Saint John is seeking feedback as it undertakes major zoning bylaws reforms to help boost the housing supply in the city.
The city’s goal is 1,124 net new residential units over three years as part of its Housing Accelerator Fund agreement with the federal government.
Its Housing Action Plan includes the creation of supportive policy and regulatory conditions for building new housing, providing more housing options and diversifying construction types.
City staff are proposing a number of changes to the zoning bylaw, which include:
- increasing the as-of-right number of permitted units within fully serviced residential zones to four;
- increasing the maximum number of dwelling units permitted within the residential intensification areas to six as appropriate;
- increasing density in proximity to post-secondary education institutions and primary corridors;
- increasing the maximum height allowance in the Mid-rise Residential zone (RM) to five to six storeys; and
- permitting garden suites and secondary suites within all residential zones as appropriate.
Members of the city’s planning advisory committee will hold a public hearing in council chambers at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
PAC members will then decide whether or not to endorse the proposed recommendations put forward by staff.
The matter will then go before Common Council for a second public hearing at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 16.
