The City of St. John’s has declared open season for home renovations, allowing property owners to do more, in order to house more.
Council voted in favour of changes yesterday to create more housing by opening up residential areas to “a greater variety of types.”
That includes adding tri-plexes, four-plexes and small apartment buildings as permitted, instead of discretionary use, plus cluster housing, tiny homes, backyard suites, and more.
It’s all in response to Ottawa’s urging last year that the city be more ambitious when it comes to the numbers being built. It’s estimated the city would have to double its best year for builds, for the next 10 years, just to catch up.
Changes approved yesterday, using the feds’ housing accelerator fund, should reduce red tape and speed up approvals.
Ron Ellsworth
Councillor Ron Ellsworth said while not everyone will get their way, they will get their say.
“I would encourage people to chime in, not only those who are anti-development, because I’m sure we’re going to get a fair amount of that … people not liking that their neighbourhoods are potentially going to change,” he said, “but also those who are in favour. Unfortunately a lot of times we don’t hear from people who are in favour of these types of projects … We need to move and adjust so that home ownership is affordable for our general residents and not something that is out of reach.”
Public consultations are set for May 22nd and 23rd. More information can be found on the city’s website.
Meanwhile, councillors advanced two more significant developments toward approval.
One involves vacant land at the corner of Albany Street and Blackmarsh Road, where a developer plans to erect a four-storey apartment building with 24, one-bedroom units.
A second development planned for 121 to 125 Bay Bulls Road would see a new cul-de-sac created with 10, single detached homes.
There are currently three properties in the area but the developer wants to reconfigure the lots to create a cul-de sac on his adjacent private land.
Both applications would require land use and zoning changes at the city or provincial level, as well as opportunities for public review and comment before any final go-ahead.
