Pouce Coupe secondary suite and carriage house rules
Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Pouce Coupe?
Yes. Pouce Coupe's Zoning Bylaw permits a secondary suite in A-1, R-1 and R-2 zones on a parcel with a single-detached or duplex home, and a detached accessory dwelling unit (a carriage house) in several zones. You need a building permit to build a suite.
Key facts
| Secondary suite allowed | Secondary suites are permitted accessory uses in the A-1, R-1 and R-2 zones, but only on a parcel with a single-detached or duplex dwelling. Not allowed on a parcel with a mobile home.Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Suites, items 2-3; Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 7, R-1 zone · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingSuites shall be considered an accessory use to a single-detached or duplex dwelling and are only permitted on parcels containing a single-detached or duplex dwelling. Suites are not permitted on a parcel containing a mobile home. v. Bee keeping vi. Daycare vii. Home occupation viii. Secondary suite ix. Short-term rental accommodation Regulations On a parcel located in an area zoned R-1, no building or structure shall be constructed, located or altered, |
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| Coach house or garden suite allowed | An accessory dwelling unit (detached suite) is an accessory use in A-1, R-1, C-1, C-2, M-1 and P-1 (not R-2). It needs rear lane access or a side parcel setback of 3.0 m or more, 3.0 m from the rear of the house, not in the front yard, at most 8.0 m high (single storey). R-1 needs a 550 m² parcel.Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Suites, Accessory Dwelling Units; Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 7, R-1 zone · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingMust be located on a parcel that has rear lane access or that contains a side parcel setback of 3.0 m or greater. Shall be set back a minimum of 3.0 m from rear of the principal building. Shall not exceed a height of 8.0 m when the accessory dwelling unit is located in a single storey accessory building. is on the same parcel within residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional zones iv. Single-detached dwelling with accessory dwelling unit 550.0 m2 |
| Limits | A secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit may both be on one parcel. Suites cannot be subdivided or strata titled and must meet the BC Building Code. R-1: at most 3 dwelling units per parcel; a house with a secondary suite needs a 440 m² parcel.Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Suites, items 4, 6, 7; Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 7, R-1 zone · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingA secondary suite and an accessory dwelling unit are permitted on the same parcel. All suites must meet BC Building Code requirements, which may be amended from time to time. Suites shall not be subdivided or strata titled. 8. Maximum dwelling units per parcel 3 iii. Single-detached dwelling (with or without secondary suite) 440.0 m2 |
| Parking | Conflict inside the bylaw: Section 4 says one additional off-street parking space on site for each suite or accessory dwelling unit; the parking table (Table 3) says 2 spaces per dwelling unit for a secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit, in addition to the principal dwelling's requirement.Sources differ: Both are in Zoning Bylaw 1093, 2026; ask the Village which applies. Spaces are 5.5 m x 2.7 m (s. 5).Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 4, Suites, item 5; Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, s. 5, Table 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingOne additional off-street parking space must be provided on-site for each suite or accessory dwelling unit. Secondary Suite 2 spaces per dwelling unit in addition to principal |
| Permits | A building permit is required to construct a secondary suite. The Village building page does not mention a development permit for suites.Building Permits and Development, A building permit is required for... · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingConstruction of an secondary suite |
| Bylaw | Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026 (Section 4, Suites; Section 7, Zones); Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916, 2008.Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026, Bylaw cover; Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingVillage of Pouce Coupe Zoning Bylaw No. 1093 2026 BYLAW NO. 916, 2008 |
How it works
In Pouce Coupe, Zoning Bylaw No. 1093 allows two kinds of extra home.
Secondary suite (inside the house): an accessory use in the A-1, R-1 and R-2 zones, only on a parcel with a single-detached or duplex dwelling, not a mobile home. In R-1 a house with a suite needs a 440 m² parcel and the parcel may hold at most 3 dwelling units. In the ALR (A-1), at most three dwelling units including the suite.
Detached suite (the bylaw calls it an accessory dwelling unit; "coach house" and "garden suite" are not used): allowed in A-1, R-1, C-1, C-2, M-1 and P-1, not R-2. It needs rear lane access or a side parcel setback of 3.0 m or more, 3.0 m from the rear of the house, not in the front yard, and at most 8.0 m high (single storey). R-1 needs a 550 m² parcel. A second-storey unit is limited to a 7.0 m ceiling height. It must connect to the principal building's water and sewer.
Steps
- Ask the Village Office to confirm your zone and parcel size.
- Apply for a building permit. See the building-permit answer.
- If you need to vary setbacks or parking, a development variance permit is required.
Good to know
- A secondary suite and a detached unit may both be on one parcel. Suites cannot be subdivided or strata titled and must meet the BC Building Code.
- Parking: Section 4 of the bylaw says one extra off-street space per suite; its parking table says 2 spaces per suite, in addition to the main home. Ask the Village which applies. Spaces are 5.5 m by 2.7 m.
- The bylaw states no owner-occupancy rule and no maximum suite size.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Dawson Creek · Taylor · Fort St. John · Chetwynd · Tumbler Ridge · Hudson's Hope
Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning Bylaw No. 1093, 2026 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe (read 2026-11-08)
- Building Regulation Bylaw No. 916 (PDF), Village of Pouce Coupe (read 2026-11-08)
- Building Permits and Development, Village of Pouce Coupe (read 2026-11-08)
- Contact, Village of Pouce Coupe (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.