Is your basement apartment legal, Stouffville?
Town registering second suites at weekend home show

YorkRegion.com
April 30, 2015
Sandra Bolan

There are only nine registered second suites within all of Whitchurch-Stouffville.

“We suspect a lot are not registered,” said Steven Kemp, director of planning and development services for the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. “We’re supportive of second suites. We understand the benefits of them. From a planning perspective and affording housing perspective, they are needed, I believe.”

In 2010, the municipality passed a bylaw allowing second suites in detached homes.

A second suite is a self-contained apartment or separate unit within a home.

The bylaw currently prohibits second suites in semi-detached, town or row houses.

However, that will change this year with an update to the town’s zoning bylaw, according to Kemp.

In 2011, the Strong Communities through Affordable Housing Act, 2011 was amended to facilitate the creation of second units, thus allowing them in detached, semi-detached and row housing, as well as in ancillary structures.

“The issue might be mute though because it is unlikely that a semi or townhouse would be able to meet the parking requirements,” according to Kemp.

To help facilitate the registration of second suites, town staff will be at the Stouffville Home Show May 1 to 3.

Why should homeowners register their second suites?

Public safety is the No. 1 reason, according to Colleen Clarke, the municipality’s licensing and public services co-ordinator.

For example, illegal second suites in town homes often means an abundance of on-street parking, which could potentially make it difficult for emergency vehicles to get by on some of the new, more narrow streets, according to Clarke.

Registering that apartment can also benefit the homeowner as it reduces their liability because it has been checked for fire and building code violations.

It may also increase the property’s value.

Homeowners may be hesitant to register their second suite because they are concerned the cost to bring it into conformity with the Ontario Building Code may be prohibitive, according to Kemp.

But experience shows the cost to do so is actually quite minimal, he said.

“Many times the units already conform to all of the requirements, they just are not on the register,” he said.

In order to register a second suite, the homeowner must complete an application form and pay a $118 fee, which is good for 10 years.