Aurora
November 27, 2008 09:21 PM
Sean Pearce
Aurora is looking high and, especially, low to provide affordable housing and meet intensification targets.
Staff is reviewing the town zoning bylaw with an eye on possibly legalizing second suites in single-family homes.
A public meeting to kick-starting the discussion on second suites was held last night.
Aurora does not permit second suites, such as basement apartments, except those that were in existence as of Nov. 16, 2005 and grandfathered in.
“We know most municipalities, including Aurora, have basement apartments, but they do not fall under our zoning bylaws,” town planning director Marco Ramunno said.
“The idea would be to recognize them, put a process in place, inspect them, make sure they’re safe and register them with the town.”
Discussions on second suites in Aurora dates back to 2004 when council established a secondary dwelling units task force and continued this fall when staff launched a study.
According to the report, legal second suites could go a long way in assisting Aurora meet its provincially mandated intensification targets, while providing the town with more affordable housing.
Legalizing second suites would ensure they were registered and adhere to the health and safety standards contained in the building and fire codes, Mr. Ramunno said.
Second suites are legal in East Gwillimbury and Newmarket. Markham is considering legalizing them as well.
But there is a downside.
Concerns over property standards and parking, increased demands on municipal infrastructure and the costs of code compliance are some of the possible detractors to the plan.
Yet discussion on second suites couldn’t come soon enough, Councillor Alison Collins-Mrakas said, adding with talk of recession everywhere, demand for affordable housing can only grow.
“The impetus for the discussion is really to look at ways more affordable housing can be made available to residents who need it,” Mrs. Collins-Mrakas said.
Olde Aurora Ratepayers Association representative Gordon Barnes said his association doesn’t typically take positions on issues, however, as an individual, he said he has no qualms with the idea of second suites.
It’s a good discussion to have, he said, adding the safety of such suites would have to be the top priority.
“If the town is going to get another 20,000 people coming in, someone has got to get serious pretty soon about what they’re going to do to house them,” Mr. Barnes said.