Markham councillors debate basement apartments

Yorkregion.com
Aug. 3, 2016
By Amanda Persico

According to a city consultant, allowing basement apartments in Markham would help make a dent in the affordable housing conundrum.

Looking at basement apartments is part of the city’s comprehensive bylaw review process, conducted by Gladki Planning Associates (GPA).

And allowing for second suites is now mandated by the province.

Currently, there are more than 700 legal basement apartments that were grandfathered in prior to provincial changes made in the mid 1990s.

Based on 2006 census data, a conservative estimate puts the number of unregistered apartments to about 2,500, said John Gladki, GPA president.

Allowing second suites is a flexible way to deal with affordable housing.

“Basement apartments won’t solve the housing issue, but it is a tool in the toolbox,” Gladki said.

But to say Markham is tackling affordable housing by allowing basement apartments is false, said Mayor Frank Scarpitti.

“This is a small part of a larger problem,” he said. “We can tackle affordable housing without creating a nuisance in the community.”

He would rather see developers build rental units than see an influx of basement apartments.

The demand for rental units is increasing among young, professional adults and seniors who are looking to downsize, Gladki said.

“Many millennials and some seniors are not into owning. They are happy renting,” Gladki said. “They don’t own cars or homes. They only own their mobile device.”

“That’s only because they want to play Pokemon,” quipped councillor Don Hamilton.

Markham, Richmond Hill and King Township are the only municipalities within the region that do not permit second suites.

Municipalities that allow secondary suites include Milton, Oakville, Brampton, Mississauga, Ajax, Oshawa, Pickering and Whitby.

Markham’s proposed new bylaw is in keeping with other municipalities, where second suites with a minimum 375 square feet of living space can only be in residential areas with a maximum of two dwellings per lot  and no change can be made to the exterior appearance.

The proposed bylaw goes a step further by prohibiting basement apartments in special policy areas prone to flooding, prohibiting more than one entrance visible from the street and prohibiting an entrance within the garage door.

Councillors argued about the 375 square-foot or 35 square-metre space minimum, arguing that is not enough space for a family of four.

Apartments that size - a bachelor or studio apartment - appear designed for a single person or a couple.

“It’s self-regulating,” said the city’s development commissioner Jim Baird. “A family of four isn’t looking for a 375-square foot apartment.”

Many home furnishing stores, such as Ikea, have fully furnished mock apartments similar in size.

The consultant’s report also includes several other provisions, including a streamlined registration process and a communications campaign for homeowners, landlords and tenants explaining the bylaw and the benefits of registering.

The registration process would require all second suites to register, including those grandfathered in.

Homeowners or landlords would be required to renew their registration every five years following building and fire inspections.

Another suggestion is to offer a free registration period to encourage homeowners to register their basement apartments.

“This is a good start,” said deputy mayor and Regional Councillor Jack Heath, who was also part of the city’s second suites task force established in 2008.

“There is much more work to do. But this has to be all encompassing.”

Other issues raised during the debate include the influx of street parking, the impact on municipal services, appearance and upkeep, absentee owners and landlords who own multiple properties.

Not to mention the added costs of building and fire inspections done by city bylaw inspectors that will be paid for by the taxpayer.

Home insurance and income reporting were other issues brought up at the meeting.

Tenant safety should be the No. 1 priority when it comes to legalizing basement apartments, Heath said.

“Issues such as insurance or reporting rental income to the CRA are less important than safety,” he said. “If we lose track of safety, then we are not doing our job.”

Markham’s parking bylaws would have to be looked at more thoroughly, Hamilton argued.

“We can’t say yes to someone and no to someone else because they don’t have enough parking.”

Many municipalities don’t have a parking requirement, Gladki said, and renting is self-regulating.

“If you don’t have parking, then you rent to someone without a car,” he said.

Councillors also want to see some type of identification on the house to indicate there is a rental unit within the dwelling, especially for fire and emergency services.

Registered rental units in Newmarket are required to have a ‘N’ beside the house number.

Residents will have a chance to comment on the proposed rental unit bylaw.