Further to a story we brought you last month about proposed changes to Huntsville’s minimum rural residential lot sizes, when it came time to ratify the recommendation on Monday, an amendment was offered.
The initial proposal was approved by a small majority of councillors at the District Committee of the Whole meeting last month and opposed by planning staff at both the District and the Town of Huntsville. It would have amended Huntsville’s Official Plan to allow changes to the minimum required size for a rural residential lot in the Town of Huntsville from the current 2 hectares (4.94 acres) to 0.4 hectares (0.988 acres).
Last Monday, the item was pulled from the meeting minutes before being given a final vote. Instead, councillors were asked to approve an Official Plan amendment that would allow Huntsville to set a minimum rural lot size standard of 1 hectare (2.471 acres) rather than the 0.4 hectare (0.988 acres) initially pushed by Huntsville councillors.
Huntsville Mayor Nancy Alcock told fellow District councillors that the amended proposal was a reflection of discussions held at the District, as well as at the Town, and with community members. “It reverts from 0.4 hectare to one hectare, but we kept in the language around the minimum lot frontage of 60 metres.”
Alcock noted that all of the language regarding maintaining environmental standards and creating sustainable rural residential lots would remain, including a 15 metre vegetative buffer required from a municipal road. She also mentioned that, following the advice of planning staff, the wording for the bylaw (to be presented for final approval) will clearly state that the new lot standards do not apply to Estate Residential developments.
Bracebidge Mayor and District Councillor Rick Maloney spoke in favour Huntsville’s Official Plan amendment, noting that the Town of Bracebridge is also in the process of updating its Official Plan. Maloney said that through the process municipal representatives have heard from families in the community who want to sever their property or create a second dwelling to help younger family members secure housing and stay in the community. He said provided that all the requirements are met, “I think that there is a lot of interest on our part to give consideration of that. I think that this amendment certainly is reflective of that…”
Council unanimously approved Huntsville’s Official Plan amendment.
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