Changes loom to proposed Saskatoon infill housing rules

Saskatoon city planners have revised proposed regulations on construction of infill housing, following public meetings in the spring.

But the latest version does not satisfy everyone's concerns, going by responses last night at an open house in Mayfair Library.

Property developer Patrick Wolfe told the meeting there still needs to be greater restriction on the size of second storeys.

"You increase sunlight, you reduce shadowing and it's more palatable to the existing neighbours," he later explained in an interview.

Sharon Yaroshko does not want garages built on the front of infill housing in her neighbourhood because that would not blend in with the design of existing homes.

She did not get the reassurance she was hoping to hear at the meeting.

"What wasn't addressed is we have well-maintained back lanes in our neighbourhoods, so why are they allowing for garages on the front when we have the alley access?" she explained.

Florence Paquette wants a limit on how many infill houses can be built in one block. She said she is disturbed by the size of infill houses she has already seen in her North Park/Richmond Heights neighbourhood, which she said cover an entire lot. Paquette is concerned about rainwater either draining onto neighbouring properties, or backing up from sewer lines. She also worries about the loss of green space.

Limiting the number of infill houses in a block "would reduce the risk that I talked about" Paquette said.

However, developer Tim Ryan wants no restrictions on the size and shape of infill housing, instead letting market forces dictate what gets built, and where. Preserving the character of established neighbourhoods should not be a concern, he explained.

"They're somehow seeing that the newcomer, the guy that wants a bigger house or a better house or more amenities in his house is somehow a usurper," Ryan commented. "But he's just a changer. It's time they changed their paradigm in my opinion."

There may not be too much time left for further revisions before the proposed regulations go into effect.

City planning manager Alan Wallace said he thinks most concerns have been satisfied.

"I think we have addressed the compatibility issues that the community has raised, and I think we're still allowing those modern-style homes that the builders have been asking for," Wallace said.

"We may make a tweak here and there," he added, but also said "we really have to move forward because there's another construction season that's looming."

The proposed regulations go to a committee of council on Dec. 1. Wallace hopes at that point permission is granted to write them into a by-law, which would go to council in January for passage.

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