Despite vocal opposition from some residents, the city's planning committee approved a rezoning Monday that will make legal a third apartment in a home on McNaughton Street.
While the building has had a third apartment for years, the committee heard the new owner, Alice Blom, came forward with an application to make the third unit legal on her own.
Blom bought the building and, upon learning the third unit was not legal, has been taking steps to change the building so it can be rezoned, the committee heard.
Several letters objecting to the plan were sent to planning staff, mainly focused on parking issues. But chair Deb McIntosh told the crowd Monday that the committee makes decisions on land uses only. If people are parking illegally, she said that's a matter for bylaw services.
“Those are bylaw concerns, not land use concerns,” McIntosh said.
However, most of the people who spoke at the meeting focused on parking issues.
“Parking on this street is horrendous,” said neighbour Matthew Green.
Some residents on the street routinely park on the road, Green said, often directly behind his driveway, making getting out extremely difficult.
“And it's not just this place,” he said.
He and others are concerned that if the proposal is approved, there are other houses on McNaughton that could also be converted into three units, making the problem worse.
“This should not be approved by council,” Green said.
But Blom said since she purchased the property, she has spent “a pretty penny” on experts and plans to bring it into conformity. She is changing the heat so a chimney can be removed, allowing access to a three-spot parking area she's building in the backyard.
“I'm addressing the concerns as best I can,” she said.
She also canvassed the neighbourhood, and said many residents support her plan.
“But of course they don't show up for these meetings.”
Ward 7 Coun. Mike Jakubo wanted to know where the snow will be stored in the winter. He was concerned it would pile up in the back yard, and then cause drainage issued for neighbours in the spring.
“Space is at a premium here,” Jakubo said. “So where is that (spring) melt going to go? Can that be addressed?”
Staff responded that the parking lot will take up 27 feet of the 84-foot backyard, leaving ample space for storage. And under city bylaws, and owner can't make a change to their property that will cause drainage issues for neighbours.
“They can't allow more drainage to their neighbour's property than there is today,” said Eric Taylor, the city's director of development approvals.
After amending the resolution to include language requiring Blom to remove the chimney, the rezoning was approved unanimously.
