On Tuesday, Williams Lake Council, meeting as a Committee of the Whole, will consider a lengthy report on a proposed "Secondary Suite Bylaw" which is merely technical amendments to the City's Zoning Bylaw. You can read the entire 41 Page report here
I have an huge number of concerns here which given my role on the City's Advisory Planning Commission, I'm not at liberty to explain here in detail, but I can lay out my concerns in general. Those include:
1) Requirement that the owner must live in the home where the Secondary Suite exists
2) Utility Rates - change from 20% to 30-50% of a standard home water/sewer rate or install water meters on all homes where secondary suites exist
It'll be an interesting debate to follow on Tuesday. Nevertheless, we in the City need those Secondary Suites under the guise of Affordable Housing so it's essential we get the policy right.
The timeline is:
Dec 14th, 2010 - Adoption of Acting Manager of Social Development's report at Committee
Dec 21st 2010 - Ratify CoW recommendation (Secondary Suite Bylaw) at Council Meeting
Jan 11th 2011 - Give Secondary Suite Bylaw 1st Reading and refer to Advisory Planning Commission
Jan 18th, 2011 - City APC considers Bylaw and makes recommendation to Council on 2nd Reading of Secondary Suite Bylaw
Feb 8th, 2011 - Public Hearing & 2nd Reading
Feb 22nd, 2011 - Council gives 3rd Reading & adoption
March 2011 onward - City hosts Public Secondary Suite Policy Information Sessions
1 comment:
this is a big issue and there is more than just the affordable housing issue. Safe appropriate housing that respects the neighbourhood, paying for the extra services used including taxes is not only appropriate but necessary.
Investment properties should be that...and should not be profiting those that are helping to create unaffordable housing by increasing the costs of purchasing a home by competing with those who want to be home owners who actually occupy the home...they need to pay their fair share of the costs of water, garbage, snow removal and all the other benefits that cost other home owners money but can't be wrote off their taxes as a business expense.
If all those who caught gold fever and started speculating in the housing market were out of the picture housing would be a whole lot cheaper.
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