Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units

pic - secondary suites

UPDATE - NOVEMBER 2023

At the November 6, 2023 Council Meeting, Council gave first and second readings to Bylaw 438, and resolved to schedule a public hearing for December 4, 2023 immediately preceding the regularly scheduled Council Meeting. 

Here is the link to the staff report and Bylaw 438: https://www.highlands.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/8260?fileID=7269 

Here is the link to the minutes for that Meeting:  https://www.highlands.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11062023-683

UPDATE - AUGUST 2023

At the August 14, 2023 Council Meeting, Council considered updated bylaws and resolved for staff to gather more information about water for secondary dwelling units. 

Here is the link to the staff report: https://www.highlands.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/8124?fileID=7136 

Here is the link to the minutes for that Council Meeting: https://www.highlands.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_08142023-672

March to June 2023 - Sustainable Land Use Select Committee (SLUSC) Review
Council referred the July 18, 2022 staff report to SLUSC, who reviewed that report and the project overall at its meetings on March 8, 2023, April 26, 2023, May 17, 2023 and June 7, 2023. Here are the links to the agendas and minutes for each: 

March 8, 2023:     Agenda    Minutes
April 26, 2023:     Agenda    Minutes
May 17, 2023:     Agenda    Minutes
June 7, 2023:      Agenda    Minutes

UPDATE - OCTOBER 2022

Here is the link to the staff report to Council containing responses to the questions from Council’s July 18, 2022 Meeting: https://www.highlands.ca/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/7407?fileID=6850.  Council received this report for information because direction was already given at the July 18, 2022 Meeting to send the report to the Sustainable Land Use Select Committee (SLUSC).

UPDATE - JULY 2022

At the July 18, 2022 Council Meeting, Council directed the following questions back to staff:  

  1. Is the District able to grandfather existing secondary suites/accessory dwelling units?
  2. What is the potential population of the District of Highlands if secondary and accessory dwelling units were permitted under the provisions of Draft Highlands Zoning Bylaw, 1988, Amendment No. 41, (Accessory Dwelling Units) Bylaw No. 438, 2022?
  3. What is the potential population of the District of Highlands if secondary suites and dwelling units are limited to properties equal to or greater than 2 acres?

 After the responses return to Council, the project will be referred to the Sustainable Land Use Select Committee.

UPDATE – JUNE 2022

At its June 20, 2022 Regular Meeting, Council was presented with possible regulatory changes to allow secondary suites/accessory dwelling units. Council directed that the 2 bylaws be brought forward for formal consideration.  Here is the staff report.   

Below are the draft amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and the Building Regulation Bylaw. These bylaws are expected to be on Council’s agenda for the July 18, 2022 Meeting:

Bylaw 438_Pg 1

Bylaw 438_Pg 2


Bylaw 439

MAY 2022

At its May 2, 2022 Regular Meeting, Council amended the Secondary Suites and Accessory Dwelling Units Draft Policy/Program Outline to the version below.  This version was the subject of a Special April 19, 2022 Committee of the Whole Meeting; here is the Staff Report.  Here is a link to the Minutes from the Committee of the Whole Meeting.

Apr 20-2022_SS-ADU ApproachBACKGROUND

While secondary suites are not permitted under existing zoning regulations, it is estimated that approximately 30% to 50% of properties in Highlands have some form of unauthorized secondary suite and/or additional unapproved dwellings. Given increasing land costs and housing shortages in the region this trend is likely to continue.

Here is a timeline of the District's recent investigation into regulating secondary housing: