Edmonton’s Zoning Bylaw 20001, Section 6.10, calls these units “Backyard Housing.” Its standards include several site conditions and exceptions, so a single measurement should not be used without checking the lot’s zone, alley, adjacent property, and building arrangement. The City’s by-law page is the reference for the current text; the figures below describe selected Section 6.10 controls.

Height, coverage, and upper-floor area

The general height limit is 6.8 m. It is 4.3 m where the rear lot line abuts a residential-zoned site whose maximum height is 12.0 m or less. Maximum site coverage is 20%. The by-law limits second-storey floor area to 60 m² per dwelling, or 70 m² when the Backyard Housing meets the by-law’s Inclusive Design requirements. A second-storey wall containing Backyard Housing may be no longer than 15.0 m. The upper-floor allowance depends on the applicable design conditions and does not change the other limits.

Setbacks and separation

The default minimum setback is 1.2 m. At a rear lot line beside an alley, it may be 0.6 m if there is no garage or the garage door does not face the alley. A flanking-side setback follows the underlying zone. Section 6.10 also allows a 0 m interior-side setback in specified common-lot-line or zero-lot-line conditions, with eave-separation and roof-drainage requirements. Check those exact conditions before using the zero-setback option.

The minimum distance from other principal buildings on the same site is 3.0 m, while the minimum distance between Backyard Housing buildings is 0.9 m. Those are zoning separation measurements; they do not establish fire separation or emergency access. Other Section 6.10 conditions cover façade design, entrances, lighting, and rooftop-terrace accessibility.

For a parcel-specific comparison, confirm the base zone, rear-lot-line abutment, alley and garage orientation, lot lines, proposed height and floor areas, and any common-lot-line arrangement. Then check the current by-law, technical codes, servicing, and permit requirements. See also the broader setback and separation guide.