Council appears supportive of a request for a second garden suite on a local property, due to extenuating circumstances.
A public meeting was held on an application by Abram and Mary Bowman for an over-size garden suite on their property on Concession 2 of former Maryborough Township.
While Section 6.12(e) of the zoning bylaw limits the floor area to a maximum of 1,000 square feet, the proposed size of the requested suite is 1,280 square feet.
Councillor Jim Curry asked the Bowmans why they needed a larger suite than the bylaw allows.
Abram Bowman replied the larger trailers are better built and more suitable to the family’s purposes.
Wellington County senior planner Mark Van Patter noted an existing mobile home is already present on the property. Mr. Bowman’s mother lives in the existing trailer.
“The mobile home is attached to the main home by a breezeway. It is my understanding that the township building official at the time, considered this to be a home addition and issued a building permit on this basis without requiring a rezoning,” Van Patter noted in his report.
“However, the mother’s mobile home has separate cooking facilities and functions as a residential dwelling unit. In my opinion it should have been considered a garden suite at the time, requiring a temporary rezoning.”
Section 6.12 of the Mapleton zoning bylaw provides for a garden suite in agricultural zones. A temporary rezoning for a period up to 20 years is permitted, after which permission must be renewed every three years.
Van Patter stated Bowman indicated either he or his children would be occupying the proposed second garden suite and that due to injuries that limit his ability to do physical labour, he needs assistance on the farm.
While noting he has some concerns about establishing a precedent for permitting two garden suites, Van Patter pointed out there are some unique circumstances in this case, including:
– the township’s issuance of a building permit for the existing mobile home; and
– Bowman’s disabilities (i.e. there may be cases where more than one garden suite should be permitted through a rezoning).
Van Patter suggested permitting the existing mobile home as a garden suite until Bowman’s mother no longer resides there.
“At this point, the mobile home would have to be removed from the property and would not be eligible for renewal,” Van Patter stated in his report.
Council directed Van Patter to bring a draft bylaw amendment back to council, including the recommended exceptions.
