Carriage House

A carriage house (garage suite) is a secondary dwelling unit located above or attached to a detached garage.

In the Town of Crossfield, carriage houses are not permitted in all areas and are considered at the Town’s discretion.

Before You Start

Before planning your project, you must contact the Town to discuss your proposal.

Carriage houses:

are only allowed in select land use districts
are typically considered a discretionary use
must meet specific design, servicing, and site requirements

Applications submitted without prior discussion may not be supported.

Contact the Development & Planning department

1. Confirm Eligibility

Administration will review:

your property’s zoning and land use district
whether a carriage house is allowed or discretionary
applicable Land Use Bylaw regulations
site considerations (lot size, access, servicing)

Land Use zoning information

2. Apply for a Development Permit

If your proposal may be supported, a Development Permit is required.

The Development Permit review evaluates:

building size, height, and placement
parking and access
privacy and neighbouring impacts
overall site layout

Approval is not guaranteed.

Development Permit Application Process

Fees & Rates

3. Apply for a Building Permit

Once your Development Permit is approved, a Building Permit is required before you begin construction.

This review ensures your project meets safety and construction standards under the Alberta Building Code.

Due to the complexity of carriage house construction, applications typically require detailed drawings prepared by qualified professionals, including:

Architectural and structural drawings
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing designs
Energy compliance information
Grading and site servicing details

Building Permit Application Form

Building Permit Application Checklist

Building Permit Fees

4. Prepare for Construction

Once your Development Permit and Building Permit have been approved, you can begin preparing for construction.

Before starting any work on your property, the following requirements must be completed:

Line Locates (Required Before Digging)

Before any ground disturbance, you must request line locates through
Utility Safety Partners.

This service identifies underground utilities (sewer, gas, electrical, water, etc.) to help prevent damage, service disruptions, or injury.

Lot Grading

Before construction begins, it is important to understand how your lot will be graded.

Lot grading ensures that water drains away from your home and toward appropriate drainage areas, helping to prevent water issues on your property and neighbouring properties.

You may be required to follow an approved grading plan and provide confirmation after construction that grading has been completed correctly.