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Saanich pushes ahead on detached secondary suites

Saanich is moving toward a plan to allow homeowners to install detached secondary suites.
Photo - Saanich Municipal Hall
Saanich councillors have agreed unanimously to press ahead with strategies to allow residents to build secondary suites in separate accessory buildings on their land.

Saanich is moving toward a plan to allow homeowners to install detached secondary suites.

Municipal councillors have agreed unanimously to press ahead with strategies to allow residents to build secondary suites in separate accessory buildings on their land.

Coun. Fred Haynes, who brought forward the original motion along with Coun. Leif Wergeland, said allowing homeowners to build suites in small, separate buildings likely will go a long way toward solving the housing crisis in the region.

“It’s not just creating a supply of secondary suites, it could also increase the supply of housing,” Haynes said. “If an owner decides to move into the suite, it frees up a whole new rental house on the market.”

He envisions homeowners building small separate houses on their lots. They could be anywhere from a few hundred square feet to a maximum of 900 square feet.

Haynes estimated that Saanich now has about 30,000 single-family detached homes. If only 10 per cent take the opportunity to build a secondary house, that would be an additional 3,000 living units.

The move represents a clear shift in the mindset of the municipality from a few years ago, when the idea of secondary suites in basements ran into opposition.

Haynes said it has been a gradual adjustment. In 2012, council agreed to allow secondary suites south of McKenzie Avenue. In 2014, the same was allowed north of McKenzie.

Building detached secondary suites is easier and less expensive than turning something like a basement into a living space, Haynes said.

It also avoids issues of wiring upgrades or emergency-exit planning for the residents.

“It’s so much easier to do a new build than a retro-fit,” Haynes said. “It’s easier and it’s much safer.”

He said designers and such organizations as Camosun College are coming up with mini-houses. Some are on wheels, some are prebuilt and some are made with pre-constructed panels to be assembled on site, almost like kits.

Haynes estimated that these units could be built for as little as $25,000 and go as high as anyone wants.

The important thing to note is that the land already has been serviced with water and sewers. A new secondary house needs only to tie into existing systems.

Haynes said the idea will need further study. Such issues as zoning, setbacks from property lines, parking and transportation will have to be addressed when staff reports return to council.

“But the important thing is staff are now looking into how we can implement this. “It’s not going out to anybody to ask: ‘Should we do it?’ ” he said. “Council has already said very clearly: ‘Yes, we want to do that.’ ”

rwatts@timescolonist.com