{"title":"Harrison Hot Springs secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a coach house in Harrison Hot Springs?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs","name":"Harrison Hot Springs","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 Harrison Hot Springs","url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca"},"short_answer":"In Harrison Hot Springs the zoning bylaw allows one suite per lot, up to 90 m² and under 40% of the detached dwelling. Coach houses are allowed in the R-2 zone only, with community sewer and water. A lot can have a suite or a coach house, not both. Confirm your lot with the Village.","aliases":["secondary suite harrison hot springs","basement suite harrison hot springs","coach house harrison hot springs","legal suite harrison hot springs"],"cost":"No suite-specific fee found. A building permit through the FVRD may be needed; see the building- permit-fees answer.","how_long":"Not stated.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"495 Hot Springs Road, Harrison Hot Springs, BC V0M 1K0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office","value":"604-796-2171"},{"type":"email","label":"FVRD Building Inspection","value":"building@fvrd.bc.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District","url":"https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Harrison Hot Springs building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/building-permit/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Harrison Hot Springs zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/zoning-lookup/"},{"slug":"deck-shed-garage-permit","title":"Harrison Hot Springs permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/deck-shed-garage-permit/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/kent","name":"Kent","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kent/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/chilliwack","name":"Chilliwack","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chilliwack/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/hope","name":"Hope","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/hope/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/abbotsford","name":"Abbotsford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/abbotsford/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/mission","name":"Mission","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/mission/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/maple-ridge","name":"Maple Ridge","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/maple-ridge/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":"The zone table (s. 7.1.1) lists \"Accessory Residential Suite or a Coach House, but not both\" as an accessory use in the R-2 zone only. Section 4.3(a) says suites are permitted for all uses except in a duplex dwelling, townhouse, apartment or mobile home.","short":"Only in R-2 zone (suite or coach house, not both)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"s. 7.1.1 and 4.3(a)","quotes":["Accessory Residential Suites will be permitted for all uses, except in a Duplex","or a Coach","House, but not"]},{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"definition","quotes":["means a separate and self-contained Residential Dwelling Unit located within a Detached"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"},"sources_differ":"The two sections read differently: the zone table marks only the R-2 column, while s. 4.3(a) is broader. The column was read from the position of the mark in extracted PDF text. Confirm with the Village (604-796-2171)."},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Coach houses are allowed in the R-2 (Duplex) zone only, at least 3.0 m from the main dwelling, and only where there is both community sewer and community water. A lot may have a coach house or a suite, not both.","short":"Yes, in R-2 zone only, with community sewer and water","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"s. 4.10 and 4.11","quotes":["Coach Houses will be allowed in the following Residential Zone only:","Residential 2 (Duplex) R2.","either a Coach House or a Residential Accessory Suite is permitted but not both"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"Suite: one per lot; no more than 90 m² and less than 40% of the habitable area of the detached dwelling (garage not counted); cannot be strata-subdivided; lots without municipal sewer need written confirmation that the sewer system capacity is adequate. Coach house: all accessory buildings including it must not exceed 90 m². No owner-occupancy rule was found.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"s. 4.3(b) to (e), 4.10(c)","quotes":["only one (1) Accessory Residential","Suite is permitted per Lot;","not more than","habitable area of the","The combined Gross Floor Area of all Accessory Building or Structures on the Lot,"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"One extra off-street parking space for a suite, in addition to the spaces required for the main use (s. 4.3(f)); the parking table also lists 1 per suite. A coach house needs 1 per dwelling unit.","short":"1 space per suite, plus main use","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"s. 4.3(f) and 6.1.1","quotes":["One off-street parking space in addition to those required for the Permitted Use must","Accessory Residential Suites 1 per suite","Coach Houses 1 per Dwelling Unit"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit from the FVRD is needed for a change in occupancy and for construction valued at $2,000 or more. The suite must meet the BC Building Code. Zoning ticket amounts for a prohibited suite are $500.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District","section":"s. 5.2(e), (g)","quotes":["any change in occupancy, as defined in the current edition of the British Columbia","all other construction of or to a structure if the value of construction is $2,000 or"]},{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"definition","quotes":["that meets the requirements of the BC Building Code"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Harrison Hot Springs Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017, s. 4.3, 4.10, 4.11 and 7.1.1.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","section":"title page","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW NO. 1115, 2017"]}],"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 [Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017](https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf) governs suites and coach houses in Harrison Hot Springs. A lot may have a coach house or a suite, not both.\n\n**Suite:** one per lot; no more than 90 m² and less than 40% of the habitable area of the detached dwelling (garage not counted); it cannot be strata-subdivided. Lots without municipal sewer need written confirmation that the sewer system capacity is adequate. No owner-occupancy rule was found.\n\n**Coach house:** allowed in the R-2 (Duplex) zone only, at least 3.0 m from the main dwelling, and only where there is both community sewer and community water. All accessory buildings including the coach house must not exceed 90 m².\n\n**Parking:** one extra off-street space for a suite, on top of the spaces required for the main use. A coach house needs one per dwelling unit.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Ask the Village Office (604-796-2171) whether your lot and zone allow a suite or coach house.\n2. Apply to the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) for a building permit. One is needed for a change in occupancy and for construction valued at $2,000 or more. The suite must meet the BC Building Code.\n3. A zoning ticket for a prohibited suite is $500.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The zone table lists suites as an accessory use in R-2 only, but section 4.3(a) says suites are permitted for all uses except a duplex, townhouse, apartment or mobile home. The two sections read differently, so confirm with the Village before you spend money.\n- No separate suite permit or development permit was found in the bylaws.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/sites/default/files/2026-03/Zoning-Bylaw-No.-1115--%28Consolidated-to-December-15%2C-2025%29.pdf","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1115, 2017 (PDF, consolidated to December 15, 2025), Village of Harrison Hot Springs","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.fvrd.ca/assets/Government/Documents/Bylaws/Building/CONSOLIDATED%20Bylaw%201188,%202013%20-%20Bulding%20Bylaw.pdf","title":"Building Bylaw No. 1188, 2013 (PDF, consolidated), Fraser Valley Regional District","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.harrisonhotsprings.ca/contact-us","title":"Contact Us, Village of Harrison Hot Springs","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/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/harrison-hot-springs/secondary-suite.json"}}