Saanich residents are saying yes to garden suites, but many don’t want to see them used as short-term vacation rentals.
That’s according to a new survey released on Wednesday by the District of Saanich, which is investigating whether to legalize garden suites to create more housing stock in a region with a critical shortage of affordable rentals.
Secondary suites are allowed in Saanich’s urban-containment area, but garden suites are not.
More than 1,000 people completed a community survey, and 72 per cent said they strongly support legalizing garden suites. The majority support garden suites in all single-family dwelling zones and 47 per cent said it’s very important that the homeowner lives on the property.
Residents want to see clear rules around parking, privacy, building size and owner oversight of the rental.
The issue of short-term vacation rentals seemed to divide people who responded to the survey, with 33 per cent saying they are strongly opposed to garden suites being used as Airbnbs and 27 per cent saying they are very supportive of such a use.
The district defines a garden suite as a residential dwelling located on the ground in the backyard of a property that has a single-family home as its primary use.
Properties that already have secondary suites or an existing duplex are not eligible for garden suites.
Some residents stressed that if Saanich gives the go-ahead to garden suites, the regulations should not create unreasonable costs for the homeowner.
“With the housing shortage and housing affordability issues, Saanich must be concerned with keeping the affordability of installing a garden suite reasonable,” one respondent stated.
“There’s no point in continuing this subject if Saanich’s criteria are so extremely prohibitive that it’s unaffordable to build a garden suite legally.”
Coun. Susan Brice said the public engagement campaign will allow Saanich council to consider opening up new housing options while giving homeowners an opportunity to bring in another source of income.
A second community survey is now open to the public and will build on the feedback of the first. It is available online at saanich.ca/gardensuites. A draft regulation will be presented to the public in the fall. It will be 2019 before Saanich council considers the final regulation.
For homeowners eager to install garden suites, it might seem like a long waiting time, but Brice said it’s important that the new rules are crafted carefully and with extensive public consultation.
“If it’s rushed or it’s not mindful of impacts on the neighbourhood, you could get a backlash and Saanich could have difficulties introducing other forms of housing.”
