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Barriere secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Barriere?

Barriere, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedA 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), Division Four to Six and Eighteen, permitted uses; Division One definition; Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245, s. 1(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
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
Secondary Dwelling Unit” means a dwelling unit located either within the principal
Coach house or garden suite allowedYes, 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.8(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
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
LimitsA 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), Division One, "Single Detached Dwelling"; s. 3.8(a)(iv); Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245, s. 1(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
where permitted by this Bylaw, one principal dwelling unit and a secondary dwelling unit.
A Secondary Dwelling Unit must be appropriately serviced;
having a floor area less than 40
Parking1 parking space per suite.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.10(a) table · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Secondary Suite 1 parking space per suite
parking is provided in accordance with the requirements of this By-law;
PermitsA 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.Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.8(a)(i); Building Inspection and Development Permits, Building Inspection & Planning/Development · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
a building permit is obtained from the District for the Secondary Dwelling Unit;
Thinking of adding a secondary suite inside your home?
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 111, s. 3.8 (as amended by Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245); Building Regulations Bylaw No. 128Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258), s. 3.8; Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
3.8 SECONDARY DWELLING UNIT
A bylaw to amend “District of Barriere Zoning Bylaw No. 111”

How it works

Zoning Bylaw No. 111, as amended by Bylaw No. 245, 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.

A 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.

Steps

  1. Confirm your lot's zone with the District Office (see the zoning-lookup answer).
  2. Plan for 1 parking space for the suite.
  3. Apply for a building permit from the District (see the building-permit answer).
  4. The zoning bylaw does not mention a separate development permit for a suite.

Good to know

  • No size cap or owner-occupancy rule was found in the zoning bylaw.
  • The parking table also requires 2 parking spaces per dwelling unit for residential use. Ask the District how this applies to your project.
  • The District's permit page links the Province's "Home Suite Home" guide on secondary suites and additional dwelling units.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Sun Peaks · Clearwater · Kamloops · Sicamous · Cache Creek · Enderby

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 111 (PDF, consolidated through Bylaw 258) (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Zoning Amendment Bylaw No. 245 (PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Building Inspection and Development Permits, District of Barriere (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.