Municipal Planning Guidelines for Secondary Suites4 Municipal Planning Guidelines for secondary...

Municipal Planning Guidelines forSecondary Suites

Table of ConTenTs

1.0 Introduction .................................................................................. 21. What are secondary suites?.........................................................................................3

2. Why Guidelines? ........................................................................................................4

3. How to Use These Guidelines ......................................................................................5

2.0 secondary suites – The Manitoba experience .................................... 61. lack of Rental Housing options ...................................................................................6

2. Regulatory non-Compliance ........................................................................................6

3. Regulatory environment..............................................................................................6

4. not-In-My-back-Yard ..................................................................................................7

3.0 benefits and Challenges of secondary suites .................................... 81. benefits to owners, Tenants and Communities ..............................................................8

a. BenefitstoOwners...............................................................................................8

b. BenefitstoTenants...............................................................................................9

c. BenefitstoCommunity..........................................................................................9

2. Challenges to owners and Communities .....................................................................10

a. ChallengestoOwners.......................................................................................... 10

b. ChallengestoCommunity.................................................................................... 10

4.0 Implementing a successful secondary suites Program ..................... 121. Determine Your Housing needs .................................................................................12

2. Choose an approach .................................................................................................13

a. TypesofSecondarySuitestoAllow....................................................................... 13

b. Permittedvs.ConditionalUse.............................................................................. 14

c. Summary.......................................................................................................... 15

3. strategies for success ...............................................................................................16

a. PublicEngagement............................................................................................. 16

b. IncentivePrograms............................................................................................. 17

c. PhasedApproach................................................................................................ 17

d. DesignGuidelines............................................................................................... 18

e. Enforcement...................................................................................................... 19

f. CreateProgramMeasurables................................................................................. 20

appendicesa–SampleBylawPoliciesandRegulations.................................................................... 21

b–Brochure(HowSecondarySuitesCanBenefitYourCommunity).................................... 25

2 MunicipalPlanningGuidelinesforsecondary suites

SomemunicipalitiesinManitobaareexperiencingahousingshortage.Ofparticularimportancetocommunitiesisthelackofrentaloptionswithinthehousingmarket.Statisticsbearouttheseobservations.Arobustprovincialeconomycoupledwithpopulationgrowthiscreatingastrongdemandforhousing.Inrecentyears,internationalimmigrationhasstronglycontributedtoManitoba’spopulationgrowth.Internationalimmigrationislikelytocontinuetohaveastronginfluenceonrentalhousingdemand,asrecentarrivalstotheprovincetendtorentfirstbeforebuyinghomes.RentalvacancyratesinManitoba,ingeneral,areextremelytightandthistrendisexpectedtocontinue.

Onesolutiontoaddressrentalhousingshortagesisallowingtheconstructionofsecondarysuites.Secondarysuitesare,inessence,arentalapartmentlocatedonapropertythatwouldnormallyaccommodateonlyasingle-familyhome.AnumberofjurisdictionsinCanada,attheprovincialandmunicipallevel,haveimplementedprograms,policiesandregulationsthatencourageandenablethedevelopmentofsecondarysuites.In2010,theGovernmentofManitoba,throughManitobaHousing,initiatedagrantprogramtoencouragethedevelopmentofsecondarysuites.Thegoalwastoexpandthenumberofaffordablerentalunitsavailableinthemarketandcreatemoreopportunitiesforhomeownership.

Althoughundocumented,ahighnumberofillegal,do-it-yourself,secondarysuitesaresuspectedtoexistinmunicipalitiesthroughoutManitoba.TheconstructionoflegalsecondarysuitesthroughmunicipaldevelopmentandpermittingprocesseshasnotbeencommoninManitoba.Thereasoncouldbethatmostofthemunicipaldevelopmentplanandzoningbylawsdonotcontainpoliciesandregulationsspecificallyallowingforsecondarysuites.

1.0 Introduction

MunicipalPlanningGuidelinesforsecondary suites 3

1. What are secondary suites?Secondarysuitesareatypeofrentalhousinglocatedonapropertythatwouldnormallyaccommodateasingle-familydetachedhome.Thedefinitionofsecondarysuiteisinherentinitsname;thatis,itisnottheprimarydwellingonaproperty,butratheradwellingunitaccessory(secondary)toanexistingprimarydwellingunit.Asecondarysuiteisrequiredtohaveitsownentrance,kitchen,bathroomandlivingareaandcantakeavarietyofforms.Thesesuitesaretypicallylocatedwithintheprimarydwelling,butcanalsoexistwithinaseparatedetachedbuildingontheproperty.Thethreemostcommontypesoftheseunitsare:

basement suite:

Asuitebelowthemainfloorofasingle-familyhome(shadedarea)

Garden suite (aKa Granny flat):

Aground-levelsuitedetachedfromalargersingle-familyhome(shadedarea)


Asecondarysuitecanalsobelocatedaboveaproperty’sprincipaldwellingarea,suchasonthesecondfloorofahouse,thoughthisislesscommon.

IntheseGuidelines,thetermsecondarysuiteencompassesbasementsuite,gardensuite,coachhouse,grannyflatandaccessoryapartment.Asecondary suiteisadwellingunitthatisaccessoryandsmallertoaprimaryuseasindicatedinazoningbylaw.Aduplexandaside-by-sideshouldnotbeconfusedwithahousecontainingasecondarysuite.Aduplexisabuildingwithoneunitbuiltaboveanother,withneitherunitbeingconsideredindividuallyastheprimaryuse.Aside-by-sideissimilartoaduplex;thedifferencebeingthattheunitsarearrangednexttoeachotherandshareacommonwall.Aduplexandaside-by-sidearethemselvesprimaryusesthatmaybeconsideredinazoningbylaw.

2. Why Guidelines?TheGovernmentofManitobaisfacedwithongoinglowvacancyratesandincreasingdemandsforaffordablerentalhousing.EncouragingsecondarysuitesisoneapproachManitobacommunitiescanusetoincreaseaffordablehousingoptionsandbetterallowpeopletoageinplace.Inaddition,itislikelythatunregulatedsecondarysuites,whichdonotcomplywithbuildingandfirecodes,alreadyexistinmanymunicipalities.Localbylawsandregulationsdealingwithsecondarysuitescanbeatooltoassistmunicipalitiesinlegalizingthesesuitesandbringingthemuptocode.Forthistooccur,localgovernmentsneedtoallowsecondarysuitesasalegitimateformofhousing.

In the spirit of

the Provincial

Planning

Regulation,

secondary suites

are generally

intended for

cities and rural

settlement

centres such as

towns, villages

and local

urban districts.

Some forms

of secondary

suites will not be

appropriate in

agricultural, rural

residential (non-

farm) or seasonal

residential areas.

Coach House (aKa laneway housing):

Asuiteaboveadetachedgarage(shadedarea)


AkeyobjectiveoftheseguidelinesistoencourageManitobamunicipalitiestoallowsecondarysuitesbyadoptingalessrestrictivestancetowardstheirdevelopment.Thepurposeoftheseguidelinesistoinformlocalgovernmentsofthebenefits,challengesandimplicationsofallowingsecondarysuitestoexistasalegitimateformofhousingintheircommunities.Theguidelinesalsoprovidemunicipalitieswithsomedirectiononhowtomoveforwardwithasecondarysuitesprogram,aswellastoolsforimplementation.

3. How to Use These GuidelinesTheseguidelinesintroducetheconceptofsecondarysuitesandpresentkeybenefits,challengesandimplicationsassociatedwithallowingtheminacommunity.Recommendationsareprovidedformunicipalitiestoundertakeasuccessfulsecondarysuiteimplementationstrategy.

TheAppendixcontainsmaterialsforlocalgovernmenttousewhenimplementingsecondarysuitesintotheircommunities.Itcontainssamplepoliciesandregulationsmunicipalitiescaninsertintotheirlocallandusebylaws.Alsoincludedisacompanionbrochureentitled:How Secondary Suites Can Benefit Your Community.Thisuser-friendlybrochureoutlinesthebenefitsofsecondarysuitestothepropertyowner,thetenantandthecommunityatlarge.Itfeaturesplainlanguagedesignedtosupporteducationalandpromotionalinitiativeswithinyourcommunity.


2.0 secondary suites – The Manitoba experienceSecondarysuiteshaveexistedinManitobalongerthanthebylawsthatregulatethem.Despitethis,acceptanceofsecondarysuitesasalegitimateformofhousinghastypicallybeencautious.Understandingthecurrentstateoftheenvironment,withrespecttosecondarysuitesinManitoba,isanecessaryfirststepwhenconsideringoptionsforthefuture.Thisexperiencecanbesummarizedunderfourthemes:

1. lack of Rental Housing optionsAlackofrentalhousingoptionsisaseriouschallengeinmanycommunitiesthroughoutManitoba.Inmanycases,localpopulationgrowthhasresultedinaproliferationofillegalsuites.Anumberofcommunitiesrecognizethattheyofferfewopportunitiesforseniorstoageinplace.Secondarysuitesmayprovideasolutionfortemporaryhousing,affordableaccommodationorspecialneedshousing,suchasforthosewhoarementallychallenged.

2. Regulatory non-ComplianceGaininganunderstandingoftheextenttowhichsecondarysuitesarenon-compliantwithvariouscodesandbylawsischallenging.First,thereareinconsistenciesamongdifferentManitobamunicipalitiesinhowsecondarysuitesaredefined.Forexample,primaryresidencescontainingtheseunitsareoftenconsideredasduplexesorotherformsofmulti-familydwellings.Second,theunknownnumberofillegalsuitesthroughoutManitobapresentsproblemsincompilingaccuratedataonsecondarysuitedevelopment.

Regardless,evidencesuggeststhatbuilding-codenon-complianceofsecondarysuitesisanissueinmanyManitobamunicipalities.Building-codenon-compliancemaybelessofanissueinsmallersettlementareaswhereenforcementandmonitoringarelessonerousforthemunicipalities.Inmanysmallercommunities,itmaybenoticeablewhenapropertyownerisundertakingthesetypesofrenovations.

3. Regulatory environmentAlthoughsomemunicipalitiespermitsomeformofsecondarysuitedevelopment,thesesuitesareoftenlimitedtobasementsuitesandadditionstotheprincipalresidence.Zoningbylawsinurbanareas,whichallowforsecondarysuites,typicallyconsiderthemas‘conditionaluse’andimposerestrictivefloorarealimits.Thismeansthathomeownershopingtoestablishasecondarysuitemayberequiredtogothroughbothaconditionaluseandvariationorderprocess.

Innon-urbanareasofManitoba,the‘gardensuite’ismorecommonlyfound.Thesesecondarysuitesarenormallyimplementedasconditionaluseinazoningbylaw,andconsideredtemporaryaccommodations.Theyareusuallyintendedforanimmediatefamilymemberwhorequirescareorgivescaretotheprimaryhomeowner.Somemunicipalitiesrequireallservicestobederivedfromtheprimarydwellingunit.(Forexample,electricityforthesecondarysuiteismeteredthroughtheprimarydwelling.)


TheregulatoryenvironmentforestablishingsecondarysuitesinManitobamunicipalitiescanbegenerallycharacterizedas‘restrictive’.ItisreasonabletoconcludethatmostlocaldevelopmentplansandzoningbylawsthroughoutManitobarequirechanges,ifthepotentialofthisformofhousingistoberealized.

4. not-In-My-back-YardThepublicacceptanceforsecondarysuitesinManitobahasnotyetbeenfullytested.Oneofthemoresignificantchallengesfacedbyproponentsofsecondarysuitesisthestigmaassociatedwithrentersandrentalpropertiesinthepublicdiscourse.Thereareinstanceswhereanot-in-my-back-yard(NIMBY)attitudeamongcommunityresidentsislikelytohampereffortstoadoptsecondarysuiteprovisionsinlocalbylaws.ConcernslikelytoberaisedbyManitobaresidentsincludeparking,traffic,noiseandanegativeimpactonpropertyvalues.

Thereneedstobeapublicengagementandeducationstrategythatbothaddresseslegitimateconcernsandhelpsdispelnegativemisperceptions.ThisisthebestwaytopersuadeManitobamunicipalitieswishingtoencouragesecondarysuitesasalegitimatehousingoption.


3.0 benefits and Challenges of secondary suitesTheGovernmentofManitobaistakingstepstoencouragemunicipalitiestoenablesecondarysuitesformanyimportantreasons.Therationaleforencouragingmunicipalitiestoadoptbylawprovisionsforsecondarysuitescanbesummarizedasfollows:

1. toimproveoptionsandchoiceforrentalhousingingeneral

2. toimproveoptionsandchoiceforrentalhousingtiedtoaspecificneedsuchasforstudentsorseniors

3. toimprovehousingaffordability

4. tobringillegalsuitesintocompliance

ThedevelopmentofsecondarysuiteswillhelptoaddressrentalhousingshortagesacrosstheprovincebyincreasingthequantityandtypeofrentalhousingavailableinManitobacommunities.Aswell,theadditionoflegalsecondarysuitestotherentaluniversewillimprovehousingconditionsforManitobans.Withaproactivesecondarysuiteprogram,municipalitieswillbebetterequippedtoencourageownerstolegalizeandupgradeexistingsuitesthatmaynotmeetcurrentbuildingcodes.Thiscanhelphomeownersavoidliabilityissues,reducetheincidenceofpoorandsometimesdangeroushousingconditions,andallowownersandtenantstoholdaccurateinsurancecoverage.

Thereareanumberofimplicationsrelatedtoenablingsecondarysuitesthatmunicipalitiesneedtoconsider.Thissectiondiscussesthebenefitsandchallengesoftheirconstructiontoowners,tenantsandcommunities.

1. benefits to owners, Tenants and Communities

a.BenefitstoOwnersHelp with Mortgage -Secondarysuitesofferhomeownersextraincometohelpcovermortgagepayments.Additionalincomefromsecondarysuitesmayalsohelpnewhomebuyersqualifyforamortgageincaseswheretheirregularincomealonedoesnot.

accommodate extended family - Secondarysuitesmayhelphomeownersaccommodateelderlyparents,adultchildrenorotherfamilymembers,offeringcompanionshipwhilepreservingindependenceandprivacy.Inmanyinstances,accommodatingelderlyfamilymemberswillallowthemtoremaininthecommunity(ageinplace)ratherthanfindaccommodationselsewhere.

offer support to seniors and other fixed-Income earners - Additionalincomefromsecondarysuitescanhelp seniorcitizensandother fixed-incomehomeownerskeepupwiththecostsofmaintainingtheirhomes.

Increase Resale Value of Property -Secondarysuitesandthepotentialrentalincometheyprovidemayaddresalevaluetoaproperty.


Improved Insurance Coverage -Regulatingsecondarysuiteshelpstoensurethatunitsarebuilttocodeandallowsownersandtenantstopurchaseappropriateandadequateinsurancecoverage.Thiscanhelphomeownersavoidliabilityissuesandreducetheincidenceofpoorandsometimesdangeroushousingconditions.

b.BenefitstoTenantsIncrease affordable Housing - Secondarysuitesmayincreasethesupplyoflowercosthousingavailablewithinacommunity.

Improve Housing Choice-Secondarysuitescreatearentalopportunitywherearentercanliveinalow-densityneighbourhoodwithaccesstoayard,ratherthaninahigherdensityapartmentorotherformsofhousing.

Contribute to safer living Conditions - Regulatingsecondarysuiteshelpsensurethatunitsarebuilttocode,improvingtenantsafety.

c.BenefitstoCommunityMake More efficient Use of Municipal Infrastructure - Secondarysuitesuseexistinghousing,resultinginnewdevelopmentthatmakesefficientuseofmunicipalinfrastructure,suchastransit,utilities,roads,recreationcentresandparks.Benefitstypicallyassociatedwiththisare:

• reducedpressuretodevelopongreenfieldsites(undevelopedland,oftenattheedgeofacommunity)whichinturnhelpstoprotectvaluablefarmlandorwildlifehabitat,andreducestheinfrastructureconstructionandmaintenancecostsrelatedtonewdevelopment

• anincreaseinpopulationofexistingneighbourhoods,whichcanenhancetheviabilityoflocalschools,communitycentres,shopsandotherlocalbusinessesandservices.

Maintain neighbourhood Character - Secondarysuites,whencomparedtohigherdensityapartmentbuildings,donotsignificantlychangetheformorcharacteroflower-densityresidentialneighbourhoods.

Contribute to Diverse Communities-Byprovidingaffordableorspecializedhousingtorenters,ormortgagehelptofirst-timehomebuyers,secondarysuitescontributetocommunitydiversity.Theresultisthatcitizensfromarangeofagesandincomeshavetheopportunitytoliveinthesameneighbourhood.

Increase to Municipal assessment - Animprovementintheproportionateassessedvalueofaproperty(duetotheadditionofasecondarysuite),willresultinanincreaseintaxespaidbythehomeownertothemunicipality.


2. Challenges to owners and Communities

a.ChallengestoOwnersUnderstanding the local Regulatory environment - Landuseplanningpolicies,bylawsandregulationspertainingtosecondarysuitesvaryamongmunicipalities;theproponentpropertyownerwillneedtounderstandapplicablebylawsandmayberequiredtogothroughapermittingprocess,whichcanbeonerous.

Understanding the financial Models-Renovatingoraddingtoanexistinghomeoroutbuildingtoaccommodateasecondarysuite(builtaccordingtomunicipalregulationsandbuildingcodes),requirespropertyownerstofullyunderstandthefinancialimplicationsofitsexpectedreturnoninvestment.Othercostshomeownersneedtoconsiderarepotentialincreasesinutilityfees,and/orincreasesinmunicipaltaxes,shouldasecondarysuiteraisetheproperty’sassessedvalue.

being a landlord – Owningarentalpropertyandbeingalandlordcomewithmanyresponsibilities.Theseincludefindingtenants,addressingmaintenanceissues,sometimesdealingwithproblemtenants,andbeingfamiliarwiththelegislationandregulationsregardingtenantandlandlordrightsandresponsibilities.

Resale of Property - Secondarysuites,andthepotentialrentalincometheyprovide,isanattractivefeaturetosomepotentialhomebuyers–butnottoall.Assuch,inclusionofasecondarysuitemaylimitthenumberofpotentialfuturebuyersofsuchaproperty.

building and fire Code Requirements - AcrossCanada,thedesignandconstructionofnewsecondarysuites,ortheupgradeofexistingones,aregovernedbytheNationalBuildingCodeofCanadaandtheNationalFireCodeofCanada.Therearealsoprovincialandterritorialbuildingcodesthatareuniquetoeachprovinceandterritory.ExamplesofNationalBuildingCoderequirementsforsecondarysuitesincludefloorareamaximums,ceilingheightminimums,windowdimensions,smokealarminstallationandmanyothers.

TheNationalBuildingCodeofCanadaandtheNationalFireCodeofCanadawereupdatedin2010toincludespecificprovisionsforsecondarysuiteswithinareviseddefinitionoftheterm“house”andtoprovideauniformnationalcodetoaddressthebaselineregulationsthatsecondarysuitesshouldmeet.TheGovernmentofManitobaadoptedtheseprovisionsintotheManitobaBuildingCodeinApril,2011.

b.ChallengestoCommunitylevel of effort - Therewillbeacosttomunicipalitiesforamendingdevelopmentplanandzoningbylaws,andengagingthepublicwhencreatinglocalsecondarysuiteprograms.

Infrastructure Capacity - Giventhesmallscaleofsecondarysuitedevelopment,itisunlikelytopresentacapacitychallengetomostmodernmunicipalsewerandwaterinfrastructure.Theexceptioniswithsepticfieldsonsmallerlotsinruralareas–anyincreasestosewerdischargewouldneedtobeaccommodated.


Parking –Thecapacityofaneighbourhoodstreettoaccommodateincreasedvehiclestreetparkinggeneratedbysecondarysuitesneedstobeconsidered.Publicconcernoversecondarysuitesoftenrelatestoon-streetparkingpressure.Parkingregulationsmaybenecessarytoaddresson-streetparkingcapacityinsomeNeighbourhoods.Off-streetparkingrequirementsaregenerallyconsideredrestrictiveandmaybeanobstacletohomeownersconsideringconstructingasecondarysuite.

enforcement -Thesheernumberofsecondarysuitesthatareamateurhomerenovations,thatdon’tmeetzoningrequirementsorbuildingcodes,presentsasignificantenforcementissueformunicipalities.However,overlyrestrictiveregulationsandanonerouspermittingprocessdiscouragepropertyownersfromfollowingtherules.Thechallengeishowtocreateregulationsthatbalancethehealthandsafetyneedsoftenantswithapermissiveandexpedientdevelopmentprocessforpropertyowners.

Understanding Policy Goals and Consistent application of Regulations - Secondarysuites’policygoalsneedtobeclearlystatedformunicipaladministratorsandcouncillorstounderstandtheirintent.Thatwaytheycanconsistentlyapplytherulesandregulationsthatweredraftedinsupportofthegoals.Municipalpoliciesandregulationsaresometimeschallengedbyindividualstryingtomanipulatetherulesforpersonalgain.Thebestwayforacounciltomanagethistypeofriskistoconsistentlyapplytherules.Makingexceptionsforindividualpropertyownerscanleadtodisorganizeddevelopment.

not-In-My-back-Yard (nIMbY) – Thereisastigmaassociatedwithrenters/rentalproperties–thattheyaretransientswithnoincentivestomaintainhousingtheydon’town.Thisstigmamaypresentchallengestodevelopingsecondarysuitesinestablishedneighbourhoods,particularlythosejurisdictionswhereapublichearingisrequiredforapproval.Aswell,theconstructionofsecondarysuiteswillincreasethedensityofaneighbourhood,measuredbythenumberofdwellingunitswithinageographicarea.Evenifsecondarysuitesrepresentonlyaslightincreaseindensity,theywilllikelyfacemisperceptionscommonlylinkedtotheconceptofincreasingdensityinneighbourhoods.Makingmoreefficientuseofmunicipalinfrastructureisgenerallyidentifiedasabenefittothecommunity–however,therearelanduseconflicts(perceivedandreal)thepublicoftenassociateswithincreaseddensity.Theseincludeovercrowding,moretraffic,parkingshortagesandanegativeimpactonneighbourhoodcharacter.Communityoppositiontoplanningprojects,basedon“NIMBYism,”isgenerallysubjective,polarizingandastrainonthepoliticalsystem.


4.0 Implementing a successful secondary suites ProgramThefollowingguidanceformunicipalitiesconsideringasecondarysuitesprogramdrawsfromlessonslearnedfromacrossCanada.Itoutlinesanumberoffactorstobeconsidered,providesexamplesofhowotherjurisdictionshaveaddressedthesefactors,andofferssuggestionsforenhancingthesuccessofsecondarysuitesprogramsinManitoba.

1. Determine Your Housing needsDeterminingspecifichousingneedswithinacommunityisbestdonethroughaCommunity Housing needs assessment.ACommunityHousingNeedsAssessmentcantakeavarietyofformsandmayincludeavarietyofquantitativeempiricaldata,including:

• populationgrowthprojections

• demographics(age,income,employment,householdsize)

• housingconstructionactivity,sales,daysonmarket

• rentalinventory,vacancyrates

• specializedhousing(student,senior,temporary),waitinglists

• economicoutlook,localbusinessneedsforworkers

Projectionscreatedfromstatisticaldatacanhelpamunicipalitygainabetterunderstandingofthefutureavailabilityofaffordablerentalhousingintheircommunity.Quantitativedatashouldbecomplementedwithanecdotalinformationobtainedfromkeystakeholderinterviewswithlocalexperts.Questionsposedtokeystakeholdersmayinclude:

Refer to our

resource guide,

Calculating

Supply and

Demand for

Residential

Lands, for more

information on

determining

housing needs.

• Whataretheopportunitiesforpeopleinourcommunitytoageinplace?

• ArethereneweconomicopportunitiesinourcommunitythatareattractingworkersfromotherpartsofManitoba,orCanada,orfromothercountries?

Together,anecdotalandstatisticalinformationmayrevealalackofaffordablerentalhousingavailableinthecommunitybothnowandintothefuture.

Understandingyourhousingsituationwillhelpyoudeterminewhatissuesyouneedtoaddressandwhetherasecondarysuitesprogramcanaddressit.Forexample,inEdmonton,researchuncovered10,000illegalsuiteslocatednearcollegesanduniversities.InRegina,theissuewaslimitedaffordablehousingoptionsforstudentandseniorpopulations.InthevillageofAnmore,housingextendedfamilywastheidentifiedpriority.


Ahousingadvisorycommittee,mandatedbycouncil,isanadditionaltoolamunicipalitycanusetoprovideassistancewithassessingcommunityhousingneeds.Ahousingadvisorycommitteecanbecomprisedofacollectionofcitizens,residentsgroups,studentgroups,immigrantorganizations,seniors,developersandrealestateexperts.Thepurposeofthecommitteeistoprovideadirectlinkbetweenwhatishappeningonthegroundinacommunity,andmunicipalstaffandelectedofficials.Byplayingakeyroleinthelocalsecondarysuitespublicengagementstrategy,thehousingadvisorycommitteecanalsohelpobtainpublicandpoliticalsupportforsecondarysuites.

Example(fromcasestudyresearch):ThemunicipalitiesofKelowna,LangleyandReginahaveallmandatedhousingadvisorycommitteestoinvolvecitizens,andknowledgeablestakeholdergroups,withhelpingassesscommunityhousingneedsandthenlinkingbacktothepublicatlargeforconsultationpurposes.Experiencefromthesecommunitiesdemonstratesthatahousingadvisorycommitteecanprovidevaluableinformationtoacouncil.Theycanreportonthecurrentlocalhousingconditions,aswellasthelevelofsupportfor,oroppositionto,varioustypesofsecondarysuites.

2. Choose an approachOnceacommunityhousingneedsassessmenthasbeenundertaken,amunicipalitywillbeinthepositiontoarticulateavisionandcreateabroadsetofcommunityhousinggoals.Forexample,acommunitymaydecidethatmorehousingoptionsarerequiredtoaddressalocaldemandforseniorstoageinplaceand/ortohousetemporarymigrantworkers.

Withavisionclearlyidentified,amunicipalitywillthenbeabletodecideonaplanforimplementingasecondarysuitesprogramthancanhelpfulfillthisvision.Theplanneedstoconsiderwhattypesofsecondarysuiteswillbepermitted,whethertheywillbeallowedinallareasandwhethertheyshouldbepermittedoutrightorwithconditions,etc.Decisionsmadeontheseissueswillbeimplementedusingthelocaldevelopmentplanandzoningbylaws.

a.TypesofSecondarySuitestoAllowWhenconsideringthetypeofsecondarysuitestoallowwithinacommunity,amunicipalitywillhavetoconsiderwhatisphysicallypossible,andwhatwillmostlikelybeacceptedbythelocalcommunity.

Considerthetypesofsecondarysuitesthatcanmosteasilybephysicallyaccommodatedwithintheexistinghousingstock.Thetypeofsecondarysuitestoconsiderinanycommunitymaydependontheattributesofthelocalhousingstockandresidentiallots.Basementsuitesrequirehouseswithbasementsofanappropriatesizeandconditiontoaccommodateasuite.Coachhousesuitesrequiregaragesseparatedfromtheprimaryhouses.And,aswithgardensuites,coachhousesuiteswillrequiresufficientsizetoaccommodateaseparatestructure.

Sometypesofsecondarysuitesmaybemoreacceptedbyacommunitythanothers.Basementsuitesarefarlessnoticeableinanurbancommunitythangardensuitesandare,therefore,morelikelytobeacceptedbythecommunity.Insomecases,thehousingneedsassessment(oreven


thehousingadvisorycommittee)mayrevealthatalargenumberofacertaintypeofsecondarysuite,alreadyexistwithinthecommunity.Insuchacase,amunicipalitymaywanttoconsiderlegalizingtheseunits.

examples:

ManySaskatoonneighbourhoodsweredevelopedwhenlargefamilieswerethenorm.Permittingsecondarysuitesintheseneighbourhoodsresultedinnomoreresidentsthantheneighbourhoodswereoriginallydesignedfor.

Edmontonestimatedthatapproximately10,000illegalsecondarysuitesexistedinthecity,mostincloseproximitytolocaluniversitiesandcolleges.Permittingsecondarysuitesintheseareaswasanaturalfirststepintheprocessofintroducingsecondarysuitesthroughoutthecity.

b.Permittedvs.ConditionalUseAzoningbylawprescribeswhichusesandstructuresmaybeestablishedincertainareasofamunicipality.Itcandistinguishbetweenthevarioustypesofsecondarysuitesandapplyrulestoeachtypeseparately.Anyparticularuseorstructure,suchasagiventypeofsecondarysuite,maybeconsideredaseither‘permitted’or‘conditionaluse’inazoningbylaw.Permittedusesmaybeestablishedbyalandownerwithoutspecialpermissionfromthemunicipality.Itemsidentifiedinazoningbylawasconditionaluserequirepermissionfromthemunicipalitybeforetheycanbeestablishedorexpanded.

Obtainingaconditionalusepermitfromamunicipalityrequiressubmittingaproposalandbeingsubjecttotheconditionaluseprocess.Theconditionaluseprocessinvolvesapublichearingandcanresultincouncilrejectingtheproposaloutright,orapprovingitwithconditions.Acouncilmaywishtomakecertaintypesofsecondarysuitesconditionaluse,toreservetherighttoaddconditionsofapprovalthataddresscircumstancesuniquetoanindividualapplication.Amunicipalitymustcarefullyconsiderwhichtypesofsecondarysuitestomakeconditionaluse,andunderwhichconditions.

Therequirementtotakeasecondarysuiteproposaltoapublichearing–withthepossibilityofaproponentfacinghisorherneighboursinopposition–presentsanordealmanyprospectivelandlordsmaybeunwillingtoendure.Municipalitieswishingtopromotethedevelopmentofsecondarysuitesshouldconsidermakingitaseasyaspossibleforthemtobeestablished.Amunicipalitymustcarefullyconsiderwhichtypesofsecondarysuitestomakepermitteduses,andinwhichcircumstances.

Acouncilmaywishtomakesometypesofsecondarysuitespermitteduseandprescribearelativelysmallallowablefloorarearequirement.Doingsowouldallowamunicipalitytopermissivelyallowsecondarysuiteswhentheyaresmallenoughtohouseonlyasingleperson.Proposalsforsecondarysuiteslargerthantheallowablefloorarearequirementswouldrequireavariationorder.Theprocessforobtainingavariationorderrequiresapublichearingandallowscounciltorejectorapprovewithconditionsaccordingly.


examples:

Kelowna,Langley,SaskatoonandBrandonallplacemaximumsizerequirementsonsecondarysuiteslocatedwithintheprimaryresidence.KelownaandLangleybothsetthemaximumfloorareaat970squarefeet(sqft),whileSaskatoon(700sqft)andBrandon(540sqft)aremuchsmaller.Landownerswishingtomakeasecondarysuitelargerthanthepermittedmaximumcandosothroughthemunicipalvariationprocess.

InSteinbach,Manitoba,secondarysuitesareapermitteduseinmostresidentialzones,aswellasitscommercialcommunityzone.AbuildingpermitisrequiredandthesuitemustconformtotheManitobaBuildingCode.SteinbachenactedthislegislationinSeptember2010,inresponsetoacommunityneedforsafe,affordablehousing.Steinbachhasdevelopedaninformationandguidelinesbrochureonitssecondarysuitesprogram,tohelpeducatethoseconsideringbuildingaunit,orthosewhoalreadyhaveoneandwishtobringituptocode.

A successful

secondary suite

program requires

a permissive

regulatory

environment.

c.SummaryAmunicipalitymustdecidewhichtypesofsecondarysuitesarerequiredtomeettheneedsofthecommunity.Thisdecisionwillbeinfluencedbythephysicalqualitiesoftheexistinghousingstockandthepotentialforacceptancefromthecommunity.Toensuresuccess,municipallandusebylawsshouldbereviewed,makingsuretheyareaspermissiveaspossibleinaccommodatingthespecifichousingneedsofyourcommunity.

Theapproachyouchoosemustbereflectedinboththedevelopmentplanandzoningbylaws(SeeAppendixAforsampleDevelopmentPlanandZoningBylawpoliciesandregulations).Municipalitiesshouldconsiderincludingzoningbylawregulationsforthedesign,locationandconstructionofsecondarysuitesthatareaccommodatingandadjustedforlocalnuances.Regulationsshouldinclude:

• allowancesforalltypesofsecondarysuites

• provisionstoallowatleastsometypesofsecondarysuitestobe‘permitteduse’insomezones(ex:basementandattachedsecondarysuitestobepermittedusesinallresidentialareas)

• anappropriatemaximumtotalfloorareaandpercentageoftotalfloorspace

• clearobjectives(developmentplan)andregulations(zoningbylaw).


3. strategies for success

a.PublicEngagementFormanyManitobans,secondarysuitesareanunfamiliarconceptandrepresentnewwaysofthinkingabouthousing.Asaresult,secondarysuiteprogramswillbenefitfrompublicengagementtoeducatethepublic,dispelmisinformationandnegativeperceptions,gaininput,andenhancebuy-in.Thougheachmunicipalityshouldadjustitsstrategytoaccountfornuancesinlocalcontext,thefollowingaspectsofpublicengagementshouldbeaddressedinacomprehensivepublicengagementplan:

Communications and language:Developstandardlanguage,definitionsandmessagesforusewithstaff,partners,stakeholdersandthepublicasthefoundationofapublicengagementstrategy.

Public consultation:Useworkshops,surveysandwebplatformstoconsultandinvolvethepublic,sotheycanbetterunderstandtheissuesandstakeholderconcerns.

education and promotion: Useadvertising,how-tomanuals,socialmedia,andpartnershipswithcommunityorganizations,tohelpeducatethepublicaboutsecondarysuites,promotetheirbenefits(andcurrentincentives),anddispelmisinformation.

Report on findings:Sharetheresultsofworkshopsandsurveyspublicly,andworkwithlocalmediatoreportonachievementsofthesecondarysuiteprogram.

Thepublicengagementplanshouldbecreatedupfront.Thebestapproachformunicipalcouncillorsandstaffistoanticipatethenatureofpotentialoppositionandbepreparedwithresponsesbasedonfacts.Theresultsofthehousingneedsassessmentandthecreationofahousingadvisorycommitteewouldhelpmunicipalitiesdeterminehowtobestpositionsecondarysuitesasapossiblesolutiontolocalhousingconcerns.

examples:

Edmontonfoundthatusingacomprehensiveapproachtoconsultation,inconcertwithaphasedapproachtoimplementation,resultedinfewconcernsvoicedduringthefirstphaseandevenlessduringthesecond.Kelownaattemptedtoenactimprovedsecondarysuiteregulations.Strongoppositionatapublichearingresultedinthecitynotmovingforwardonthem,althoughitwasnotclearwhethertheoppositionrepresentedthelargerpopularopinion.SecondarysuitessurfacedinthemediaasapolarizingissueinCalgaryduringits2010municipalelection.Calgarychosetoundertakeathird-partygeneralopinionsurvey,whichindicatedstrongersupportfortheconceptofsecondarysuitesinallareasofthecity.Itappearsthatanegativeminorityopinionwasdrivingthemediacoverage.AvarietyofpublicengagementtoolsareavailabletohelpmunicipalstaffandelectedofficialsuncovertherealissuesandtoovercomeNIMBYoppositiontosecondarysuites.Theseexamplesshowthatanupfront,well-developedpublicengagementstrategyisnecessary.


b.IncentiveProgramsCasestudyresearchundertakenfortheseguidelinesgenerallyindicatedthatincentivesarehelpfulinachievingcompliancewhenbringingnewsuitesonline,andwhenretrofittingexistingsecondarysuites.Anaddedbenefitisthatagovernmentincentiveprogramisameanstoenticemunicipalitiesandensureprovisionsforsecondarysuitesinlocalplanningpoliciesandbylaws.Aswell,successfulapplicantstoanincentiveprogramwould,byextension,beheldaccountableforconformingtozoningregulationsandthebuildingcode.

examples:

Provincialandmunicipal-levelincentiveprogramsinSaskatchewanandAlbertarangefromrebatesonpermitfees,tograntsandforgivableloans.In2010,ManitobaHousinginitiatedagrantprogramtoencouragethedevelopmentofsecondarysuites,toexpandthenumberofaffordablerentalunitsavailableinthemarket,andtohelpmakehomeownershipmoreachievable.Theprogramprovidedsuccessfulapplicantswithforgivableloansfor50percentofthetotalconstruction/renovationcosts,toamaximumof$35,000persuite.Thisprogramisexpectedtocontinueuntil2014.

MunicipalitiesinManitobashouldconsiderimplementingtheirownincentiveprogramstocomplementandexpandontheprovincialincentiveprogram.Thesemightinclude:

• refundingpermitfeesforhomeownersonceconstructionofasecondarysuiteiscompletedandhaspassedabuildinginspection

• helpingwithloanapplicationsbynotifyinghomeownersofanyprovincialfundingprograms,andassistingthemwithaccessingandfillingoutapplicationforms

c.PhasedApproachSecondarysuitesinManitobahaveyettobecomeamainstreamformofhousing,andmaynotbeunderstoodoracceptedbythegeneralpublic.Togetherwithpublicengagement,municipalitiesshouldconsiderimplementingsecondarysuitesinphases,toincreasepublicacceptanceoftheidea–andthevariousforms–ofsecondarysuites.Aphasedapproachshouldinvolvethefollowingprogression:

• Permitalltypesofsecondarysuites(within,attached,detached)inzoneswheretheywillbemorereadilyacceptedbyresidents.

• Inzoneswhereresidentmaybelessacceptingofchange,considerinitiallyrestrictingsecondarysuitestothosecontainedwithinanexistingdwelling.

• Gatherinformationandmeasureresults,suchasthenumberofnewunitsconstructedorupgraded,perceptionsofthepublic,impactonpropertyvalues,infrastructure(sewer,water,andtransportation),localbusinessandcommunityservices.


• Reportresultstoelectedofficialsandthepublic.

• Expandthenumberofzoneswheresecondarysuitesarepermitted.

• Expandthepermittedtypesofsecondarysuitesineachzone.

• Reportresultsandrefineregulationsasneeded.

Byallowingsecondarysuitestobepermittedthisway,theleast-impacttypesofsecondarysuitesareallowedfirst(ex:basementsuites,suitesattachedtotheprincipledwellings,garagesuites)incertainresidentialzones.Thesearefollowedbytheintroductionofhigher-impactsecondarysuites(detachedgardensuites)andthentheremovaloflocationrestrictionsinmostorallresidentialzones.

examples:

TheimplementationofEdmonton’ssecondarysuiteprogramwassuccessfullyaccomplishedthroughatwo-phasedapproach.Thefirstphaseappliedmainlytosuburbanneighbourhoodsandallowedforsecondarysuitestobeestablishedonlyinprincipledwellingsasapermitteduse,andingaragesuitesasaconditionaluse.Inthesecondphase,theprogramincreasedopportunitiesforsecondarysuitesacrossthecitybyallowingthemtobeestablishedinmatureneighbourhoodsandbyintroducinggardensuites.

Extensivepublicconsultationtookplaceduringbothphasesoftheimplementation.Aphasedapproachallowedthecitytheflexibilitytorefineregulationsasissuesarose.Itprovidedtimeforthepublictoadjusttonewconceptsandregulations.

Initsrecentprogram,Edmontonmade48,000lotsavailableforsecondarysuitesinPhase1and130,000inPhase2.Todate,371permitshavebeenapproved.

d.DesignGuidelinesSeveralofthemunicipalitiesinthecasestudyresearchuseddesignguidelinestoensuretheexteriordesignofdetachedsecondarysuites(ex:gardensuites,coachhouses)didnothaveanadverseeffectontheaestheticsandcharacterofthesurroundingneighbourhood.Becausedesignguidelinesaresubjectiveinnature,theirinterpretationandenforcementpresentchallengesastowhichgoverningbodyshouldhavetheauthoritytodecideifasuitedesignmeetstheguidelines.


example:

TheBritish Columbia Local Government ActaffordsBritishColumbia(BC)municipalcouncilstheabilitytoenforcedesignguidelinesthroughtheapprovalofadevelopmentpermitapplication.TheCityofWinnipeghascreatedanUrbanDesignAdvisoryCommittee(UDAC),madeupofcouncil-appointeddesignprofessionals,whoreviewandmakerecommendationsonproposednewdowntowndevelopment,basedonthecity’sDowntownDesignGuidelines.

ThesamplebylawwordingprovidedinAppendix‘A’containsdesign-relatedregulationsdealingwiththeexteriorbuildingmaterials,texturesandcoloursinthecontextofthosefoundontheprincipaldwelling.Conditionalusesareanotherwaythatacouncilcouldimposedesigncriteriaasaconditionofapproval.However,iftryingtocreateamorepermissiveenvironment,amunicipalitymayconsiderplacingconditionsonlyondetachedsecondarysuites.TheCityofSaskatoonisfacingasimilarissueandiscurrentlytestingideas,onebeingthepossibledevelopmentofademonstrationdetachedsecondarysuite.

e.EnforcementEnforcementofillegalsecondarysuites,whichdonotmeetapplicablebuildingcodeormunicipalregulations,isanissuefacedbymanyManitobamunicipalities.However,aggressivelytargetingillegalsuitescanpresentproblemsgiventhelowavailabilityofaffordablehousing.Anincentive-basedapproachtoenforcementmayinfluencethenumberofpropertyownerswillingtobringtheirsecondarysuitesintocompliance.Municipalitiesshouldhelppropertyownersachievecomplianceby:

• educatingpropertyownersandtenantsonapplicablebuildingcodesandmunicipalregulations

• providingagraceperiodtoallowpropertyownerstheopportunitytobringillegalsuitesuptocode

• assistingpropertyownerswiththecompletionandsubmissionofbuildingpermitapplications

• assistingpropertyownerswithapplicationsforfundingorotherincentives

• assistingpropertyownerswithdecommissioningsuites,ifnecessary

Theestablishmentofsecondarysuitesisprimarilydependentonindependenthomeowners(asopposedtohousingdevelopers)undertakingthisactivity.Assistancewiththedevelopmentandpermittingprocess,aswellasfinancialsupport,mayberequiredtohelpimplementtheconstructionofsecondarysuitesinacommunity.


examples:

Chilliwackhaslearnedthatrestrictingthetypeoftenantsforsecondarysuiteswilllimitthesuccessofaddressingbroadercommunitygoals,suchasthesuitesservingas“mortgagehelpers”forfirst-timehomeowners.Brandonhasfoundthatitsstringentsizerestrictiononsecondarysuiteslikelycontributedtothelimiteduptakeontheprogram.Italsonotedthattheexistenceofavastnumberofillegalsuiteswassuspected.Kelownahascreatedanexpeditedprocessfortherezoningapplicationrequiredtoconstructasecondarysuiteinanysingledetacheddwellinginaresidential,ruralresidentialoragriculturalzone.

Edmontonhascreatedasecondarysuiteenforcementteamthatassistshomeownersinbringingtheirsuitesintocompliancebytappingintoa$12millionfundingprogramsupportedbytheProvinceofAlberta.AggressivelytargetingillegalsuitescouldhaveleftmanyEdmontonstudentswithoutaffordablehousingoptionsnearuniversitiesandcolleges.Instead,theEdmontonenforcementteamhelpshomeownersbyeducatingthemonbuildingcoderequirements,identifyingresourcesforhomeimprovements,andassistingwithbuildingpermitsandgrantfundingapplications.Thisapproachhashelpedthemunicipalityachieveitshealthandsafetyhousinggoalswithoutcompromisingtheavailabilityofstudenthousing.

Saskatoonrebatespermitfeesforhomeownerswhocreateneworlegalizeexistingsecondarysuites.ThecitiesofCalgaryandEdmontonhaveasubstantialcost-sharedfundwiththeProvinceofAlbertatoassistwithsecondarysuiteconstructionandcompliance.

f.CreateProgramMeasurablesMunicipalitiesshouldimplementprocessestogatherinformation,andmeasuretheeffectiveness,oftheirsecondarysuiteprogramstoidentifytheneedforrefinementsandimprovements.Tothisend,municipalitiesshould:

• createcriteriatomeasurethesuccessoftheirsecondarysuiteprograms

• developmethodstocollectdata

• collectdata,andreportbacktoelectedofficialsandthecommunityonprogramresults

examples:

Mostofthecase-studymunicipalitiesrecognizethattrackingmeasurablesisanimportantstepforidentifyingifregulationsareworkingtomeetbroaderpolicygoals,andforreportingbacktothecommunityandcouncil.Forexample,SaskatoonhascreatedaHousingBusinessPlanwiththegoalofsecuring500affordablehousingunitseachyear.Langleytracksthenumberofsecondary-suiterelatedcomplaints.Measurablescanalsoincludethenumberofillegalsuitesbroughtintocompliance,andthenumbersofactualsecondarysuitesconstructed,andbrokendownbytype.Itiskeytodetermineearlyonwhatthemeasurableswillbe.Oneofthecase-studymunicipalitiesfoundthatitssecondarysuitepermitswereincludedwithgeneralhomerenovationspermits;staffmustdelveintothisdatatopulloutthenumbersrelatedspecificallytosecondarysuitestotrackprogramsuccess.


Development Plan bylawVision

• Acommunitythatincludespeopleofallagesandincomes.

• Acommunitythatallowsresidentsto‘ageinplace’.

objectives• Toprovideavarietyofhousingandaffordabilityoptions.

• Topromotetheefficientuseofexistingmunicipalinfrastructure.

• Toprovidetheabilityforresidentsto‘ageinplace’.

Residential Policies• Arangeofhousingtypes,densitiesandaffordablehousingoptionswillbe

encouragedinordertosatisfyarangeofhousingdemandsandincomelevels.

• Zoningbylawsmay/willcontainprovisionstoallowforsecondarysuitesinareaszonedforresidentialuse.

• Newresidentialdevelopmentwillmakeefficientuseofexistingmunicipalinfrastructure.

Zoning bylaw

DEFINITIONS

CoaCH HoUse–aSecondarySuitelocatedeitheraboveadetachedprivategarage(abovegrade),or,inasingle-storeyaccessorydwellingattachedtothesideorrearofadetachedprivategarage(atgrade).ACoachHouseisaccessorytotheprincipaluseofaproperty,whichmustbeapermanentsingle-familydetacheddwelling.ACoachHousehasanentranceseparatefromthevehicleentrancetothedetachedgarage,eitherfromacommonindoorlandingordirectlyfromtheexteriorofthestructure.

DUPleX–twodwellings,containedinasinglebuilding,verticallyconnectedwithoneunitabovetheother.Thistypeofdevelopmentisdesignedandconstructedastwodwellingunitsatinitialconstruction.Itdoesnotincludeasecondarysuite.

GaRDen sUITe–asingle-storeySecondarySuite,containedinaseparatebuilding,positionedatgradeandtotherearofanexistingprincipaluseonasinglezoningsite.Theprincipalusemustbeapermanentsingle-familydetacheddwelling.

appendix a – sample bylaw Policies and Regulations


seConDaRY sUITe –aself-containedaccessorydwellingunitlocatedeitherwithinapermanentsingle-familydetacheddwelling,orinanaccessorybuilding,onasinglezoningsite.Asecondarysuitecontainsasinglehousekeepingunitandhasitsownseparateaccess,cooking,sleepingandsanitaryfacilitieswhichareseparatefromandnotsharedwiththoseoftheprincipaldwelling.Thisusedoesnotincludeduplexhousing,semi-detachedhousing,orapartmenthousing.

seMI-DeTaCHeD HoUsInG –twodwellings,arrangedside-by-side,containedinasinglebuildingwithasinglefoundation,connectedbyasharedcommonwall.Thistypeofdevelopmentisdesignedandconstructedastwodwellingunitsatinitialconstruction.Itdoesnotincludeasecondarysuite.

BULKREGULATIONS-AccessoryUnits(withinprincipledwelling):

• Notmorethan1SecondarySuiteshallbepermittedwithinaprincipaldwelling.

• Notmorethan1SecondarySuiteshallbepermittedonasinglezoningsite.

• ThepropertycontainingaSecondarySuiteshallbezonedforresidentialuseandcontainapermanenthabitablesingle-family(detached)dwelling.

• Theprincipaldwellingmustbeanexistingpermanentstructure.

• Theprincipaldwellingistobeoccupiedbytheowneroftheproperty.

MaximumFloorAreaShall:

• Notexceed40%ofthetotalhabitablefloorspaceoftheprincipaldwellingor80m2(861.1sq.ft.),whicheveristhelesser.

AmenitySpace:

• Anexterior,privateamenityspacesuchasadeckorpatioshallbeprovidedfortheSecondarySuite.

• MinimumArea:7.5m2(80.7sq.ft.)

• MinimumDimension(lengthorwidth):nolessthan1.5m(4.9ft.)

BULKREGULATIONS–DetachedAccessoryUnit(CoachHouse&GardenSuites):

• Notmorethan1SecondarySuiteshallbepermittedonanestablishedzoningsite.

• Theexteriorofthesecondarysuitesshouldincorporatebuildingmaterials,textures,andcoloursthataresimilartothosefoundontheprincipaldwelling.

• ThezoningsitecontainingtheSecondarySuiteshallbezonedforresidentialuseandcontainapermanenthabitablesingle-family(detached)dwelling.

• Theprincipaldwellingistobeoccupiedbytheowneroftheproperty.

MaximumFloorAreaShallBe:

• Nogreaterthan80m2(861.1sq.ft.),andshallnotexceedthemaximumlotcoverageforancillarystructuresaspermittedwithinthezoningbylaw.



BuildingHeight(Maximum):

• CoachHouse(aboveGrade)

– 8metres(26.2ft.)

• GardenSuiteandCoachHouse(atGrade):

– 5metres(16.4ft.)

Setbacks(Minimum):

• FromFrontLotLine

– Mustbeequaltoorgreaterthantheminimumsetbackfromthefrontpropertylineforaprincipaldwellingwithinthesamezone.

• FromRearLotLine

– Mustbeequaltoorgreaterthantheminimumsetbackfromtherearpropertylineforaprincipaldwellingwithinthesamezone.

– Whereapropertybacksontoapubliclane,publicright-of-way,publicpark,orapropertyzonedforcommercialorindustrialuses,thesetbackfromtheRearLotLinemaybeequaltoorgreaterthan3m(9.8ft.).

• FromSideLotLine

– Mustbeequaltoorgreaterthantheminimumsetbackfromthesidepropertylineforaprincipaldwellingwithinthesamezone.

• FromExteriorSideLotLine

– Mustbeequaltoorgreaterthantheminimumsetbackfromtheexteriorsidepropertylineforaprincipaldwellingwithinthesamezone.

SeparationfromthePrincipalDwelling(Minimum):

• 3m(9.8ft.)

AmenitySpace:

• Anexterior,privateamenityspacesuchasadeckorpatioshallbeprovidedfortheSecondarySuite.

• MinimumArea:7.5m2(80.7sq.ft.)

• MinimumDimension(lengthorwidth):nolessthan1.5m(4.9ft.)

Parking:

• Aminimumofoneoff-streetparkingspacemustbeprovidedforeachsecondarysuite.


Secondary SuitesHow Secondary Suites Can Benefit Your Community

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

3.

Benefits to TenantsIncrease Affordable Housing Secondary suites may increase the supply of lower cost housing.

Improve Housing Choice Secondary suites create a rental opportunity where renters can live in a low-density neighbourhood with access to a yard, rather than in higher density apartments.

Contribute to Safer Living Conditions Regulating secondary suites helps to ensure that units are built to code, improving tenant safety.

Make More Efficient Use of Municipal Infrastructure Secondary suites make use of existing housing, resulting in new development that makes efficient use of municipal infrastructure such as transit, utilities, roads, recreation centres and parks. Benefits typically associated with this are:

• reduced pressure to develop on greenfield sites (undeveloped land, often at the edge of a community) which in turn helps to protect valuable farm land or wildlife habitat, and reduces the infrastructure construction and maintenance costs related to new development;

• an increase in population of existing neighbourhoods, which can enhance the viability of local schools, community centres, shops and other local businesses and services.

Maintain Neighbourhood Character Secondary suites, when compared to higher density apartment buildings, do not significantly change the form or character of lower-density residential neighbourhoods.

Contribute to Diverse Communities By providing affordable or specialized housing to renters, or ‘mortgage helpers’ to first-time home buyers, secondary suites contribute to community diversity by providing citizens from a range of ages and incomes opportunities to live in the same neighbourhood.

Benefits to Community

Questions – Contact your municipality or visithttp://www.gov.mb.ca/ia/index.html for more information.

appendix b – How secondary suites Can benefit Your Community

What is a secondary suite?A secondary suite is a type of rental housing located on a property already containing a single-family detached house. Secondary suites are typically located within the primary dwelling, but can also exist within a separate detached building on the property. A secondary suite is required to have its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom and living area.

Secondary Suites in Other ProvincesMunicipalities across Canada have adopted policies encouraging secondary suites, to deal with a variety of housing needs.

Some examples:

• In Saskatoon, secondary suites are encouraged to provide affordable rental housing in all neighbourhoods, without the use of significant public funding.

• In Edmonton and Chilliwack, many secondary suites help pay the mortgage and provide first-time home buyers with the extra income they need to qualify for a mortgage.

Secondary Suites in ManitobaThe Manitoba government is looking into the regulation of secondary suites to:

• increase the amount of rental housing available across the province

• provide more housing options for Manitobans

• encourage homeowners to upgrade existing suites that may not be up to code

The Manitoba government encourages the establishment of secondary suites in order to:

• increase the amount of affordable rental housing available across the province

• increase housing options for Manitobans

• encourage homeowners to upgrade existing suites that may not be up to code.

Benefits of Secondary Suites

Benefits to Owners Mortgage Helper. Secondary suites offer homeowners extra income to help

cover mortgage payments. Additional income generated from a secondary suite may also help new homebuyers qualify for mortgages in cases where regular income alone is not enough.

Accommodation for Extended Family. Homeowners can provide a secondary suite to accommodate elderly parents, adult children or other family members. This has the added benefit of offering companionship while preserving independence and privacy

Support for Seniors and Others on Fixed Incomes. Secondary suites can provide additional income to assist with maintenance costs associated with owning a home.

Increase Resale Value of a Property. Secondary suites and the potential rental income they provide may add resale value to a property

1. basement suite – below the main floor of a single-family house.

2. garden suite –on ground level, but separate from the single-family house.

3. coach house – above a detached garage

A secondary suite can also be located on the second floor of an existing house, although this is less common.

The three most common types of secondary suites are the:

1.

2.

3.

4.

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