Land Use Bylaw Update – Secondary Suites

~ Land Use Bylaw Update is LTC priority project ~

2008 2009 2010 2011…

Spring Summer Fall

OCP policy guiding affordable housing process

Legalizing secondary suites given top priority for LUB review

LUB Review begins:

technical working groups

website launched

November open house

February: Community Forum with Tim Wake and Janis Gauthier

Community Affordable Housing Strategy (CAHS) finalized

Two Pilot Area options proposed

Data refined and policy development begins

Current Key Issues:

Will suites be affordable?

What will be the impacts on infrastructure (water, sewer)?

What will the environmental impacts be?

What are the other impacts (ex: people, noise, aesthetics)?

Will Pilot Areas work?

Community Consultation

Garden sessions, kitchen meetings

Community events

Agency and community groups

Bylaw Amendment Process

Deliverables

Housing Needs Assessment Ph.1

Housing Needs Assessment Ph.2

Community Affordable Housing Strategy – Action Plan

Adopt Secondary Suites Bylaw

The Technical Working Group was convened in August 2010 by Planner Sue Palmer. The TWG provided advice regarding the potential pilot areas and ideas for the regulation of suites and cottages based on criteria in the OCP. Membership List:

1. John Borst – Cusheon Lake Stewardship Committee2. Ken Byron -- IT Advisory Agricultural Committee3. Miles Drew - IT Bylaw Enforcement4. Gordon Ellis – SS Realtor5. Bob Fenske – CRD-Transportation Services6. Rick Gilleland – IT Advisory Planning Commission 7. Susan Hannon – Salt Spring Conservancy8. Trevor Hutton -- North Salt Spring Water Works9. Rob Kline – Ministry of Agriculture & Lands (MAL)10. Chris Laughlin - Vancouver Island Health Authority 11. Neil Morie – IT Advisory Design Panel12. Paul Neale – Chamber of Commerce 13. Uli Temmel – CRD-Building Inspection14. Elizabeth White – Earth Festival Society

Bylaw Amendment Process

Draft Bylaw:• Community

Feedback

1st Reading• Community

Information Meeting(s)

2nd Reading• Public

Hearing

3rd Reading• Executive

Council approval

• Ministerial approval

Final Adoption

What is Salt Spring’s Housing Need?

• 44% of Salt Spring renters are in “core housing need” – that means they spend more than 30% of their income on rent

• In 2009, the average rent on Salt Spring was $1,119 for a two bedroom unit. That is affordable to households earning a median income ($46, 693/year)

• Secondary Suites will not cure Salt Spring’s affordable housing crisis, but it will offer affordable rental accommodation for 66% of Salt Spring renters

The Affordable Housing Options Continuum

Emergency and Cold Weather Shelters

Housing for Homeless

and/or Special Needs

Housing for those at Risk of

Homelessness

Housing with Rental Assistance

or Rent Limits

Non-Market Home

Ownership

Rental Housing

Home Ownership

Government Subsidized Housing Non-Market Housing Market Housing

Secondary Suites and Cottages

are considered Low End Market Rental

in the Affordable Housing Options Continuum

SECONDARY SUITES ARE “SUSTAINABLE”

Diverse community

~meets many needs

Energy Car sharing

SepticDensity

Rental housing

And mortgage helpers

Adapted from Statistics Canada, Profiles for Designated Places, 94-581-XCB2006008, 2006 Census

LUB UpdateSecondary Suites

The 2008 Salt Spring Island Official Community Plan (OCP) gives policy direction to legalize secondary suites with certain criteria:

• Ensure adequate potable water supply• Avoid watersheds and community well capture zones that supply

community drinking water• Minimize auto dependency • Address on-going affordability• Must not be used for short-term rental

The OCP Also Says. . .

• A maximum of one suite is allowed per dwelling. • The owner occupies either the principal dwelling or the suite. • Suites should only be allowed in areas with an adequate supply of potable water. • Suites should not be allowed in areas that are community water system supply watersheds or in

community well capture zones. • New construction of dwellings with suites in areas containing sensitive ecosystems or areas that

are hazardous for development should be managed by development permit. • The use of suites will not be for short-term rental, in accordance with the Land Use Bylaw. • Regulations should limit suites to 40% of the floor area of the principal dwelling and no more than

90 m2 of floor area. • Building safety and waste disposal issues are addressed through compliance with the B.C.

Building Code and applicable health standards. • The Local Trust Committee will consider the use of housing agreements and other measures to

ensure that suites are affordable and to address occupancy. • The Local Trust Committee will work with the Capital Regional Housing Corporation on the

administration of housing agreements in order to implement this policy. • The Local Trust Committee should coordinate implementation of zoning changes with Capital

Regional District Building Inspection and the Vancouver Island Health Authority. • The Local Trust Committee may also consider limits on the numbers and location of secondary

suites to minimize dependency on private automobiles. • The Local Trust Committee will make zoning changes incrementally and monitor changes in order

to have the effect of limiting the overall number of suites on the island. • The Local Trust Committee will consider an annual registration system in order to remain

informed about the number and location of occupied suites.

Pilot Areas:

Option 1: Limited Pilot Area

Option 2: Expanded Pilot Area

Option 3: Whole Island as Pilot Area

Option 1 – Limited Pilot Area: Based on Official Community Plan (OCP) policy criteria and focuses on the location of existing transit routes.

Option 2 - Expanded Pilot Area: Based on existing land use zones (R7, R8, R9 and R), not limited to transit route locations. Excludes catchment basins of community water districts, residential zones with limited development potential, remote areas of the island, and crown land, park land etc.

Option 3- Salt Spring Island as pilot area: Excludes crown land, park land, non-residential land (commercial, industrial zones), multi-family zones.

Sample Regulations for Secondary Suites:  Definition: Secondary Suites - means an additional self-contained dwelling unit, having a separate entrance and containing kitchen and bathroom facilities, located within a residential building that contains only one other dwelling unit and is smaller than the primary residential unit.  Use: Must be accessory to the principal use of a single detached dwelling unit. Use for short term vacation rentals prohibited. Home-based businesses: A bed and breakfast home-based business may not be operated on the same property that a secondary suite is located on.  Density – Addresses water use, intensity of activity on a residential property:  Maximum of one suite per principal dwelling. May not be located on a property containing a seasonal cottage. A seasonal cottage may not be allowed on a property containing a secondary suite.  Built form: Must be contained within the walls of the principal dwelling unit Separate access/egress Maximum floor area: a maximum of 40 % of the floor area of the principal dwelling unit to a maximum of 90 m2 whichever is the lesser  Parking: one on-site parking space must be provided for the occupant(s) of the secondary suite

Important note: These sample regulations were presented to the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee on May 3, 2011. No action was taken by the LTC, but the report was received for information. Islands Trust is looking for input into the stage of drafting of regulations for secondary suites.

  

LUB UpdateSecondary Suites

Community Feedback:• Majority of people support legalizing secondary suites,

many would like to have a suite in their house, many more support having suites in their neighbourhood

• Water supply and septic system capacity needs to be addressed in policy drafting

• Secondary suites should not be for short-term vacation rental purposes

• OCP and community members say to make changes incrementally but others emphasize the need for island wide legalization

DISCUSSION