Suite deal for homeowners

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Secondary suites will now be legal in all but two Kelowna neighbourhoods.

City council began the process Monday of bringing the remaining neighbourhoods into the fold.

The exceptions are Gallagher's Canyon and Eastwood, where wastewater disposal systems can't handle additional residents.

Suites were made legal in most single-family areas of the city in 2012, but a number of comprehensive development zones were not included.

"There were a couple of zoning applications in 2014 and 2015 in Quail Ridge that precipitated this request from council," said planner Ryan Smith.

Along with making construction of secondary suites legal, the city is also doing away with the requirement for a business licence.

"If you were to own a duplex and rent out both sides of the duplex, you wouldn't need a business licence. If you rent out a condo, you don't need a business licence.

"But, for some reason if you rent out a secondary suite or a carriage house, you do need a business licence. This was not being consistently applied."

"The nicest outcome of this is we know there are many illegal suites in the CD zones. It will provide an opportunity for them to become legal, and safe," said Coun. Luke Stack.

The zoning change comes as the city finds itself in a rental crunch. The vacancy rate is below one per cent.

"From a neighbourhood impact perspective, there was some concern over the years as to how secondary suites would change a neighbourhood," said Smith. "There really isn't any impact, other than providing another housing type."

The issue will now go to public hearing.