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Summerland secondary suite and carriage house rules

Can I add a secondary suite or a carriage home?

Summerland, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Often yes. The District of Summerland allows one secondary suite inside a house in zones A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2, RU3 and RMD (and parts of CD9), and a carriage house in a separate building in A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2 and RU3. Each needs a building permit and one extra parking space.

Key facts

Secondary suite allowedA secondary suite is a self-contained dwelling inside a single detached house, duplex, multi-unit or townhouse unit. It is a permitted accessory use in zones A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2, RU3 and RMD, and in the CD9 NeighbourWood and Hillside sub-areas, subject to s. 7.3.Sources differ: Bulletin 25-06 (Sept 2025) lists older zone names (RSD1, RSD2, RSD3, RDH, RSH with a 460 m² lot minimum) that do not match the current Zoning Bylaw zones; the bylaw wins. Some comprehensive development zone(s) (e.g. s. 15.9) also list secondary suites. Bill 44 requires up to 4 units on many low-density lots (District bulletin 24-002).Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A, consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1), s. 7.3; zone accessory-use lists (8.1.3, 8.2.3, 9.1.3, 10.1.3, 10.2.3, 10.3.3, 10.4.3); Existing House - Secondary Suite, Building Bulletin 25-06 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Secondary Suite means a self-contained, Dwelling located within a Single
Secondary Suite, subject to Section 7.3;
Secondary Suites, where permitted in this Bylaw as an Accessory Use, shall comply with
Secondary Suites, subject to Section 7.3;
Secondary suites are permitted in principle buildings in single family zones.
Coach house or garden suite allowedA carriage house (a secondary dwelling in an accessory building) is a permitted accessory use in A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2 and RU3, only with single detached, duplex, multi-unit or manufactured housing. In RMD it is allowed only on one named lot (9306 Prairie Valley Road).Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A, consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1), s. 7.4; zone accessory-use lists · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Carriage House, subject to Section 7.4;
A Carriage House shall only be considered an Accessory Use to the Single
Carriage House, subject to Section 7.4
Carriage House means a secondary Dwelling constructed in an Accessory Building.
LimitsOne secondary suite per principal dwelling, no larger than that dwelling's gross floor area, and one real estate entity with the house (no separate ownership). A carriage house: at most the principal dwelling's floor area (90 m² in the ALR), at least 11 m², 7.5 m high (no higher than the house on lots under 1,000 m²), 3.0 m from the house.Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A, consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1), s. 7.3.1, s. 7.4.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Secondary Suites shall form a single real estate entity with the principal
Secondary Suites shall be limited to one such Use within a principal Dwelling
and be lesser than or equal to the Gross Floor Area of the principal Dwelling.
For lands within the Agricultural Land Reserve, the maximum floor area of a Carriage House shall
The distance between a Principal Dwelling and a Carriage House in any
for Lots less than 1000m2, shall not exceed the Height of the principal Dwelling on the Lot.
ParkingOne extra parking space for each suite or carriage house (1 per dwelling unit); the house itself needs 2, so a house with a suite needs 3 off-street spaces.Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A, consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1), s. 6.1 (parking table); s. 7.3.2; Existing House - Secondary Suite, Building Bulletin 25-06 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Housing - Secondary Suites, Carriage
Houses, Live-Work Unit 1 per Dwelling unit
2 per Dwelling unit
One (1) additional parking space is required.
PermitsA building permit (fee based on construction value) with inspections and a final occupancy inspection; gas and electrical permits for alterations; a development permit first if the lot is in an OCP development permit area. A secondary suite or one carriage house is exempt from the District's servicing bylaw requirements.Existing House - Secondary Suite, Building Bulletin 25-06; Building Bylaw No. 2022-002, consolidated to March 25, 2026, s. 14.1(a); Works and Infrastructure Requirements for Adding Residential Units, Bulletin 24-002 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
you can apply for a building permit to commence the work.
Gas and Electric permits are required for any alterations to the respective systems.
the owner must apply for and obtain a development permit if the building or structure is in an area
In all cases, the construction of a secondary suite or one carriage house is exempt from the bylaw requirements.
BylawZoning Bylaw No. 2000-450 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1); Building Bylaw No. 2022-002Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A, consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1), title page; Building Bylaw No. 2022-002, consolidated to March 25, 2026, title page · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
Official wording
Summerland Zoning Bylaw 2000-450
Building Bylaw No. 2022-002

How it works

Under Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 (s. 7.3), a secondary suite is a self-contained dwelling inside a single detached house, duplex, multi-unit or townhouse unit. It is a permitted accessory use in zones A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2, RU3 and RMD, and in the CD9 NeighbourWood and Hillside sub-areas. A carriage house (s. 7.4) is a secondary dwelling in an accessory building, allowed in A1, A2, CR1, RU1, RU2 and RU3 with single detached, duplex, multi-unit or manufactured housing. In RMD it is allowed only on one named lot (9306 Prairie Valley Road).

Steps

  1. Confirm your zone allows it (see zoning-lookup) and check your title for covenants.
  2. Apply for a building permit (see building-permit). If your lot is in an Official Community Plan development permit area, a development permit comes first.
  3. Arrange gas and electrical permits for alterations, and book inspections, including a final occupancy inspection.

Good to know

  • Limits: one secondary suite per principal dwelling, no larger than that dwelling's gross floor area, with no separate ownership. A carriage house is at most the principal dwelling's floor area (90 m² in the ALR), at least 11 m², 7.5 m high and 3.0 m from the house. On lots under 1,000 m² it may not be higher than the principal dwelling.
  • Carriage houses must connect to municipal water and sewer (lots of 1.0 ha or more may use an onsite system).
  • Parking: one extra space per suite or carriage house. The house needs 2, so a house with a suite needs 3 off-street spaces.
  • A secondary suite or one carriage house is exempt from the District's servicing bylaw requirements. The bulletin says a dual electrical meter is mandatory and utility charges apply to the suite even if empty.
  • Bulletin 25-06 uses older zone names than the Zoning Bylaw. The bylaw governs, so confirm your zone with Development Services.

What you'll need

  • Current state of title (to check for covenants or a Land Use Contract)

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Penticton · Peachland · West Kelowna · Kelowna · Keremeos · Oliver

Secondary suite and carriage house rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Zoning Bylaw 2000-450 Schedule A (PDF), consolidated to March 3, 2026 (ss. 7.3, 7.4, 6.1) (read 2026-11-05)
  2. Existing House - Secondary Suite, Building Bulletin 25-06 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  3. Works and Infrastructure Requirements for Adding Residential Units, Bulletin 24-002 (PDF) (read 2026-11-05)
  4. Building Bylaw No. 2022-002 (PDF), consolidated to March 25, 2026 (read 2026-11-05)

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.