Wayne Moore -Nov 17, 2009 CASTANET:
The issue of secondary suites returned to Kelowna Council chambers Monday, with no clear consensus on a way to proceed. At the present time, secondary suites are only permitted within homes zoned R6. Staff asked that they be allowed to explore adding secondary suites within the main single detached dwelling of homes zoned A1, RR1, RR2, RR3, RU1, RU2 and RU3. "From a planning policy perspective, a lot of secondary suites makes a lot of sense," says Land Use Management Director, Shelley Gambacort. "We have always encouraged it through policy. The stumbling block always seems to be how to allow it in more zones." Gambacort says it's hard to get the general public on the same page.
That seems to include the nine members of council as well. "I'm not sure we are ready to go to every zone of the city with blanket zoning," says Councillor Luke Stack. "When I see the way this is written, it does raise concerns because I know it is a very divisive issue and the city is not united." Stack says he likes many of the recommendations being made, but isn't sure blanket zoning will fly. Councillor Robert Hobson believes secondary suites are the most affordable way of providing housing to people with the least social impact on the community. "I'm in favour of more liberalization of secondary suites in the city. I like the principle of allowing them within existing homes, if they have adequate off-street parking, says Hobson. "If council is not united in that direction then maybe staff should come back with some step-by-step approaches where maybe we allow them only within some zones that have a certain minimum parcel size."
While most on council were in favour of changes to the system, Councillor Andre Blanleil believes it is working fine. "I don't think the system is broke. I think we support 90 or 95 per cent of those, but at the end of the day at least the public in the neighbourhood has the ability to come forward and say their piece," says Blanleil. "That's pretty much what we have been doing the last six months or a year now is re-zoning suites." The recommendations passed with Blanleil casting the lone dissenting vote.
The issue of secondary suites returned to Kelowna Council chambers Monday, with no clear consensus on a way to proceed. At the present time, secondary suites are only permitted within homes zoned R6. Staff asked that they be allowed to explore adding secondary suites within the main single detached dwelling of homes zoned A1, RR1, RR2, RR3, RU1, RU2 and RU3. "From a planning policy perspective, a lot of secondary suites makes a lot of sense," says Land Use Management Director, Shelley Gambacort. "We have always encouraged it through policy. The stumbling block always seems to be how to allow it in more zones." Gambacort says it's hard to get the general public on the same page.
That seems to include the nine members of council as well. "I'm not sure we are ready to go to every zone of the city with blanket zoning," says Councillor Luke Stack. "When I see the way this is written, it does raise concerns because I know it is a very divisive issue and the city is not united." Stack says he likes many of the recommendations being made, but isn't sure blanket zoning will fly. Councillor Robert Hobson believes secondary suites are the most affordable way of providing housing to people with the least social impact on the community. "I'm in favour of more liberalization of secondary suites in the city. I like the principle of allowing them within existing homes, if they have adequate off-street parking, says Hobson. "If council is not united in that direction then maybe staff should come back with some step-by-step approaches where maybe we allow them only within some zones that have a certain minimum parcel size."
While most on council were in favour of changes to the system, Councillor Andre Blanleil believes it is working fine. "I don't think the system is broke. I think we support 90 or 95 per cent of those, but at the end of the day at least the public in the neighbourhood has the ability to come forward and say their piece," says Blanleil. "That's pretty much what we have been doing the last six months or a year now is re-zoning suites." The recommendations passed with Blanleil casting the lone dissenting vote.
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