Photo: dreamstime.com

By Shaun Penner

City Hall

Proposal seeks to allow more secondary suites in Grande Prairie

Oct 28, 2020 | 5:11 PM

A City of Grande Prairie Committee is recommending council to adopt changes to the Land Use Bylaw that would allow for more secondary suites to be developed within the City.

BILD Grande Prairie proposed an amendment to the Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee, seeking the ability to increase the number of allowable secondary suites in an area, with restrictions.

The bylaw was last altered in 2015 after the development of some neighbourhoods in the early 2010s led to a high density of homes with secondary suites being built. This led to issues for on-street parking, snow removal, solid waste pickup and decreased neighbourhood aesthetics.

However, Mayor Bill Given says he feels the proposal addresses that balance between the wants of home builders and residents.

“Industry has proposed some changes that they believe will address those concerns, while still maintaining the distribution or separation of secondary suites from one another.”

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One neighbourhood that was pointed to during discussions on Tuesday was the Westpointe area, which has secondary suites in about 20 per cent of all lots within the subdivision, most of which are concentrated into one area.

The lots highlighted in green represent lots with secondary suites in southern portion of the Westpointe neighbourhood (Photo: Helix Engineering / City of Grande Prairie)

Given says such a high density in the future is not an outcome either party wants.

“My understanding is that nobody in industry wants to repeat that situation, and certainly nobody on City Council or City Administration wants to repeat that situation,” said Given.

“At the same time, we don’t want to have so many regulations that it prevents the number of secondary suites available from meeting the demand in the market.”

The proposal would allow for a maximum of five secondary suites, or garage suites within the same 50 metre radius, and would have to meet one of the following criteria:

• The Lot is a corner lot.
• The Lot (or portion thereof) frontage is located directly across from a Public Utility Lot, Municipal Reserve, Storm Pond or other public space not occupied by residences.
• The Lot (or portion thereof) frontage is located directly across from medium or high-density housing, commercial, or industrial property that provides on-site parking for its associated land use.
• The Lot (or portion thereof) frontage is not located across from residential driveways but rather is located directly across from flanking lots (side yards).

Given says the right balance can be good for both homeowners and renters in the City. For homeowners, having secondary suites offers more ability to have a “mortgage helper” by being able to generate rental income, while at the same time increase the supply of available rentals, which could help control rent prices.

“So, secondary suites can provide a real benefit to both renters and homeowners, and I think that’s really positive, and that’s why council continues to be supportive of secondary suites.”

The amendment is being brought forward for council approval at a future meeting, with the committee unanimously recommending council vote in favour of the proposal.