a secondary dwelling unit, and the unit must be appropriately serviced.\n\nA detached unit must be 4 m from the front and rear lot lines and 1.5 m from the side lot line (4.5 m if the side abuts a highway). It can be at most 12 m high, with its entrance visible from the road. It cannot be a short term rental or bed and breakfast.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your lot's zone with the District Office (see the zoning-lookup answer).\n2. Plan for 1 parking space for the suite.\n3. Apply for a building permit from the District (see the building-permit answer).\n4. The zoning bylaw does not mention a separate development permit for a suite.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No size cap or owner-occupancy rule was found in the zoning bylaw.\n- The parking table also requires 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit for residential use. Ask the District how this applies to your project.\n- The District's permit page links the Province's \"Home Suite Home\" guide on secondary suites and additional dwelling units.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=8d686cb9-21b4-4e4c-8125-7c8a0c7d6242","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=1ffbff55-231b-4336-8376-a877d7bbf461","title":"Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.barriere.ca/p/building-inspection-development-permits","title":"Building Inspection and Development Permits, District of Barriere","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/secondary-suite.json"}}