Editor's note: This article has been amended since it was originally published.
The city was set to implement an Official Plan amendment and a range of zoning bylaw amendments on Monday, but city council deferred making a decision on the zoning bylaw amendments to give the public more time to weigh in on the proposed changes.
Meant to bring the city’s Official Plan into compliance with the province’s More Homes, Built Faster Act (Bill 23), the city proposed an amendment to permit up to three dwelling units within semi-detached and townhouse dwellings, as well as zoning bylaw amendments arising from the city's affordable housing action plan, among other amendments.
City staff presented the sweeping list of amendments to council during a public planning meeting ahead of Monday’s council meeting, which were set for ratification the same day, but Coun. Tim Lauer spoke strongly against ratifying the changes without further opportunity for public comment.
Only one resident spoke on the proposed amendments at the public meeting.
“I totally disagree with this. I don't see the urgency at all in passing this today and the ratifying council meeting. I think it's a disservice to the public,” Lauer said.
“It's been proven over and over again that people generally don't pick up on these things until you do something, so I think what we need to do today is simply announce the intention," added the long-time Ward 4 councillor.
“In a month, if this is the right thing to do, we can do it.”
The amendments related to Bill 23 were approved on Monday, permitting up to a total of three dwelling units on a lot with a semi-detached or townhouse dwelling.
When asked by council, staff said the city has little leeway on complying with Bill 23.
“If we're not in compliance with Bill 23, with respect to semis and townhouses, if you choose not to approve this, then we likely will receive legal opinions from the development community, and I believe we would have to allow it,” said senior planner, Jill Lewis.
A decision on the proposed zoning bylaw amendments, however, was deferred to a later date.
The proposed amendments arising from the city’s affordable housing action plan are as follows:
- Removing parking requirements for government and non-profit affordable housing in the downtown area overlay zone, and reducing requirements by 50 per cent for such developments outside that zone; and
- Excluding single detached homes, pre-zoning places of worship to allow a variety of housing types, such as two-, three-, and four-unit dwellings, townhouses, emergency shelters, long term care facilities, and more, dependent on the place of worship’s zone
Other amendments proposed for the zoning bylaw include requiring an additional .3 metres of width where parking spaces are adjacent to a garage wall, with the aim of making garages more accessible for parking, as well as requiring larger snow storage areas near drainage outlets.
For the proposed transit and affordable housing hub at the site of the former OPP detachment at 66 Peter St. S., staff also recommend pre-zoning the lands to permit up to eight storeys on site, and to permit a range of residential uses, such as a dormitory, youth transitional housing, emergency shelter, and more.
Another proposed amendment proposes requiring waste storage areas for industrial, commercial, and institutional developments, as well as residential developments where more than five parking spaces are required, among a wide array of additional amendments covering parking, permitting certain businesses in residences, and more.
“I’m surprised there aren’t more questions about this,” Lauer said. “I personally would like to go through pretty well every clause that’s here – there's a million little issues here that are going to affect people.”
Other members of council agreed to defer any decision on the proposed zoning bylaw amendments, unrelated to Bill 23.
“(I’m) always open to the idea of further public consultation, but … I personally think all of these adjustments are are going to be beneficial,” said Coun. Jay Fallis. “But if it (Coun. Lauer’s) belief is that we need to delay it, I'm open to it.”
City council will schedule another public meeting on the proposed amendments at a later date, with the hope of providing residents ample opportunity to weigh in.
The full presentation and staff report may be found in Monday’s council agenda package, or may be viewed on the city’s YoutTube channel.
