{"title":"Elkford secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/elkford","name":"Elkford","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 Elkford","url":"https://www.elkford.ca"},"short_answer":"In Elkford a secondary suite is allowed inside a single-unit dwelling in the R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH zones, if it connects to community water and sewer. A detached coach house is allowed in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, but not if the main dwelling has a suite.","aliases":["secondary suite elkford","basement suite elkford","coach house elkford","carriage house elkford","legal suite elkford"],"cost":"No suite-specific fee is stated. A change of occupancy or use is $150; building permit fees also apply.","how_long":"Not stated.","where":[{"type":"email","label":"Planning and Development Services","value":"planning@elkford.ca"},{"type":"phone","label":"District Office","value":"250-865-4000"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"744 Fording Drive, Elkford, BC V0B 1H0"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF)","url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Elkford building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Elkford building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Elkford zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"home-based-business","title":"Elkford home-based business rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/home-based-business/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/sparwood","name":"Sparwood","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sparwood/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/canal-flats","name":"Canal Flats","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/fernie","name":"Fernie","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fernie/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cranbrook","name":"Cranbrook","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kimberley","name":"Kimberley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/invermere","name":"Invermere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/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":"As an accessory use to a single-unit dwelling in zones R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH. Must connect to community water and sewer, and not in a mobile home. Not listed in R-3, R-4, R-MP, UR-1 or the commercial, industrial and institutional zones.","short":"Yes, in R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 4.4(b) R-1; 4.5(b) R-2; 4.17(b) A-1; 4.19(b) LH","quotes":["The following Accessory Uses of Land, Buildings and Structures and no others shall be permitted: (i) Secondary Suite;"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 4.8(b) R-5; 4.9(b) R-MH","quotes":["(i) Secondary Suite, accessory to a Single-Unit Dwelling;"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 2.19(a)","quotes":["Secondary Suites shall be connected to community water and sewer services;","Secondary Suites shall not be located in Single-Unit Dwellings that are Mobile"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"A detached Coach House (including a tiny home) is an accessory use in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, not in R-2 or A-1. It needs a clear path from the street (at least 90 cm wide, 2.1 m headroom, 45 m or less), a visible address, cannot be in the front yard, and is not allowed if the main dwelling has a suite.","short":"Yes in R-1, R-5, R-MH, LH; not R-2 or A-1","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"definitions","quotes":["Coach House means an Accessory Building used for the purpose of accommodating a Secondary Suite"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 4.4(b) R-1","quotes":["permitted: (i) Secondary Suite; (ii) Coach House; (iii) Home Occupation, including bed and breakfast; (iv) Boarding;"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 2.19(b)-(c)","quotes":["a continuous unobstructed pathway of not more than 45 m in length","be prohibited where the principal Dwelling contains a Secondary Suite;","not be sited in the Front Yard."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"One suite per single-unit dwelling, at most 90 m² or 40% of the dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less. It must form a single real estate entity with the house. A coach house may not exceed 10% of the parcel coverage requirement and counts toward parcel coverage.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 2.19(a)(iv)-(v)","quotes":["shall form a single real estate entity with the principal Single-Unit Dwelling;","one such Use per Single-Unit Dwelling,","a maximum of 90 m2 or 40% of the Gross Floor Area of the Dwelling, whichever is less;"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 2.19(c)","quotes":["not exceed 10% of the Parcel Coverage requirements for the Parcel on which it is located;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"1.0 space for each dwelling unit (the table line for Secondary Suite, Coach House).","short":"1.0 space per dwelling unit","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 3.1 parking table","quotes":["Secondary Suite, Coach House 1.0 for each Dwelling Unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit applies to finishing a basement or changing the use of a space. A development permit is needed only if the property is in a Development Permit Area.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/building-permits-inspections","title":"Building Permits and Inspections, District of Elkford","section":"When Do I Need a Building Permit?","quotes":["Finishing a basement","Changing the occupancy or use of any structure or space"]},{"url":"https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/official-community-plan","title":"Official Community Plan, District of Elkford","section":"Development Permit Areas","quotes":["If you are interested in developing a property within a Development Permit Area, you will require a development permit before development can move forward"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Elkford Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013, s. 2.19; Building Bylaw No. 748, 2013","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 2.19","quotes":["2.19 Secondary Suite and Coach House Regulations"]},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as the “District of Elkford Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013”."]}],"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\nElkford's [Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013](https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/) allows a secondary suite as an accessory use to a single-unit dwelling in the R-1, R-2, R-5, R-MH, A-1 and LH zones. It must connect to community water and sewer, and cannot be in a mobile home. Suites are not listed in R-3, R-4, R-MP, UR-1 or the commercial, industrial and institutional zones.\n\nA detached coach house (including a tiny home) is an accessory use in R-1, R-5, R-MH and LH, not in R-2 or A-1. It needs a clear path from the street (at least 90 cm wide, 2.1 m headroom, 45 m or less), a visible address, cannot be in the front yard, and is not allowed if the main dwelling has a suite.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- One suite per single-unit dwelling, at most 90 m² or 40% of the dwelling's gross floor area, whichever is less. It must form a single real estate entity with the house.\n- A coach house may not exceed 10% of the parcel coverage requirement and counts toward parcel coverage.\n- Parking: 1.0 space per suite or coach house, in addition to the 2.0 spaces for the single-unit dwelling.\n- Finishing a basement or changing a space's use needs a building permit. A development permit is needed only if the property is in a Development Permit Area. The change of occupancy or use fee is $150.\n- Call 250-865-4000 or email planning@elkford.ca before you start. No page describes a suite-specific permit.","sources":[{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/88696/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 737, 2013 (PDF), District of Elkford","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/building-permits-inspections","title":"Building Permits and Inspections, District of Elkford","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.elkford.ca/building-development/official-community-plan","title":"Official Community Plan, District of Elkford","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://elkford.civicweb.net/document/87372/","title":"Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 838, 2021, Schedule G (PDF), District of Elkford","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/elkford/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/secondary-suite.json"}}