Affordable Housing

Executive Summary: Affordable Housing Official Plan Amendment & Community Improvement Plan

Official Plan Amendment

Identify 4 specific policy additions that support and encourage different housing types and tenures in the Town:

1. Shared housing – allows for greater development of different models and innovative housing forms
2. Maximum of 20% of Single Detached Dwellings permitted in New Development – The remaining 80% would be made up of more dense types of development (small scale housing, semis, towns, and apartments) within greenfield development
3. Accessory apartments – allows for both attached and detached secondary suites on existing residential properties
4. Provide a new definition for small scale housing which will create the opportunity for the development of units that are smaller than traditional units. While generally this can cost more per square foot to produce, because of their smaller size, and reduced lot requirement, the result is greater affordability.

It is the intent that these policies will be to continue to encourage various types of housing that will range from traditional to innovative and result in more affordable rental and ownership options throughout the Town.

Community Improvement Plan

Applicable to any zone that permits residential development within the Urban Area Boundary and includes the following programs:

1. Affordable Housing Planning Fee Grant – 100% of the planning fees are rebated upon approval of the project (Zoning, Official Plan Amendments, Site Plan)
2. Affordable Housing Tax Increment Grant Program – 100% of the tax increase is rebated back for a certain amount of years (TBD)

It is the intent of the CIP to offer financial incentives to developers in order to offset the cost of development in the Town and encourage the creation of units within a development.

For more detailed information on the Official Plan Amendment or the Community Improvement Plan, please see the document section of this website.

The purpose of this Official Plan Amendment is to recommend specific policy changes that support and encourage a range of housing types and tenures in the Town including: provisions for shared housing; setting a maximum limit on the number of single detached dwellings in large scale developments; permitting accessory apartments on existing residential properties; and defining “small scale housing” which will create the opportunity for the development of units that are smaller than traditional units.

Additionally, the Town will be initiating an Affordable Housing Community Improvement Plan to provide incentives to both developers and non-profit organizations for the creation of affordable rental and ownership units in the Town.

PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE

Date: June 8, 2020

Time: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Place: This will be a virtual meeting

We would like to hear from you: We invite you to attend a Public Open House meeting to learn more about this proposal. We welcome you to attend and take advantage of the opportunity to review the proposal, identify issues, and provide additional information.

Residents can participate in a Zoom Public Open House meeting two different ways:

1. Send your comments via e-mail to Lindsay Richardson, Senior Community Planner (lrichardson@forterie.ca) who will provide them to Council.

2. Participate in the Zoom meeting (audio/video via web or by telephone) by sending an email to Lindsay Richardson, Senior Community Planner (lrichardson@forterie.ca) to receive information on joining the Zoom meeting.

To those who register in advance, further information will be emailed relative to the process for joining and participating in the Zoom Public Open House. Registered participants will be queued in a virtual waiting room, and brought into the meeting one at a time.