What is the distance from my property line be from my neighbours portable tarp shelter be in new brunswick 12 x 20feet in size?

Setback requirements for a portable tarp shelter in New Brunswick depend entirely on where you live — there's no single province-wide rule that covers this, and the answer can vary significantly from one municipality to the next.

Here's the core issue: a 12×20 foot tarp shelter (240 sq ft) sits in a grey zone. It's large enough that many municipalities and rural land use plans will treat it as an accessory structure, which means setback rules apply — even if it's technically "portable" and not anchored to a foundation.

If you're in an incorporated municipality like Moncton, Fredericton, Saint John, Dieppe, Riverview, Bathurst, or Miramichi, your city or town's zoning bylaw will specify minimum side and rear yard setbacks for accessory structures. Typically in NB municipalities, accessory structure setbacks run 1.2 to 1.8 metres (4–6 feet) from a property line, but this varies. Some bylaws also have rules about maximum height, lot coverage percentage, and whether a structure can be placed in a front yard at all.

If you're in a rural or unincorporated area, your Regional Service Commission (RSC) administers the land use plan for your area. Some rural plans have minimal restrictions on small temporary structures; others are more detailed. Contact your local RSC — for example, RSC 11 (Capital Region, covering Hanwell and New Maryland) at (506) 453-2956, or RSC 7 (Southeast, covering rural Moncton/Shediac area) at (506) 533-3637.

The "portable" argument doesn't always hold up. Even if your neighbour insists it's temporary, bylaw enforcement officers often look at whether a structure is regularly erected in the same location, and a 12×20 tarp shelter used repeatedly can be treated as a semi-permanent accessory structure under most NB land use plans.

Your best move is a two-step approach. First, call your municipal planning/bylaw office or your RSC and describe the structure — size, location relative to the property line, and how it's being used. Ask specifically whether it requires a development permit and what the minimum setback is for an accessory structure in your zone. Second, if you believe the shelter is already in violation, you can file a bylaw complaint with the same office — most municipalities handle these confidentially.

If you let me know which community you're in, I can point you to the exact office to contact.