After nearly four weeks of the Public Hearing on Rezoning, Council voted to pass the motion to for rezoning, but with several amendments that have implications for our ward.
I should start by emphasizing that rezoning, even with no amendments will have little immediate effect on Ward 3. At the townhall I hosted on April 15th, we discussed all the reasons why the probability of redevelopment in Ward 3 is low. These include the fact that our housing stock is new, we have many curvilinear roads without lane access and far fewer perfectly rectangular parcels like you see in the inner city grid.
In addition to this, I supported an amendment that increases the parking requirements for all ward 3 communities. When you increase parking requirements, it effectively downzones the parcel. If you need more parking, you can’t fit as much housing. With this amendment, Ward 3 communities could see single family parcels redevelop into duplexes (when market conditions permit in 15-30 years) but 4 side by side rows will not be viable. The rules will likely change again in the next 30 years, but that’s where things stand now.
I have a full blog post on my website here that gives more insight into my vote, summarizes the amendments Council made during debate, and answers some common questions my office received from residents.
