Today there was a recommendation to build a granny suite in the back yard of a property in Cedarbrae. To create a secondary suite in this location the property would have to be re-zoned from R-C1 to R-C1s. The intention of the applicant was to build a detached building with a wheel chair accessible suite on the main level for the applicant's aging parents, who are in need of daily living assistance. One would think this would be a no brainer yes decision. You would be wrong.

Here is a snippet of the dialogue in the decision at City Council on Monday July 13, 2009:

Ceci – We are talking about adding just one secondary suite amongst 300 properties.

McIver – How many are against it from the public? (None).  So we are arguing against something that has received no complaints from neighbours. Come on, this is the easy secondary suite stuff.

Farrell – Well said Alderman McIver. In other cities, secondary suites are being approved throughout the entire city and this does not destroy the fabric of the city. I live beside secondary suites on both sides of me and am happy with them.

Pincott – This is the first application for the City’s Enterprise Housing Program. The applicants have done exactly what we have asked them to do. There were no objections whatsoever. Secondary suites are the low hanging fruit to address affordable housing. Let’s take advantage of this.

For: Mar, McIver, Ceci, Farrell, Pincott, Hawkesworth, Bronconnier, Fox-Mellway

Against: Stevenson, Chabot, Colley-Urquhart, Connelly, Hodges, Jones, Lowe

Carried (by one vote)

Background: The Enterprise Housing Program provides the following for secondary suites:

•             50% development permit fee rebate

•             50% building permit fee rebate

•             50% property tax rebate (municipal portion only); and

•             $10,000 pre-development grant

Unfortunately later on an application for a secondary suite in Dalhousie failed due to parking concerns. Of note Fox-Mellway was the swing vote against this application.

The City has said their strategy for secondary suites is not through legislation, but through the market. The market is asking for secondary suites, but some citizens and members on council are trying to block this. The result will be City Council reviewing secondary suites on an application by application basis.

If a secondary suite for parents who are wheelchair bound is only carried by 1 vote, obviously not much affordable housing will be created. As Druh Farrell recommended above, the City of Calgary should legislate and allow the creation of secondary suites in each community in Calgary. This is the only way for Calgary to create affordable housing through secondary suites on a scale that is needed.

I have some caveats. Secondary suites, that are on property that is owner occupied, should always be approved. For absentee secondary suites, they should be approved only with the support of a majority vote of neighbours within a one block radius.

With limited resources compared to other levels of government, secondary suites are something the city can really get behind to create more affordable housing. Call 311 to advocate for a blanket wide secondary suite policy in Calgary.

For more information on the Cedarbrae application click here

For more information on the Enterprise Housing Program click here 

                      Thank you to the Arusha Centre for advertising in the Calgary Cowbell!