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Additional Residential Units

HomeLiving HereBuilding ServicesAdditional Residential Units
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Exterior of a garage window

The Municipality of Port Hope’s Additional Residential Units (ARU) Guide

What are additional Residential Units (ARUs)?

Additional Residential Units (ARUs) are independent residential units, secondary to and in the same building or on the same lot as the main dwelling. They also include separate kitchen, bathroom and sleeping areas. ARUs are permitted on lots containing single detached, semi-detached, and or street townhouse dwellings at a maximum of two per lot.

ARUs are sometimes referred to as granny flats, in-law suites, secondary suites, laneway homes, and basement apartments. Below is a visual sample of ARU examples. 

Diagram of ARU examples

Zoning by-law

Gross floor area (GFA)

The zoning by-law defines the gross floor area (GFA) as a total area of buildings measured from the exterior face of outside walls of buildings/structures, excluding areas designed or intended for parking. 

Parking

Parking is subject to Section 5.6 (Residential Parking Requirements) of The Municipality of Port Hope’s Zoning By-law.

Parking Calculation: Table 5.5 (Residential Parking Requirements)
UseMinimum Parking Space Requirement
Additional Residential Unit 1 space for the first additional residential unit on a lot subject to Section 4.2.1.1 j), with 0 spaces required for the second ARU
Permitted Uses in Residential Zones
UseRES1RES2RES3RES4RESV1RESV2RESRRESE
Two Additional Residential Units (6)  yes   yes  yes  yes   yes   yes   yes   yes 

Special Provision 6: Subject to Section 4.2.7

Permitted Uses in Countryside Zones
UseARUORM-CORM-EPORM-MXORM-LORM-RUORM-RS
One Additional Residential Unit (7)  yes  yes no   no  no  no  yes  yes
Two Additional Residential Units   yes   yes  no  no  no  no  no  no

General Provisions for ARUs (Urban and Rural)

  • ARUs must satisfy the provisions outlined in Section 4.10 (Frontage on a Public Street):
    • They must be next / have access to a public right of way (ROW)
    • A maximum of two bedrooms are permitted inside each ARU
  • ARUs in an accessory building must have a 1.2m wide pedestrian path connecting the entrance to the street
  • Urban primary dwelling units and ARUs on the same property must be serviced by adequate municipal and water services
  • Rural property owners must get confirmation from the County of Northumberland to ensure that existing servicing can support proposed ARUs before a building permit is issued
  • ARUs inside accessory dwelling units must be located 40 metres from a public street providing access to the main dwelling unit
  • The height of an accessory building cannot exceed 5 metres or the main building, whichever is less
  • Required off-street parking spaces may be arranged behind each other
  • No additional driveways shall be permitted for ARUs

ARUs inside a Main House

  • ARUs cannot exceed the building footprint of a main dwelling
  • The gross floor area (GFA) of additional residential unit(s), together or separately, cannot exceed 50% GFA of a main dwelling unit
  • However, only one ARU is permitted to occupy an entire basement subject to planning approval
  • ARUs accessed from the interior side lot must be at least 1.2m from the property line, stairs cannot be inside this setback  

Specific Provisions

Urban
Urban Area Detached ARUs
  • They cannot occupy more than 50% of the rear yard area
  • A detached ARU must be within 40m of a public street that provides access to the main dwelling unit
  • ARUs inside an accessory building must be within 40m from the main building
  • The maximum gross floor area of an ARUs cannot exceed 50% of the main building up to a maximum of 70m2
Rural
  • Minimum lot area must be 0.4 hectares.
  • ARUs inside an accessory building must be within 40m from the main building
  • Only one ARU per lot is allowed inside the Oak Ridges Moraine - Rural (ORM-RU) and Oak Ridges Moraine - Rural Settlement (ORM-RS) zones. It must be in the same building as the primary dwelling unit
  • The maximum gross floor area of a detached ARUs cannot exceed 50% of the main building up to a maximum of 80m2 in countryside zones 
Restrictions
  • The maximum gross floor area of ARUs within the same building as the primary dwelling unit shall not singularly or together exceed 50% of the GFA of the primary dwelling unit. 
  • ARUs are prohibited on lands inside an Environmental Protection – Floodplain (EP-F) zone or in a floodplain identified by the Ganaraska Regional Conservation Authority (GRCA)
  • Moreover, ARUs are prohibited on lots with a boarding/rooming house, garden suite, bed and breakfast establishment, farm vacation home, garden home type 1 and group home type 2, or accessory farm employee accommodation
  • Two ARUs are not permitted in a detached accessory structure
  • No more than one ARU is permitted in a basement
  • An ARU in a detached accessory structure cannot have a basement or livable spaces below grade

Process

Planning Review

  1. Submit a planning review form and site plan for staff to verify if ARU proposal meets Port Hope’s zoning standards. This process can take up to 10 business days with a complete application, however, comments from planning staff and outside agencies can delay the process
  2. Once approval has been given, you can begin the process of applying for a building permit from the Building Services department

Building Permit

  1. For ARUs within the main dwelling refer to the Accessory Apartment Guide and Requirements
  2. For detached ARUs refer to the Accessory Building Guide and Requirements

For more information on ARUs, please consult these resources issued by the provincial government:

  • Tennant and Landlord rights
  • Provincial Guide for Additional Residential Units (ARUs)  
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