City set to decide rules on infill housing in Saskatoon

After years of concern, consultation and debate, a decision from city council is expected on Monday on the controversialtopic of infill housing. In many older neighbourhoods in Saskatoon, new homes are popping up when older ones are torn down, or as lots are subdivided.

During a public hearing meetingat city hall,councillors will consider adopting an amendment to the city'szoning bylaw:Neighbourhood Level Infill Development Strategy Zoning Bylaw Text Amendment to Amend the Development Standards for Primary Dwellings in Established Neighbourhoods Approval for Advertising.

Soundcomplicated? That's because it is.

At the heart of the debate overinfill housing is the question of what extentdevelopment companies need to consider a property's surroundings the neighbours next door, the trees on the lot, the traffic on the street before building a primary dwelling on the land. The new rules will include restrictions on height and the length of the sidewalls as well.

Infill housing in Varsity View: Big duplexes sprout

Kathy and Bruce Proberthave lived in their house in Varsity View since 1989.

"Lots of single-family homes, lots of kids, pets, the median down the middle of the street was always there with the big beautiful trees," Kathysaid. "It has changeda lotover the last 25 years."

The trees on theblock have grown big and strong, and now, there are also many big duplexes.

"The old houses are being knocked down in favour of large, multi-units and duplex units, whatever they are, and they don't really seem to fit the neighbourhood," Brucesaid.

Kathy said in less than five years, five smaller homes have been replaced withthe larger infill residences on her street. A couple years ago, one of the dwellings was erected next to the Proberts' home.

The new houses seem to loom out at you and don't seem to honour what is beautiful here- Kathy Probert

"The new houses seem to loom out at you and don't seem to honour what is beautiful here, like the established trees," Kathysaid.

"I guess I value community.I value diversity and I value people feeling a part of a community and I see that changing. I see the community sort of dissolving away and these big houses with people in them looking inwards."

Developer: some good steps forward,but couldlimit density

"Overall there is some great movement in the infill guidelines that are being proposed," said Karl Miller, president of Meridian Development. "But there are some limiting factors there that will have a negativeimpact long term on our neighbourhoods in creating that denser, more compact, urban city that city is putting out there that they want to get to."

While some residents are upset about the size of new infill homes, Miller pointedout that others are seeking homes with more square footage. "You should be allowed to build to the size that is appropriate for thatlot." Miller saidarange of people want their homes to be a certain size."That's why they're being built, it's because people are buying them."

Designing infill with heritage in mind

Mark Bobynknows a lot about infill housing and he wears many hats.

As owner of Design Build he makes money designing and building infill housing throughout the city. He also understands the challenges as former president of the Nutana Community Association and as a member of the city's infill regulations steering committee.

"It's become a more and more important issue in older neighbourhoods as the economy has started to flourish," Bobyn said. "We have seen a lot of older houses go down and the existing zoning bylaw stretched to its maximum."

"People are definitelypushing for much largersquare footage than they used to, so what we are seeing is large side-facing walls, large massing,blocking of the sun, inability to grow gardens in backyards because the neighbour's house is shadowing it," he said. "It is really the first time we are seeing these large forms on small lots."

Bobyn wants to see the new regulations go through as proposed on Monday. He said he believes the package has found balance between the needs and wants of communitiesand developers.

"It has been the wild west until now. You could build pretty much whatever you wanted to," Bobyn said.

He also said he believes the new package of regulations is a win for builders like himself.

"The bonuses being given away to developers is massive," Bobyn said,citing the ability for builders to subdivide lots more easily in order to erect additional homes, the ability to build four residences on corner lots and ability to build larger porcheson homes.

• Click here to read the proposed amendments to the city's zoning bylaw.