A public hearing will be held for a zoning change proposed for a downtown residential area.
A home on 7th Avenue about a block off of Highway 16, between the intersections of Lorne Street and Centre Street, has been housing more people than the property’s designation under the Official Community Plan. The owner of the home, Joe Bergen, is proposing that the rule for the home be changed to allow the extra accommodations.
The applicant purchased the dwelling with an upstairs unit and two units in the basement. During the renovation of the building, the applicant discovered that only one suite is permitted. As Bergen would like to retain all three units as rentals, he application for this change.
The suite has been operational for some time, the structure would remain the same house it has always been, and the area is already a mix of low-density housing (houses) and medium-density housing (duplexes through to fourplexes).
“Given the character of the area it is not anticipated that allowing the third dwelling unit on the subject property would negatively affect the character of the neighborhood,” said planning consultant Amy Wainwright. “The additional unit would provide additional rental accommodation within the community.”
In preparation for the public hearing, the Village of Burns Lake consulted protective services, transportation, utilities and building inspection departments and confirmed none had any concerns over the application.
“The three suites have existed in the subject dwelling for a number of years without issue,” said Wainwright. “There is ample parking on site and the property building would comply with all other zoning regulations, should the use be permitted. No significant changes to the exterior of the dwelling are proposed, therefore the building will remain in character with the existing neighbourhood. The current property owner is improving the interior of the building to provide better quality rental housing, of which there is currently a shortage.”
Village staff is not anticipating any opposition of note to the proposed changes, and applauds the growth of housing options within town boundaries, of which there is currently a shortage.
Council voted in favour of taking the next step towards authenticating this additional suite by passing first and second readings of the motion to approve, and calling for a public hearing before third and final reading.
That public hearing is set for April 25 at the next public meeting of mayor and council, scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Village of Burns Lake administrative office.