The City of Kamloops announced that secondary suites and gardens suites are now allowed in most urban residential zones of the city.
On July 9th, City Council adopted Zoning Bylaw amendments to allow the suites as permitted uses on single-family lots in more urban residential zones. The suites mentioned are one-story accessory residential dwellings.
Being a key component of the City's Residential Suites Update, the bylaw amendments are a project that has involved extensive research, analysis, and engagement with the public, stakeholders, and council over the past nine months.
Residential suites can provide a form of affordable rental housing for tenants and can act a mortgage helper for homeowners. Secondary suites and garden suites are now allowed on single-family lots that meet the zoning requirements in most urban residential areas of the city, including a majority of lots in Aberdeen, Batchelor Heights, Brocklehurst, Downtown, Dufferin, Juniper Ridge, Lower Sahali, North Kamloops, Pineview, Sagebrush, Upper Sahali, Valleyview, West End, and Westsyde.
Carriage suites, which are two-storey accessory residential dwellings, will continue to require a rezoning process and a public hearing. They will only be permitted in RS-1S zone.
Homeowners who want to construct a suite on a lot that meets the zoning requirements for a secondary suite or garden suite only have to apply for a building permit. This will result in the homeowner saving $1,500 in fees and being able to complete their projects eight to 12 weeks sooner, due to not having to go through the rezoning and Public Hearing process.
Council also authorized amendments to the Business Licence and Regulation Bylaw. These amendments require owners of single-family homes with suites that are not owner-occupied to obtain a business license and sign a good neighbour agreement. The business license fee is $67.20 per lot per year, which aligns with the City’s business license fees for bed-and-breakfasts and other types of accommodations.
Over the coming months, the City will conduct an awareness campaign to inform residents of the zoning changes and the process to legalize existing suites or construct new suites under a building permit.
To learn more on secondary and garden suites, as well as other bylaw amendments by the city, click here.
