Rear deck above the first floor on a narrow Glebe lot: allowed?

A rear deck above the first floor on a narrow Glebe lot is where zoning gets specific. For applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, both By-law 2008-250 and By-law 2026-50 apply, with the more restrictive provision winning.

What the zoning rules say

Zoning By-law 2026-50 section 204 sets out the key limits for features projecting into rear yards above the first floor on residential buildings. On a lot 23.5 metres deep or less, no projection above the first floor is permitted into the rear yard at all. On a lot between 23.5 and 30.5 metres deep, a maximum projection of 1.2 metres is allowed. Measure your actual lot depth to know which case applies.

Section 204 also requires that if your deck or balcony is on a lot zoned N1 to N6 and projects into the rear yard, a 1.5 metre high opaque screen facing an interior side lot line must be in place within 1.5 metres of that lot line. Confirm your zone with the City.

On top of that, section 204 limits the feature to a maximum of two enclosed sides. By-law 2008-250 has its own version of the rear-projection rule for some zones, and the more restrictive result of the two applies.

A few other things to check for your specific lot:

• The exact zone designation and subzone (N1 through N6 each have their own provisions)
• Whether any part of 2026-50 affecting your lot's rear yard setback is still under appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal, since some rear yard provisions in Neighbourhood subzones remain contested as of July 2026
• Whether your property is in a Heritage District Overlay, which is not subject to the permit exemptions

On the permit side, a deck attached to the house with a walking surface more than 600 mm (24 in.) above adjacent grade requires a building permit from the City of Ottawa regardless of size. Measure the walking surface against that 600 mm test. The City's first review target is 5 business days, and three inspections are required: excavation and foundations, framing, and final.

Because the lot is narrow, the interior side yard setbacks also matter. Section 204 sets a minimum 1 metre setback from a lot line and a maximum 2 metre projection in cases not covered by the lower-deck or uncovered-unenclosed rules. On a narrow lot, that 1 metre minimum can be a real constraint on deck width.

The most useful step before drawing anything is to call the City of Ottawa with your municipal address and ask them to confirm the applicable zone, lot depth, and which provisions of both by-laws apply to a rear deck above the first floor on your property.

If you want to hear from local Ottawa deck builders who know the Glebe, the request form on this site sends your details to builders listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.