DIDSBURY - Council is considering an amendment to the Town of Didsbury's land use bylaw to include a new definition for dwelling unit: occupancy of the owner, operator or caretaker.
The matter came before council at the Jan. 14 council meeting, held in person and online.
The proposed update to the land use bylaw is tied to the recently approved updated municipal development plan.
“Administration has recognized that the use of dwelling unit: occupancy of the owner, operator or caretaker has come up in several proposed development inquires,” chief administrative officer Ethan Gorner said in a briefing note to council.
“Administration knew that at some point, a request to council to consider amending the land use bylaw to add this use would be inevitable.”
Council’s strategic plan identifies the desire to refresh the land use bylaw to provide a varied housing options integrated throughout the community, he said.
“In an effort to further this objective, the new municipal development plan identified the town’s support of owner, operator and caretaker suites within the central core and entranceway policy area,” he said.
“At present, the land use bylaw does not support this use and therefore administration is proposing that the bylaw be amended to provide for consistency between the two document.”
Administration is recommending that the addition of dwelling unit: occupancy of the owner, operator or caregiver as a discretionary use to the following districts: commercial district - general, commercial district - highway, commercial district - core, residential/commercial district, and industrial district - general.
Council granted first reading to the bylaw amendment and set Feb. 25 as the public hearing date for the proposed amendment.
