The Town of The Blue Mountains will be updating its planning policies to allow additional residential units across the community.
At its committee of the whole meeting on April 10, council approved several zoning bylaw updates that implement new provincial requirements stemming from Bill 23 that will allow a minimum of three residential units on all fully serviced lots in settlement areas.
The changes will eliminate restrictions that prevent property owners from adding a basement apartment in their home, or an apartment unit above their garage. It will also loosen up zoning rules to encourage the development of additional residential units in the town.
The new rules will increase flexibility and reduce barriers around the construction of additional residential units, said the town planner, Carter Triana.
“The goal of the policies on one hand is to increase flexibility, but also to increase the amount of density that’s possible through infill development and intensification in a gentle way,” said Triana, who said additional residential units were a way to add housing density, but on a smaller scale. “It’s adding a unit here and a unit there to provide that density while also maintaining the character and feel of a neighbourhood.”
The town will immediately update its zoning bylaw to meet the requirements of Bill 23, it will also study the issue of additional residential units as part of an upcoming overall review and update of the zoning bylaw and more changes could be possible in the future.
Changes that are coming include:
- As per the provincial policy, the town will allow a total of three residential units on any single fully serviced lot in the community. The two additional units could be two apartments in the main home, two apartments in an accessory building (garage or pool house) or an apartment in the main unit and an apartment in an accessory building.
- In rural areas on lots with partial or private services, one additional unit will be allowed on a lot sized 0.8 hectares or less and two additional units will be allowed on rural lots 0.8 hectares or larger.
- The town is looking at reducing rear yard setbacks for accessory buildings.
- Height restrictions may be loosened.
- The number of bedrooms allowed in an additional residential unit may be increased (the limit is two now, the town is considering eliminating the limit as additional residential units are already limited in size and a bedroom limit may not be necessary).
- The town may also ease parking requirements for additional residential units.
Triana told council it’s possible the full zoning bylaw review may increase the total number of units allowed to four (four-plexes). Triana said other municipalities are allowing four-plexes as of right and the town will look at that option as it reviews its overall bylaw.
“There is the potential to allow more. (Three) is the standard set by the province. Other municipalities are looking at going up to four units,” he said. “Staff will look into the details further to ensure we’re doing it right.”
Council was supportive of the changes and voted in favour of the recommendations one by one. Council also requested that staff bring back more information on total square footage to be allowed for additional residential units, the impact of setback changes, neighbourhood character issues, the impact on taxation and short-term accommodation management should additional residential units proliferate across the community.
