Legal suites eyed for 2010
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Colwood moves to grandfather in secondary suites
Colwood is hoping to legalize secondary suites starting Jan. 1 2010.
Council approved first reading of a bylaw to legalize existing and future secondary suites. A staff report estimated there are more than 700 suites in the city with only 57 of them legal under existing bylaws.
Legalizing suites throughout the city increases affordable housing options, said Mayor Dave Saunders, while allowing Colwood to enforce bylaws for health, safety and nuisance complaints. It also provides better information to the fire department.
“This at least gives Colwood some teeth in the matter,” said Coun. Shaun Wysiecki.
The proposed bylaw divides suites into Class 1 and Class 2. A Class 1 suite complies with the B.C. Building Code, where a Class 2 suite only complies with Colwood land use bylaws, including standards for fire safety and parking.
If the bylaw passes, current illegal suites would have a one-year grace period to apply for Class 2 status, for a $300 fee. All suites constructed after Jan. 1, 2011 would have to comply with Class 1 regulations.
Council approved an amendment to the proposed bylaw after it came to the City’s attention that homeowners were quickly adding suites to their homes now, in hopes of qualifying for Class 2 status.
Any illegal suites built between July 1, 2009 and Jan. 1, 2010 would automatically fall into the Class 1 category, states a staff report.
After the grace period, home owners who do not register suites risk having to remove them if they are not up to code. All costs for inspection and returning the space to the original floor plan would be incurred by the homeowner.
The bylaw will go before a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 13.
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
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