City of Ottawa | Fall 2017 |
Coach house principles:
Principle 1 – Form of Intensification
Coach houses are meant to be a gentle form of intensification, allowing for affordable housing options, on residential properties that are developed with a detached, semi-detached, duplex or rowhouse dwelling (if that rowhouse dwelling is on a corner lot or has access to a travelled lane).
Principle 2 – Secondary to Principal dwelling
Coach houses are limited in size (maximum footprint and height) to ensure that they are clearly secondary to, and smaller than, the principal dwelling, and that there is enough space left in the back yard to serve as amenity area for both the principal dwelling and the coach house.
Principle 3 – Remain as an Accessory Use
Coach houses are required to remain as an accessory use to the principal dwelling located in a separate detached structure, be on the same lot as the principal dwelling and cannot be severed to create a separate lot for the coach house.
Principle 4 – Integration with Urban Context
Coach houses must be designed and located to minimize impacts on neighbouring properties regards to privacy, shadowing and overlook. They must not negatively impact the streetscape character of the neighbourhood, and must integrate with the existing streetscape character in the case of corner lots or lots having a secondary frontage on a rear lane.
Principle 5 – Servicing
For lots serviced by a municipal or communal water and sanitary system, the coach houses will be serviced from the principal dwelling’s connections. For lots serviced by a private well and septic system, the coach house will obtain a direct connection to at least one of the principal dwelling’s services: well or septic.
Principle 6 – Tree and Landscape Preservation
Coach houses must be designed and located to ensure that mature trees are preserved, on the subject property and neighbouring properties, in accordance with the Urban Tree Conservation By-law. Efforts should be made in planning for and building a coach house to retain existing trees and vegetation.