Guelphissauga #8: Revising the Rules of the Ward

The Fellowship of Guelphissauga continues after the final defeat of the Tower of Sauron. A sunshine fuelled warmth now covers the Shire as the Property Developer Orcs are currently pushed back from the gates while they regroup their forces. This break allows for the Fellowship to update its Official Plan and zoning bylaws to bring its Rules of the Ward policies into better alignment with the updated Provincial Planning Act. How will the external whispers of Provincial Policies influence the future Rules of the Ward?

The proposed changes would make it easier for property owners to build an additional accessory dwelling that could be as tall as 2 storeys and less than a meter away from a neighbour’s property line. It could bring local competition to the housing market and spread out residential density across the Shire, instead of solely down Guelphissauga Road. The final decision will come later this year following further community consultation and possible tweaking of recommendations.

The Fellowship initially saw numerous red flags in the proposed policy changes such as building height, setback from property line, loss of privacy and tree canopy, and parking issues. Councillor Leanne Piper Caron said that accessory dwellings intended for use by adult children or parents aren’t a problem, it’s when they become a new way for landlords to build more student housing that it can become one, particularly by absentee landlords. She added, “If this is exploited, it could be a nightmare.” She preferred a one-storey limit which James Gordon, Bob Bell, and several other councillors agreed with. John Lawson of the Old University Neighbourhood Residents Association reiterated the possibility of exploitation as “some students and some landlords are a problem.” At the same time, the University of Guelph has announced it is capping the number of students living in residence this September at 1,000, down from the usual 5,000. "Only students with special housing accommodation circumstances will be eligible to live on campus fall semester," it stated in a news release.

So how bad could the housing exploitation really get? Well we can look at other places where it's already happening such as in the UK. Luckily the TV show “Nightmare Tenants Slum Landlords” provides a real life glimpse into housing exploitation as it follows rental disputes and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). It features feisty-pitbull lawyer Paul Shamplina and other enforcers as they tackle unruly landlords or tenants, bringing legal resolutions to their disputes. It occurs in places such as the Shire of Harrow County, where the elderly and immigrants are getting exploited instead of students. Police powered evictions and early morning raids of HMOs are common occurrences on the show.

What do you think?
Should accessory dwellings be allowed?
If so, should dwellings be capped at 1 or 2 storeys?
How far away should dwellings be from the property line?
Are there enough housing disputes in Guelph to sustain a reality TV show?