Skip to content

Tiny official plan changes could allow two secondary units on properties

As well, the update allows for bed and breakfast type dwellings on the shoreline.
2020-05-01-Official-Plan
Jamie Robinson, of MHBC Planning Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, presented to council the modifications to the township's official plan, Mehreen Shahid/MidlandToday

Modifications to the township's adopted official plan could allow two secondary units on current and new dwellings as well as operating a bed and breakfast along the shoreline.

The plan updates, which were presented to council last week by Jamie Robinson of MHBC Planning Urban Design & Landscape Architecture, outlined two significant changes that aimed at growth management in the township.

Robinson said that as a result of changes to the provincial planning act, the township could allow for up to two secondary units per property.

"You could have a detached garage on the property that could have a secondary unit on top of it or attached to it," he said.

This move requires that the township permit secondary units in its zoning bylaw in areas designated as rural, agricultural, greenlands, country residential and settlement area. As a result, a zoning bylaw amendment would not be required to establish a secondary unit; but site plan control could still be applied.

This modification raised questions among council members.

Coun. Cindy Hastings asked if this would apply to duplexes, which are allowed within the hamlet residential zone.

Robinson responded that the modification primarily applies to single-family dwellings on lots.

"If you have a single-family (home) on a lot, you'd be looking at two secondary units within the main dwelling," he said. "So effectively two basement apartments or one basement apartment and one above a garage."

Robinson added that for all those instances, a building permit would still be needed and a town staff would have to identify and approve that the current septic system can accommodate additional sewage.

"If you've got a property with a multi-dwelling unit on it, like a duplex, it depends on how we implement it through zoning at this stage," Robinson said. "We're focusing on the single-dwelling properties, not so much these semi-detached type situations. If you had a semi-detached unit and went with what the province is saying, you would have one unit and two units with that, so it gets pretty dense pretty fast."

This zoning amendment would essentially take away the planning process through which nearby residents would be notified and given an opportunity to comment.

Coun. Gibb Wishart asked if that would be applicable on farmland.

"We sit on 100 acres," he said. "We have the potential to put in a Christmas tree business. Suppose I wanted to get farm help, and put up some residences, used from middle of April 'til the end of harvest season. So I want to build six little residences, is that allowed?"

Shawn Persaud, director of planning and development, answered that question.

"The official plan and zoning bylaw does not permit on-farm labour (buildings) for agriculture uses," he said. "That was one of the comments we received for our official plan."

If the township were to consider that option, it would require rezoning but not an amendment to the official plan, added Persaud.

Additional modifications to the official plan reiterate that Tiny's unwillingness to allow industrial wind turbines. Some other modifications were related to mapping differences in identifying settlement areas in Tiny as well as pointing out waste disposal sites and mineral aggregate resources. 

Details for the modifications to the plan can be found online.