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Belcarra secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?

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

Short answer

Yes. Belcarra's Zoning Bylaw allows one secondary suite inside the principal building, or one coach house, per principal residence in the RS-1 and RM-1 to RM-3 zones. A suite may be up to 40% of the dwelling, to a maximum of 90 m².

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedYes. One secondary suite per principal residence, inside the principal building, in the RS-1 and RM-1 to RM-3 residential zones (as an alternative to a coach house).Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 213, 302.3(b) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Not more than one Accessory Secondary Suite Use shall be permitted per Principal Residential Use;
An Accessory Secondary Suite Use must be located within a Principal Building;
One (1) Accessory Secondary Suite Use (subject to the requirements of Section 213) or one (1) Accessory Coach House Use (subject to the requirements of Section 214)
Coach house or garden suite allowedYes. One coach house per principal residence, in an accessory building that is also a garage or is no higher than 4 m, up to 92.9 m², on one storey. In the residential zones a lot may have a secondary suite or a coach house.Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 214 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Not more than one Accessory Coach House Use shall be permitted per Principal Residential Use;
be located in an Accessory Building that is also used as a Garage; or
must be limited to 4 m (13.12 ft) in height;
An Accessory Coach House Use shall not have a floor area that exceeds 92.9 square metres (1,000 square feet);
LimitsA secondary suite may be up to 40% of the dwelling, to a maximum of 90 m² of finished living space; one per principal residence. The bylaw has no owner-occupancy rule for suites.Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 213(1), (3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
The maximum allowable floor area of an Accessory Secondary Suite Use within a Principal Building is 40% of the dwelling up to a maximum of 90 square metres (968 square feet) of finished living space
ParkingRS-1 zone: at least 1 off-street parking space per secondary suite and 1 per coach house, in addition to 2 for the house.Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 302.9(a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Minimum of 2 spaces per principal Single Family Residential Use;
Minimum of 1 space per Accessory Secondary Suite Use
Minimum of 1 space per Accessory Coach House Use.
PermitsA sewage disposal permit must be obtainable from the responsible authority before a secondary suite or coach house is allowed. Building a suite also needs a building permit under the Building Bylaw.Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 213(4), 214(4); Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), s. 76 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
An Accessory Secondary Suite Use may be permitted provided that a Sewage Disposal Permit can be obtained from the responsible authority.
before constructing, repairing or altering a building or structure
BylawVillage of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018, ss. 213, 214 and 302 to 305Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), s. 101 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
Village of Belcarra Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018

How it works

Under Zoning Bylaw No. 510 (ss. 213 and 214), one secondary suite is allowed per principal residence, inside the principal building, in the RS-1 and RM-1 to RM-3 residential zones. A lot may have a secondary suite or a coach house, not both.

  • Secondary suite: up to 40% of the dwelling, to a maximum of 90 m² of finished living space.
  • Coach house (detached): one per principal residence, in an accessory building that is also a garage or is no higher than 4 m, up to 92.9 m², on one storey.

Steps

  1. Confirm your zone with the Village Office (see the zoning-lookup answer).
  2. Make sure a sewage disposal permit can be obtained from the responsible authority; the bylaw requires this before a suite or coach house is allowed.
  3. Apply for a building permit under the Building Bylaw (see building-permit).

Good to know

  • In RS-1, at least 1 off-street parking space is required per secondary suite and 1 per coach house, in addition to 2 for the house. Parking in the RM zones was not checked.
  • The bylaw has no owner-occupancy rule for suites. No development permit requirement is stated.
  • Each accessory suite adds a $706 annual garbage and recycling charge.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Port Moody · Anmore · Coquitlam · New Westminster · Burnaby · Port Coquitlam

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

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw No. 510, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Building and Plumbing Code Regulation Bylaw No. 355, 2003 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 517, 2018 (PDF, consolidated), Village of Belcarra (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.