Additional Dwelling Units…

Additional Dwelling Units are an important step forward in building more housing stock for both the rental and home ownership markets. However, most municipalities are actively resisting or placing barriers in the way of bringing additional units to the market especially in the home ownership area.
For example, the City of Ottawa zoning bylaw surreptitiously restricts how the additional dwelling units will evolve the building typology. It does so not in the performance standards of the bylaw but in the definition of an Additional Dwelling Unit. The bylaw states that the additional dwelling unit means a separate dwelling unit located in the same building as an associated principal dwelling unit in a detached dwelling, linked-detached dwelling, semi-detached dwelling, duplex dwelling, or townhouse dwelling; and its creation does not result in the conversion of the existing residential use into a different residential use.

The performance standards of the Ottawa zoning bylaw contain no such restrictions and would seem to allow the additional dwelling unit to be configured in any way within the zoning footprint of the typology in question. However, the definition is what provides the restriction.

The restriction in the Ottawa bylaw has limited effect on rental housing but it's real effect is on any potential home ownership tenure. The City restrictions eliminates the opportunity to create a unit that can be conveyed via consent application. When pressed the City acknowledges this but allows that additional dwelling units can be created for home ownership under a Condo application but neglects to advise that the City fees for a condo application are $62,000.00 - the City acknowledges that Additional Dwelling units can be created for home ownership but only thru an expensive and time consuming additional process.

If home ownership is to be allowed (and it is via a condominium application) then it should be allowed to occur though a freehold process such as a consent application regardless of what typology evolves from the introduction of the additional dwelling units. The only constraint that should be imposed on additional dwelling units is that they fit within the building envelope created by zoning bylaw. It should not matter what typology results from the introduction of the additional units.

Municipalities are hoping that by introducing sneaky twists in the zoning bylaw they can limit the impact of additional dwelling units. If they have to accept additional dwelling units they will do so only if they result in a rental tenancy. This is wrong and the Province should not allow such restrictions to take place. Additional dwelling units are bringing gentle density to urban areas and should do so for both renter and home owners.