My house is located on a very small lot in Castlegar beside a vacant piece of property. I think my lot is about 3000 square feet. I want to put an in-law suite in the basement. Does the size of my lot or the fact that there’s a vacant lot next door affect my plans for the suite?

There certainly are several things to consider in your proposal. First, you should check with the City Planner at the municipal office. Often, the zoning bylaw does not permit a secondary suite in a single family residential zone (Nelson is an exception).  Even if the zone you live in permits a secondary suite, your lot size may not. Often, the zoning bylaws in municipalities state that lots that were created before the bylaw, and smaller than the lot area now required by the bylaw, cannot be densified. In other words, the owner cannot increase the number of dwelling units on the lot by adding a second suite.

Your 3000 square foot lot is probably too small to densify. And the vacant lot next door does not really help you when it comes time to present this proposal to the building and planning department folks. They will not consider the overall space in the neighbourhood because this lot could be developed tomorrow. However, this lot does present an opportunity for you to increase your own lot size. If the owner of this property is willing to sell you a portion or all of the property, your original lot would then be big enough to permit a secondary suite - if the zoning permits it. There are a lot of twists and turns in your proposal so do check with the planning department before proceeding.

Even though you may be intending to build an in-law suite for a relative, municipal planners and building inspectors do not waive any zoning or construction requirements. The term “in-law suite” is actually a misnomer. The basic rule is—A suite is a suite - is a suite. The municipality does not provide exemptions based on your relationship to the tenant because tenants change and the suite remains.