{"title":"Fraser Lake secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Fraser Lake?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/fraser-lake","name":"Fraser Lake","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":"Village of Fraser Lake","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes. Fraser Lake's Zoning Bylaw allows attached secondary suites and detached units (garden suites and carriage houses) as accessory uses in the A1, R1 and R2 zones. You need a building permit, and each unit needs 1 parking space.","aliases":["basement suite fraser lake","carriage house fraser lake","garden suite fraser lake","secondary suite fraser lake","legal suite fraser lake"],"cost":"Building permit at $6 per $1,000 of construction value. Extra water and sewer fees may be charged for each dwelling unit.","how_long":"The bylaw does not state a processing time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Village of Fraser Lake office","value":"250-699-6257","note":"Weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Chief Administrative Officer (bylaw questions)","value":"cao@fraserlake.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480"},{"title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Fraser Lake building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Fraser Lake building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Fraser Lake zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Fraser Lake permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/vanderhoof","name":"Vanderhoof","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vanderhoof/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/fort-st-james","name":"Fort St James","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fort-st-james/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burns-lake","name":"Burns Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burns-lake/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/houston","name":"Houston","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/houston/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-george","name":"Prince George","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-george/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/granisle","name":"Granisle","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/granisle/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":"An attached accessory dwelling unit (secondary suite) is a permitted accessory use in the Agricultural (A1), Small Scale Residential (R1) and Medium Residential (R2) zones.","short":"Yes, in A1, R1 and R2 zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"ss. 2.4, 6.1.2, 6.2.2, 6.3.2","quotes":["The use may also be defined as a Secondary Suite","Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU),","Attached (“Secondary Suite”)","Accessory Dwelling Unit, Attached"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"A detached accessory dwelling unit (garden suite or carriage house) is a permitted accessory use in A1, R1 and R2 zones.","short":"Yes, in A1, R1, R2 zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"ss. 2.4, 6.1.2, 6.2.2","quotes":["Garden Suite – a detached at-grade ADU","Carriage House – a detached 2-storey ADU","Accessory Dwelling Unit, Detached"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"R1: lots under 280 m² can have 2 units (house plus 1 ADU, or a duplex); larger lots up to 4 units (house plus up to 3 ADUs, or fourplex). A1: one house with a secondary suite and 1 ADU. Garden suite 4.5 m or 1 storey; carriage house 8 m or 2 storeys.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"ss. 6.1.3, 6.2.3","quotes":["Lots less than 280 m2 will have a maximum of 2 units:","Lots greater than 280 m2 will have a maximum of 4 units:","Single-Detached Dwelling with up to 3 ADUs;","Carriage House ADU – 8.0 m or 2 storeys","Garden Suite ADU – 4.5 m or 1 storey"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"1 parking space per accessory dwelling unit (in addition to 2 per single-detached dwelling).","short":"1 space per suite, plus 2 for the house","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"Table 3","quotes":["Accessory Dwelling Unit (a) 1 parking space per Dwelling Unit","Single-Detached (a) 2 parking spaces per Dwelling Unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit (Bylaw 878 s. 5.1). In an OCP development permit area (Downtown Mixed-Use, Mouse Mountain, Waterfront, Lakeshore) a development permit is also required for building work. A suite needs a separate entrance, one kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom meeting the BC Building Code.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518","title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 5.1","quotes":["unless a building official has issued a valid and subsisting permit for the work under this bylaw."]},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 3.3","quotes":["Accessory Dwelling Units must have separate entrances from the exterior","Additional water and sewer utility fees may be charged for each dwelling"]},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/419","title":"Official Community Plan, Village of Fraser Lake (PDF)","section":"Part 6, Applicable Activities","quotes":["A development permit is required for any development occurring on land within the DPAs","Construction of, addition to, or alteration of a building or structure."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (ss. 3.3, 6.1-6.3) and Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","section":"Title","quotes":["Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw"]},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518","title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw"]}],"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\nThe [Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw](https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480) permits an attached accessory dwelling unit (secondary suite) and a detached one (garden suite or carriage house) as accessory uses in the Agricultural (A1), Small Scale Residential (R1) and Medium Residential (R2) zones.\n\nLimits:\n- R1: lots under 280 m² can have 2 units (a house plus 1 accessory unit, or a duplex). Larger lots can have up to 4 units (a house plus up to 3 accessory units, or a fourplex).\n- A1: one house with a secondary suite and 1 accessory unit.\n- A garden suite is limited to 4.5 m or 1 storey; a carriage house to 8 m or 2 storeys.\n- Parking: 1 space per accessory dwelling unit, in addition to 2 per single-detached dwelling.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check your lot's zone and size in the Zoning Bylaw.\n2. Plan a separate entrance from the exterior for the unit.\n3. Apply for a building permit under the [Building Bylaw](https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518). Call the Village office at 250-699-6257 first.\n4. If your lot is in an Official Community Plan development permit area (Downtown Mixed-Use, Mouse Mountain, Waterfront or Lakeshore), you also need a development permit for the building work.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Additional water and sewer utility fees may be charged for each dwelling unit.\n- The bylaw does not state an owner-occupancy rule or a suite size limit in the text read. Ask the Village.\n- Unit limits for R2 were not confirmed. Ask the Village.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/480","title":"Bylaw 875, 2025 Zoning Bylaw (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/518","title":"Bylaw 878, 2026 Building Bylaw (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/media/419","title":"Official Community Plan, Village of Fraser Lake (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fraserlake.ca/contact","title":"Contact, Village of Fraser Lake","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/fraser-lake/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fraser-lake/secondary-suite.json"}}