Planning for Second Units - Peel Region · 2017. 5. 30. · Proposed Regulation • Proposed summary of the contents of a Planning Act regulation for second units was posted on the

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Planning for Second Units Peel’s Housing and Homelessness Summit April 4, 2017

Ministry of Municipal Affairs

Ministry of Housing

Benefits of Second Units Second units benefit homeowners, tenants and the wider community

by:

• Increasing the stock of affordable rental units helping to create mixed-income

communities

• Creating jobs in the construction / renovation industry, and supporting local

businesses and the local labour market

• Optimizing use of existing housing stock and land

• Optimizing infrastructure, and supporting transit and active transportation

• Allowing homeowners an opportunity to earn additional income to help meet

the costs of homeownership

• Supporting changing demographics by providing more affordable housing

options for extended family, elderly parents, or for live‐in caregivers

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Context

Long Term Affordable Housing Strategy 2010

• Amended the Planning Act to :

o Require municipalities to establish official plan policies and zoning by-law provisions that allow second units in detached, semi-detached, and row houses and accessory structures (e.g. detached garage)

o Remove the ability for anyone, except the Minister, to appeal second unit OP and ZBL provisions to the Ontario Municipal Board

o Provide authority for the Minister to issue regulations authorizing and/or prescribing standards, conditions or limitations for second units. (e.g. parking requirements or unit size).


Ministry of Housing 3

Context con’t

Long Term Affordability Strategy Update 2015

Bill 7 (The Promoting Affordable Housing Act, 2016) introduces additional changes to support second units:

o Amended the Development Charges Act to require municipalities to exempt development charges for second units in new construction (subject to proclamation and a regulation),

o Amend the Planning Act to permit the Minister to file an appeal of a municipal decision on an Official Plan or Zoning By-law dealing with secondary units.

Proposing changes to the Building Code to establish a new category of building type – a two unit house with modified standards related to fire separation, HVAC, combustible construction/cladding and inter-connected and hard-wired fire alarms.

March-31-17



Minister Ballard’s Letter

• November 1, 2016 e-mail to heads of council

• Recognizes second units as an important tool in contributing to the supply of affordable

housing.

• Outlines five part plan:

1. Engage in outreach to apprise municipalities of Bill 7 changes - Development charges to be waived for second units in new construction

- Provide Minister with appeal rights with respect to second units

- Revisions to the Building Code for 2nd units in new homes

2. Directs Ministry field offices to approach and work with municipalities with in effect Official Plan

(OP) and/or Zoning By-law (ZBL) provisions, which are considered to be restrictive

3. Directs Ministry field offices to approach and work with all municipalities without second unit OP

policies or ZBL provisions

4. Propose a regulation that would prevail over ZBLs (expected Summer 2017)

5. Ministry to publish an information backgrounder setting out best practices (expected Spring

2017)



Proposed Regulation

• Proposed summary of the contents of a Planning Act regulation for second units was

posted on the Environmental Registry website on March 7th for a 90-day consultation

period, closing on June 5th (EBR Number 012-9694):

• Only a maximum of up to one parking spot per second unit could be required and

tandem parking would be permitted

• Second units could not be subject to any provision which requires the primary or

second unit be occupied by any person (e.g. a by-law could not require the primary

unit to be inhabited by the owner in order for a second unit to be permitted)

• Second Units would be permitted in dwellings and accessory buildings regardless of

date of construction of the primary or the second unit.

March-31-17



Note: Of the municipalities without second unit policies in their OP,

90% came into effect before January 1, 2012

Permissive 30%

Restrictive 39%

No policies 31%

Note: Of the municipalities without second unit provisions in their ZBL,

78% came into effect before January 1, 2012

Permissive 8%

Restrictive 54%

No provisions 38%

Overview of Second Units Planning

Policy/Zoning in Ontario

March-31-17



Official Plan Zoning By-Law

Note: ‘Permissive’ reflects the provincial position that second units should be permitted in all housing types specified in the Act, and there are no restrictions based on tenure, parking, or date of construction. ‘Restrictive’ indicates at least one restriction on housing type, tenure, parking or date of construction for second unit.

Total: 381 Total: 412

MMA/MHO Strategy: Outreach



Where the Ministry is not the approval authority, engage municipalities to:

• Discuss policies, by-laws, or standards that appear to be restrictive

• Request these municipalities to review/update the policies or standards

Provide outreach at conferences, and forums in 2017/2018, including:

• OPPI/PPPB/CMHC session on second units

• Ontario Municipal Conferences

• Planner, Housing, Clerk/Treasurer, and CAO Forums

• Combined meetings with upper tiers and lower tiers

Second Unit Resources

Landlord Self Help Centre Information Guides http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/

Coming soon: Second Units Info Sheet

Ministry website http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page9575.aspx

http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/http://www.lshc.host/resource-centre/http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page9575.aspx

Pre-Built Secondary Suites - Kingston

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Thank you



Documents

Planning for Second Units - Peel Region · 2017. 5. 30. · Proposed Regulation • Proposed summary of the contents of a Planning Act regulation for second units was posted on the