Adding Residential Units to your Property?
The District of Summerland encourages additional residential dwellings to be constructed in areas of the community that have full urban services and are currently zoned and designated for low density residential housing (i.e. infill development).
In addition, in November of 2023, the Province of BC enacted legislation prescribing to all local governments in BC to allow for a minimum of 4 residential units in all residential zoned areas with access to full urban services (water and sanitary sewer servicing).
Here are three ways you can consider adding one or more residential housing to your property:
Multi-Unit Housing
Following zoning changes to accommodate a provincial legislative deadline of June 30, 2024, the District has created a new zoning use of "multi-unit housing" that is intended to provide flexible options to add additional residential housing on existing single family residential lots. Multi-Unit Housing allows for various configurations of 2 to 4 residential units in either: duplex, triplex, fourplex, or townhouse formats. It is intended to be in one building with wall-separations divided either vertically or horizontally between units. These units are different than a secondary suite because they can be stratified on the subject property.
A building permit for new Multi-Unit Housing may trigger requirements for the District's Works and Infrastructure department. Please read the below bulletin on what additional requirements may be requested in the build process for a Multi-Unit project:
Carriage Homes
In simple terms, a carriage home contain facilities that are completely detached from the principle dwelling (i.e. within an accessory building) and includes at least one bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen. The kitchen would usually include cooking facilities such as a stove or microwave, but a stove plug of 220 volts or a gas line into the kitchen is also considered a cooking facility, since either of these hook-ups would enable quick and easy installation of a stove.
Secondary Suites
In simple terms, a secondary suite is an area of a single family dwelling that is separate from the rest of the house. A secondary suite can include common areas with the rest of the house (such as a laundry room) but must contain facilities that are completely separated from the rest of the house. Unlike Multi-Unit Housing, secondary suites can not be stratified to allow for separate ownership but usually have less building code requirements.
Ready to apply for a new infill housing project? Learn how to apply for a building permit.