SUNDRE – In a bid to provide more housing development options, the Town of Sundre has added accessory suites to its land use bylaw.
Other amendments to the regularly-revised document included changes to ensure concise definitions as well as regulatory clarity and address enforcement challenges, Benazir Thaha Valencia, director of community development, said on Feb. 24 during a public hearing.
“The first amendment proposes to add accessory suites to all low-density districts … to increase options and support more adaptable housing,” Valencia said, going onto add that such suites are defined as “a separate and subordinate dwelling unit contained within a single detached dwelling.”
The number of accessory suites per detached dwelling is limited to one. The change brings Sundre in line with a growing number of municipalities.
“In our research, most all municipalities in Alberta have a secondary or accessory suite in their single-family district,” she said.
As well, the updated bylaw removed a requirement that a property owner must occupy a dwelling containing an accessory suite.
“Enforcing this regulation is difficult and we want to regulate the use, not the user,” she said.
Accessory suites, which will be discretionary in some districts, won’t automatically be approved but rather considered on a case-by-case basis pending compliance with codes as per the Alberta Safety Codes Act, she said.
“Each application for an accessory suite will have development conditions and will be reviewed by safety codes inspectors as each unit will require building, electrical and plumbing permits.”
Additional amendments under seasonal residential district were included based on feedback from the Riverside RV Village condo board, which is also updating its own bylaws to reflect new CSA standards that now allow larger RVs to be built in Canada and transported on Alberta highways, she said.
In consideration of both the changes to the condo board’s bylaws as well as the town’s enforcement capabilities, most of the regulations in the seasonal residential district have been removed, she said, adding the approval process for new developments in the village – including new installations of RVs and/or accessory buildings as well as decks – is under the condo board’s purview.
The town does, however, require development and building permits for accessory buildings and decks over a specific size, she said.
The flood plain industrial district was also amended to among other previously listed discretionary uses accommodate a proposed self storage operation following the development and building permit application process, she said, later adding the municipality would rely on consultants to make that judgment.
“As the use will be in the flood plain area, the development will be required to be flood proofed to prevent damage by floods as per the district definition,” she said.
One letter outlining numerous questions about the changes was read into the public record and the concerns addressed.
Representatives from the RV park’s condo board spoke in favour of the updated bylaw and questioned only the removal of a reference that RVs meet required CSA standards.
“The land use bylaw defines what’s allowed in the use of the land,” said Linda Nelson, chief administrative officer.
“CSA standards fall under building codes, not under the land use bylaw,” she said.
As well, units with a CSA sticker do not require a building permit. That being said, Nelson added administration could do some more research to determine what happens if a unit comes in without a CSA sticker.
Bruce Kendall, who said he was speaking on behalf of some Eagle Ridge subdivision property owners, expressed opposition only to changes in the estate residential district.
“It would be really nice if it was at least consistent with what was built prior to that zone being created,” he said, urging more dialogue with landowners, council and administration.
Kendall also said he saw no point in allowing accessory dwelling units when there are still no dwellings in the subdivision.
Coun. Paul Isaac asked if it was perhaps accurate to say he wasn’t necessarily opposed to the amended bylaw but rather imploring the municipality to do more to get the ball rolling on Eagle Ridge, to which Kendall agreed.
Understanding the frustration some property owners may be feeling, Isaac said the amendments may not necessarily immediately benefit Eagle Ridge specifically but would have a wider-spanning impact.
“These changes are beneficial for the overarching community,” the councillor said.
Offering further clarification, Nelson said, “the land use bylaw is always permissive rather than restrictive. So, the more uses that you have, the more permissive and the more opportunities that developers have.”
Following the public hearing, council unanimously passed the required readings approving the amended bylaw.
