Owen Sound city council expects a zoning bylaw amendment allowing more residential units in urban areas will bring more efficient and affordable housing units to the city.
Council passed the bylaw this week to permit up to two additional residential units in any single detached, semi-detached, or townhouse dwelling. That means each dwelling can have three units. The projects must meet criteria like parking and building permits. Residents can now add rental income apartments within their houses or create ‘in-law suites.’
Ontario's Planning Act was recently amended to direct municipalities to allow those additional units. The city is the first of Grey County’s lower tier to enact a Bylaw permitting those extra units.
The city has also eliminated minimum gross floor area requirements for for residential homes, and will go by the smaller minimums allowed under the Ontario Building Code.
“With housing shortages and high rental costs in mind, I am happy to see this change that permits additional residential units to be built on existing serviced properties. This will provide a potential source of additional housing that is attainable. I am pleased that Owen Sound is the first community in Grey County to move forward with this initiative," said Mayor Ian Boddy.