Where are Additional Residential Units (ARUs) permitted and what are the size restrictions?

• Subject to compliance with Zoning By-law 1997-123, ARUs are permitted:
  • Configuration 1:
    • (1) One ARU within a permitted single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling or a row dwelling; and
    • up to (1) One ARU within a building that is accessory to one of these permitted dwellings
  • OR Configuration 2:
    • (2) Two ARUs within a permitted single detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling or a row dwelling
  • The principal dwelling must be a permitted land use in the City’s Comprehensive Zoning By-law 97-123; and
  • Maximum floor area for an Additional Residential Unit must be less than the Floor Area of the Principal Dwelling Unit; and
  • Maximum of 2 bedrooms in an Additional Residential Unit: and
  • The ARU must be serviced by public water distribution and wastewater collection facilities unless municipal water distribution and wastewater collection services are not otherwise required by the Zoning By-law for the Principal Dwelling Unit, then the use of private services to support the Additional Residential Unit(s) will be permitted: and
  • The ARU must not be located in a floodway as defined in the Provincial Policy Statement, 2020 or any successor thereof
  • To check location of your property relative to the floodway, visit Otonabee River Conservation Authority Property Inquiry page and submit an electronic ticket.

Zoning By-law Regulations: Detached ARUs

Section 4.18 Residential Accessory Uses has the following requirements for detached accessory buildings on a lot with one or 2 Principal Dwelling Units.

Minimum distance to rear of Principal Dwelling - 1.2 metres

Minimum distance from side or rear lot line - 0.6 metres

Maximum Height - 4.3 metres

Maximum lot coverage for all accessory buildings - 10%

Cumulative lot coverage of all accessory buildings (e.g. ARU, sheds, detached garages, etc.) plus coverage of the Principal Dwelling must comply with the overall lot coverage regulation of the applicable Residential Zoning District.

Zoning Regulations Secondary Suite

Access Route

• Exterior access to Additional Residential Units shall:
  • be clear and unobstructed (including utilities protruding from the building);
  • be constructed of a hard and stable surface;
  • minimum width of no less than 0.9m;
  • cross-fall: 2% min - 5% max;
  • longitudinal slope 2% min – 8% max;
  • wherever feasible, stairs shall be avoided;
  • drainage function of swales, typically located on properly lines, shall be maintained;
  • external pass-through sheet drainage across access walkways are not permitted;
  • where minimum access requirements are shared across properly lines between multiple properties, registered easements on title shall be required.
• An access route from a fire hydrant to a pumper vehicle plus an unobstructed path of travel for a firefighter from the vehicle to the primary entrance of a ARU must not exceed 90 metres (295 feet), and,
• An unobstructed path of travel for a firefighter from a pumper vehicle to the primary entrance of a ARU must not exceed 45 metres (147.6 feet).
• Where these distances can not be achieved, an alternative firefighting or access solution is required that promotes public safety to the satisfaction of the Peterborough Fire Services and the City of Peterborough Building Services Division.

Parking Requirements

Parking spaces are not permitted in the road right of way. A survey may be required to confirm the location of the proposed spaces meets the minimum requirements. Parking must be located on the property in accordance with the by-law requirements outlined below:

Table Note: Tandem parking for an ARU is permitted in all parking areas. Where the required number of parking spaces results in a fraction, the parking requirement is rounded up to the nearest whole number. 

Parking Areas

To identify which Parking Area applies to your property, please use our interactive map tool:

1. Enter the address of the property in the search bar
2. Click anywhere in the highlighted property box (the map will identify the Parking Area for the property) 

Additional Parking and Driveway Regulations

• Minimum size of a parking space:
• Parking Area 1 and 2: 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) by 5.5 metres (18 feet)
• Parking Areas 3, 4 and 5: 2.7 metres (8.9 feet) by 5.7 metres (18.7 feet)
• On any lot containing a single-detached dwelling or a semi-detached dwelling as the Principal Dwelling, no more than two motor vehicles can be parked within 6 metres of a street line (i.e. a mutual property line with a street).”
• In Parking Area 1 and Area 2 on Schedule E, where a lot contains five (5) or more motor vehicle parking spaces, such spaces and the driveway thereto shall not be located within 1.5 metres of a street line, side lot line or a rear lot line.
• In Parking Area 3, Area 4 and Area 5 on Schedule E, where a lot contains five (5) or more motor vehicle parking spaces, such spaces and the driveway thereto shall not be located within 3.0 metres of a street line, or side lot line, or located within 1.5 metres of a rear lot line. (By-law 25-008)
• Maximum driveway width at the mutual property line with a street:

Note: Permitted driveway widths may vary where site specific permission has been granted.  Please confirm driveway width requirements with City staff.

Maximum number of driveways:

• For lots with one (1) street line:
• For lots with street line length less than 20 meters: 1 driveway
• For lots with street line length of 20 meters or greater: 2 driveways
• For lots with more than one (1) street line (i.e. corner lots):
• One (1) driveway per street line

Note: the above references parking regulations directly related to ARUs; all parking regulations can be found in Section 4 of the City’s Zoning By-law.

Need help?

For assistance with creating a site plan, review the sample. Other sample drawings for additional residential units are available on the main ARU page.

If you want to fast-track the permit process, you can choose one of the pre-approved plans from the catalogue.

Visit the Plan-Build Peterborough Counter in the north end of City Hall during regular business hours for more assistance.