Laneway housing in Hamilton - gentle density

NRU
Dec. 7, 2016
By Leah Wong

Laneway housing is viewed as an opportunity to add density and improve housing affordability without
needing costly investments in infrastructure. While Hamilton councillors are enthusiastic about
the benefits, staff say further work is required to determine where laneway housing is appropriate and what impact these units will have on established neighbourhoods.

“[Laneway housing] is an opportunity to add density in a reasonable way that is supported by existing infrastructure,” Ward 3 councillor Matthew Green told planning committee Tuesday. “It will improve the tax base and affordability.”

Planning committee received a report outlining the policy and regulatory framework around laneway housing and providing an overview of existing laneway units in Hamilton.

Housing senior project manager Edward John told committee that there are 70 examples of laneway homes in Hamilton, with most located in the lower city. Many were originally built as outbuildings or carriage houses but have been converted into liveable dwellings. Under the Urban Hamilton Official Plan and the former City of Hamilton zoning by-law most of these units are non-conforming uses.

John said there are two types of laneway housing. The first is similar to a basement unit, but it is built on top of a garage, and the second is a discrete unit on a severed lot.

He added that laneway homes can be considered a type of secondary suite under the Planning Act. They differ from garden suites as provincial policy requires garden suites to be temporary, while laneway suites are permanent.

“Secondary suites are generally considered to be a mild form of intensification, one that has opportunity for homeowners to invest within their existing property and create additional income that may permit them to remain in their home and community,” said John. “Thee unit created also has the ability to increase the stock of rental, and potentially ownership housing.”

While provincial and local policy is supportive of secondary suites, John said the city would need to undertake a comprehensive study of laneway houses to determine whether they would be suitable house form to expand the stock of units in the city. Issues that need to be addressed include their impact on stormwater management, parking and solid waste servicing.

Hamilton has 818 laneways- comprising 34 hectares of land--of which 80 per cent are publicly owned. Just over 20 per cent of the city-owned laneways have been paved and
undergone minor level of maintenance by the city. John said planning staff , with collaboration from the public works, engineering and legal departments, would have to undertake a comprehensive study to determine the feasibility of adding more laneway homes, and which parts of the city are best suited for them.

Committee approved a motion from Ward 2 councillor Jason Farr directing planning staff to report back on a process for including appropriate permissions for laneway housing as part of the review and update of the city’s residential zoning by-law planned for 2017-2018.

“It is intensification, but it is... a very mild form. And when it’s a mild form of intensification it generally doesn’t see a lot of pushback,” said Farr. “I would love to see us take some next steps [to allow laneway housing].”