Foothills residents are invited to provide feedback on the possibility of legalizing secondary suites in the MD.
According to current MD land use bylaws a parcel may only have two dwellings if it is 80 acres or larger, but some residents would like to see the municipality take a different stance on secondary suites.
The MD held three open houses last week to gauge public interest and concerns over secondary suites. Input will also be taken online or at the MD office until April 15.
“We want to see what thoughts are, what the residents want to do, whether they want secondary suites in the MD,” said MD planner Coreena Carr. “If they do, then what kind of parameters, what parcel sizes do they think are appropriate or what type of secondary suites are appropriate?”
She said there are secondary suites in the MD, but currently they would not be considered legal. That poses a safety concern, because suites may not be in line with fire or building codes, she said.
With all the focus on secondary suites in Calgary and other areas, she said it’s time the MD start a discussion on the issue.
“It’s something they’ve been looking at for years, because we get a lot of requests of people wanting to do it,” said Carr. “We know they’re out there. I think it’s just time we either legalize them or enforce them.”
There will be a public hearing on secondary suites early this summer, she said. If council is in favour, there may be certain limitations put in place around size or type. Some people may be okay with basement suites but find a second unit on a parcel less favourable, she said.
Feedback from the open houses was predominantly positive, she said. People tend to be interested in being able to age in place and having two generations living on a parcel, she said.
That’s what Okotoks resident Natalie Muller is looking for. She and her husband would like to move into the MD and share a property with his parents, whether it’s one site with two houses or one house with two legal dwellings.
“While the kids are young and his parents are young enough to help me, I have extra hands to help with the kids,” said Muller. “And as they get older, we’ll be able to look after them as they need care.”
They would prefer to stay in the MD. Muller’s mother-in-law grew up in High River and her father-in-law in Calgary, so their friends and family are all nearby.
But if the decision to approve secondary suites takes too long, they may be forced to leave the area – the Mullers’ mortgage is up next year and they’d like to have a game plan by then, she said.
She said it makes sense for a lot of young people and families to be able to have secondary suites, because it’s difficult to buy a home.
“Having a mortgage helper with a secondary suite just makes so much sense,” said Muller. “Then there’s aging parents, or anyone with a relative who just needs a place to stay for a while, or young people who haven’t moved out yet.
“It just makes so much sense to have two dwellings on a piece of land.”
She said there may be some challenges around water and wastewater in some areas, but for the most part it shouldn’t be too difficult to work around.
Davisburg-area resident Judy Bilstand said she’d like to see secondary suites permitted in the MD. Right now she shares a home with her daughter’s family.
“I would like to have a secondary suite within the house, because that would give me independence and it would give the family a chance to be a family by themselves,” said Bilstand. “But then they’re there if I need any help or care.”
She said there are a number of suites in the MD that are not legal, which is a safety concern. She’d like to see a policy around secondary suites so the MD can enforce rules and bring things up to code.
“I think it’s a good thing to have it properly sorted out,” said Bilstand.
Coun. Allan Alger agreed. He was made aware of a number of suites while on the campaign trail, and he’s glad to see the MD talking about bringing them into compliance.
However, he said it’s important to address applications on a case-by-case basis rather than creating a blanket policy.
While it wouldn’t be ideal for six homeowners in a cluster of two or three-acre parcels to each have a mobile home next to their houses, there could be exceptions, he said – like a resident who lives on 47 acres and wants to have his daughter live on the land.
“I think the story of this will tell how we’re going to handle this, whether it be based on size, separate buildings, that kind of thing,” said Alger. “We’re definitely in a population setting where there’s getting to be a lot of older people, and this is a step where people can stay on their acreages and have their kids come back to the acreage or farm and help take care of them.”
