Bradford is still looking to increase housing density and create more rental units in town.
Council is scheduled to hold a second public meeting in the Zima Room of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library, located at 425 Holland St. W., beginning at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, to solicit more feedback from residents about a proposed update to the town’s zoning bylaw that would allow more accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
The draft bylaw proposes allowing as many as three accessory units in addition to the main unit for a total of four units within a single structure (fourplex), or two accessory units in a main structure and one in an accessory building.
Those permissions are also proposed to be expanded to some townhouses in addition to fully and semi-detached houses, where the town already permits ADUs.
The changes would not apply to places of worship, which would remain limited to one ADU.
Tuesday’s meeting is set to follow two public open houses on Aug. 28 to explain the proposal, as well as a survey to which 36 residents ranked the following requirements:
- The 5.4-m maximum height permitted for ADU structures
- The minimum side-yard setbacks permitted for ADU structures
- The minimum rear-yard setback permitted for ADU structures
- The proposed three-metre minimum setback permitted from the entrance of the ADU structure to the rear wall of the main dwelling building
In each instance, respondents could select too high, too low or appropriate, and the ‘appropriate’ option was selected more than any other in all cases, which was the same result from the nine respondents earlier in the year.
Council requested the second pair of open houses and second public meeting in response to resident feedback at a previous public meeting on May 28 about the same issue, which itself followed a public open house on May 14.
That was the result of council’s decision on April 2 to increase the number of ADUs allowed on residential lots with municipal services to three from one, as well as allowing ADUs in accessory buildings like garden suites.
All of this has been part of an effort to update the town’s regulations for ADUs, a process which was initially approved by council on Feb. 20, based on a report from Mana Masoudi, senior planner for the town.
Proposed requirements include that ADUs in the main structure have a maximum floor area of 49 per cent, that only one parking space be required for each ADU and that no ADUs be permitted on properties serviced by septic systems or in places considered hazardous by any local conservation authorities.
Those ADUs in accessory buildings are set to require an unobstructed 1.2-metre path to allow access for emergency services to the rear of the house or to a detached residential structure in the rear yard.
When it comes to the size of accessory buildings being used as ADUs, staff recommended “common” setbacks to provide for drainage and safety purposes, which include: three metres from the main building, 0.6 m from one side of the property and 1.2 m from the opposite side, 1.2 m from the rear of the property, and being no more than 5.4 m tall.
Prior reports and presentations from Masoudi included a series of diagrams showing how the additional units could fit on the most frequently appearing lot size in residential zones with a single- or semi-detached house or townhouse located within the town’s urban boundary.
In her reports, Masoudi explained the changes originally came in response to provincial Bill 23, which passed on Nov. 28, 2022, and made changes to the Planning Act to permit two ADUs in addition to the primary unit in single- and semi-detached houses and townhouses, allowing up to three dwelling units on residential lots with full municipal services.
If approved the changes could help Bradford meet its target to add 6,500 homes by 2031.
Like most public planning meetings, council is not expected to make a decision until a later date, following a recommendation and report from staff summarizing the public feedback.
Anyone unable to attend the upcoming meeting can also submit feedback in writing to Mana Masoudi, senior planner, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Office of Community Planning, 305 Barrie St., Unit 2, P.O. Box 419, Bradford, Ont., L3Z 2A9, or email [email protected].
For more information, visit www.townofbwg.com/ADUzoning.
