{"title":"Spallumcheen secondary suite and carriage house rules","question":"Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage house in Spallumcheen?","slug":"secondary-suite","place":{"path":"ca/bc/spallumcheen","name":"Spallumcheen","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":"Township of Spallumcheen","url":"https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca"},"short_answer":"Yes. In the Township of Spallumcheen, one secondary suite inside a single family dwelling is permitted in the R.1, S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones. A detached suite is allowed in the S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones on lots of 2 ha or more. A building permit is needed.","aliases":["secondary suite spallumcheen","basement suite spallumcheen","carriage house spallumcheen","detached suite spallumcheen"],"cost":"Building permit fees apply. See the building-permit-fees answer.","how_long":"The Township does not state a review time.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Planning and Development Services","value":"250-546-3013"},{"type":"email","label":"Planning and Development Services","value":"planner@spallumcheentwp.bc.ca"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Office","value":"4144 Spallumcheen Way, Spallumcheen, BC V4Y 0N1","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (PDF)","url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/"},{"title":"Building Bylaw No. 2009, 2020 (PDF)","url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34973/"}],"related":[{"slug":"building-permit","title":"Spallumcheen building permits: when you need one and how to apply","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/building-permit/"},{"slug":"building-permit-fees","title":"Spallumcheen building permit fees","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/building-permit-fees/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Spallumcheen zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/armstrong","name":"Armstrong","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/enderby","name":"Enderby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/vernon","name":"Vernon","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/coldstream","name":"Coldstream","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lumby","name":"Lumby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/secondary-suite/"},{"place":"ca/bc/lake-country","name":"Lake Country","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/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":"Yes. One secondary suite inside a single family dwelling is permitted in the R.1, S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones, under each zone's conditions. Not permitted in cellars.","short":"Yes, one in R.1, S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. zones","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 701.1(d), 701.10.c","quotes":["d. Single family dwellings which may include secondary suites subject to the","Secondary suites shall not be permitted in cellars.","Single family dwellings (or manufactured homes) which may include secondary suites subject to the provisions of Section 805.9.b. of this Bylaw"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Definitions","quotes":["SECONDARY SUITE means a dwelling unit located within the structure of a single family dwelling."]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 801.1, 803.1, 804.1","quotes":["Single family dwellings (or manufactured homes) which may include secondary suites subject to the provisions of Section 801.10.d. of this","secondary suites subject to the provisions of Section 803.9.f. of this Bylaw","secondary suites subject to the provisions of Section 804.9.d. of this"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"detached_allowed":{"label":"Coach house or garden suite allowed","value":"Yes, a detached suite (a dwelling unit above an accessory residential or agricultural building) in the S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones, on lots of 2 ha or more. Not listed for R.1. One per lot, not on a lot with a secondary single family dwelling. In the ALR it is treated as a second dwelling.","short":"Yes, in S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H., L.H.4 on lots 2 ha or more","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Definitions","quotes":["DETACHED SUITE means a dwelling unit located above an accessory residential or agricultural","Detached suite subject to the provisions of Section 805.9.d of this bylaw","the detached suite shall not be permitted on lots that are smaller than 2 ha;"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 801.10.f","quotes":["the detached suite must be located entirely on one floor and on","no more than one (1) detached suite shall be permitted per lot;","the detached suite shall not be permitted on lots containing a secondary","the detached suite shall not be permitted on lots that are smaller"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"limits":{"label":"Limits","value":"One suite per building, up to the greater of 40% of the dwelling's floor area or 90 m², with a separate outside entrance; not strata-subdivided; none in cellars. The 2024 amendment dropped owner-occupancy. Detached suite: one per lot, 2 ha or more, none with a secondary dwelling; 90 m² cap in S.H., C.R. and L.H.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 701.10.c (as amended 2024)","quotes":["not more than one (1) secondary suite shall be contained within","the secondary suite shall not exceed the greater of forty percent","the secondary suite shall have at least one (1) access to the outside","buildings containing secondary suites shall not be subdivided","the secondary suite shall not exceed the greater of forty percent (40%) of the floor area of the building which contains the single family dwelling unit or 90 square metres (968.78 square feet); and","the maximum floor area of a detached suite shall not exceed 90 m2 (968 square feet);"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 801.10.f(viii)","quotes":["the maximum floor area of a detached suite shall not exceed 90"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"parking":{"label":"Parking","value":"One off-street parking space for each secondary suite. For a detached suite, one off-street space that cannot be in tandem with another required space.","short":"1 space per suite","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 701.10.c.v (Bylaw 2135, 2024)","quotes":["one off-street parking space shall be provided for each secondary"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 801.10.f.ix","quotes":["one (1) off-street parking space must be provided for each","detached suite. The parking space may not be provided in"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"permits":{"label":"Permits","value":"A building permit is needed for the construction or alteration (no one may build or alter without one). The Zoning Bylaw lists no separate suite permit. For a detached suite in the ALR, Agricultural Land Commission rules also apply.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34973/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2009, 2020, s. 301.1 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 301.1","quotes":["No person shall commence or continue any construction, alteration, reconstruction,","unless a Building Official has issued a permit for the work as outlined in"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"s. 801.10.f(xi)","quotes":["for properties within the Agricultural Land Reserve, a","detached suite is a second dwelling and shall meet the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008 (zone sections 701, 801 to 804; detached suites added by Bylaw 1938, 2017); Building Bylaw No. 2009, 2020","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Title page","quotes":["ZONING BYLAW NO. 1700, 2008","Bylaw No. 1938, 2017 Sept 18, 2017 Detached suites and secondary dwellings"]},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34973/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2009, 2020, s. 301.1 (PDF, consolidated)","section":"Title page","quotes":["BUILDING BYLAW NO. 2009, 2020"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":6,"stated":6,"matched":6,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Zoning Bylaw](https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/), one secondary suite inside a single family dwelling is permitted in the R.1, S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones, under each zone's conditions. Suites are not permitted in cellars.\n\n**Secondary suite limits:**\n\n- One suite per building.\n- Up to the greater of 40% of the dwelling's floor area or 90 m².\n- A separate outside entrance.\n- Not strata-subdivided.\n- One off-street parking space per suite.\n- Owner occupancy is no longer required under the 2024 amendment.\n\n**Detached suite** (a dwelling unit above an accessory residential or agricultural building): allowed in the S.H., C.R., A.2, L.H. and L.H.4 zones on lots of 2 ha or more. It is not listed for R.1. One per lot, and not on a lot with a secondary single family dwelling. It must be on a floor above the main floor, up to 90 m² in S.H., C.R. and L.H., with its own outside access, and not strata-titled. It needs one off-street space that cannot be in tandem with another required space.\n\nIn the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), a detached suite is treated as a second dwelling and Agricultural Land Commission rules also apply.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Confirm your zone and lot size with Planning at 250-546-3013.\n2. Apply for a building permit for the construction or alteration. No one may build or alter without one, and the Zoning Bylaw lists no separate suite permit.\n3. Check for development permit areas (hillsides, within 30 m of streams, wildfire hazard areas) with Planning.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- The zoning text prints old and amended wording together. Confirm the current rules with the Township before you design.","sources":[{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34972/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1700, 2008, s. 701, 801 to 804 (PDF, consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://spallumcheen.civicweb.net/document/34973/","title":"Building Bylaw No. 2009, 2020, s. 301.1 (PDF, consolidated)","accessed":"2026-11-06"},{"url":"https://www.spallumcheentwp.bc.ca/services/contact-us.htm","title":"Contact Us, Township of Spallumcheen","accessed":"2026-11-06"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-06","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/spallumcheen/secondary-suite/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/secondary-suite.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/secondary-suite.json"}}