We read this municipality’s code, but parts of our finding still need confirming. Treat it as a starting point and confirm with the code office.
Canadice allows an in-house apartment for family, 300 to 800 sq ft, with a special permit renewed every five years. No backyard cottages.
The code allows an ADU only with a special use permit, which a board must approve, usually after a public hearing. Approval is not automatic.
The unit is limited to family members, so it cannot be rented to the public.
Whether any of this applies to your lot depends on your zoning district and your property.
The rules we found
| What the code says | Allowed with a special use permit (family only) |
|---|---|
| Detached (backyard) unit | No. The apartment must be inside the house, sharing at least 25% of a wall |
| Inside or attached | Yes |
| Size limit | 300 to 800 sq ft, and no more than 35% of the house |
| Bedrooms | 2 |
| Owner must live on site | Yes |
| Who may live there | Family members only; it cannot be rented to the public |
| How approval works | Planning Board special permit; renewed every five years after a code officer inspection |
| Other rules | Allowed in the R and HLS zoning districts. Family means related by blood, marriage, adoption or civil union. The entrance goes on the side or back. You need at least three off-street parking spaces, and no new driveway is allowed. |
Code section: §120-105 Accessory apartments; §120 definitions. Zoning chapter adopted July 9, 2007 (Local Law 3 of 2007); PDF revision date not shown
What this means for your plans
- Expect a public hearing where neighbors can speak, and a board decision that can take a few months. How special use permits work.
- The owner has to live on the property. If you plan to move away, spend winters somewhere else or sell, read the owner rule above closely. Renting and owner rules.
- Only family members can live in the ADU, so it can’t be rented for income. Think about what it becomes when family no longer needs it.
What we’re still confirming
- Whether the town PDF reflects every later amendment
Before you spend money on drawings
- Confirm the Town of Canadice governs your lot: it should be the municipality on your property tax bill.
- Find your zoning district on the municipal zoning map; the rules above can differ by district.
- Call or write the code office with your address and what you’re picturing, and ask for the answer and the code section in writing.
- On septic or a well? Ask the NYS Department of Health’s Geneva District Office (315-789-3030) whether the system can serve an extra bedroom. On public sewer? Ask your sewer district.
Our guides explain the approval process, site and utility checks and what an ADU costs.
Sources
General information, not legal advice. The Town of Canadice decides what can be built on your property.