A citizen seeking a home for his aging parents found himself caught between a battle of definitions from Mapleton’s zoning bylaw on Nov. 8.
Steven S.B. Martin wants to put a mobile home on his property on 7534 3rd Line at RR2 Wallenstein in former Peel Township.
Township planner Linda Redmond told council at the public meeting the application is for “a typical garden suite” but Martin wants one a little larger than normal, and to attach it to the main dwelling with a walkway.
Redmond said there have been changes to the laws for such zone changes and such suites can now be left in place up to 20 years, whereas it used to be ten years.
Mayor Bruce Whale said the bylaw talks about a mobile home, and wondered if there is a difference between that and a garden suite.
Redmond said there is no difference, and they are defined together. The problem is the zoning bylaw opposes mobile homes.
When Mapleton passed its old zoning bylaw, there was a discrepancy between the “term garden suite” and mobile homes. The terms are often used interchangeably, but mobile homes are specifically excluded.
Redmond said that can be corrected when the township does its new zoning bylaw.
Whale said the discrepancy means council needs to clarify the issue of what is allowed and what it not.
Martin said he has a down payment on a mobile home and is waiting for approval to move it onto his property.
Council finally deferred a decision that night. Councillor Andy Knetsch was against that, so Martin can get on with his plans.
