Waterloo to define what's a bedroom in zoning by-law amendment

What is a bedroom?

The City of Waterloo plans to answer that question sometime this year and include it in an amendment of the city zoning bylaw, with the aim of avoiding overcrowding at apartment units.

Joel Cotter, the Director of Planning Approvals with the City of Waterloo, says some units have dens or study rooms that could potentially be used as a bedroom, which poses an overcrowding problem. Cotter explains including dens in development plans is a new trend.

"If there are situations where the population within a development is higher than permitted in the bylaw, it can also cause a ripple effect with respect to other regulations such as parking," he said. 

"In addition to the bedrooms allowed, they're also having spaces in the units that appear to be able to be used as bedrooms," said Cotter, adding that is causing some concern.  

Parking based on number of bedrooms.

The number of bedrooms determines the number of parking spaces at a development. Cotter says the city tries to match regulations for parking with density requirements to make sure there is sufficient parking space for a building.

Currently the city defined a bedroom in other city regulations, but not in zoning.

"We have actually a bedroom term in our official plan. We have a different definition in our development charge bylaw, as well as our rental housing bylaw," said Cotter. "So, the zoning bylaw currently doesn't contain a definition...What should it be from a zoning perspective?"

Cotter points out they are speaking with a number of developers and want to hear from the public as well.

The city hopes to have the new amendment in place by the end of the year.