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December 15, 2009
(Red Deer, AB) - Red Deer City Council, after much deliberation and concern, approved changes to the Land Use Bylaw in regards to secondary suites last night.
The bylaw amendments will expand the allowance of secondary suites as a use into all established and new city residential neighbourhoods thereby creating more choices in the range of housing options. The bylaw will also update existing Secondary Suite Development Regulations, and create a time limited development permit application and inspection process for existing non-approved secondary suites in order to bring these units into compliance with the Safety Codes Act (Alberta Fire & Building Codes).
“We have worked very hard to ensure the changes to the Land Use Bylaw for secondary suites reflect the needs of our community,” said Craig Curtis, City Manager. “The amendments approved last night are a starting point. We approached these changes as a working system that can be reviewed and tweaked to make sure it is the right thing for residents and home owners in Red Deer.”
The bylaw states that secondary suites would remain a permitted use at all locations currently pre-identified for suite development in any existing Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan and that in all future Neighbourhood Area Structure Plans, secondary suites would be allowed as a permitted use subject to meeting specific location criteria.
In all other city residential neighbourhood situations including established neighbourhoods, existing newer neighbourhoods that do not have pre-identified secondary suite locations, and all future new neighbourhoods where secondary suites location criteria is not met, suites would be considered a discretionary use. The bylaw also allows owners of existing non-approved secondary suites to apply to The City for a discretionary use approval subject to compliance with the Safety Codes Act.
An owner of an existing suite has until July 1, 2010 to come forward to The City to register the suite. As long as a suite has registered an application with The City, it will not be subject to penalties.
“We want to encourage home owners to come forward and start the application process as soon as possible,” said Beth McLachlan, Inspections and Licensing. “Our number one concern is the safety of residents, and by having this time limit application process, it will allow us to start the process of making sure suites in Red Deer meet the Safety Codes Act sooner.”
The City will be hosting information workshops in early 2010 for homeowners to come and talk with Inspections and Licensing staff about how to get an existing suite up to code or how to add a suite to their home.
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For more information, please contact:
Craig Curtis Beth McLachlan
City Manager Inspections and Licensing
The City of Red Deer The City of Red Deer
403- 342-8156 403-342-8208
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