Moncton will now allow 4-unit housing across all residential zones

The City of Moncton has moved forward with having more density in all residential neighbourhoods by allowing four-unit housing.

The council voted 9-1 on the zoning change Tuesday night, after a lengthy discussion.

This change allows residents and developers to build four-unit homes across all residential zones in Moncton without going to city council for approval.

It was a requirement to qualify for federal funding programs such as the Housing Accelerator Fund and the Canadian Housing Infrastructure Fund. 

The money from these federal programs will help Moncton build the infrastructure required to support both new and dense neighbourhoods as the city's population continues to grow. It will also help remove barriers and fund incentives supporting development.

"We are now in a position to improve more housing choice in our new and existing neighbourhoods," said Josh Davies, the city's manager of long-range policy planning.

This change for Moncton means landowners can now either build a four-unit dwelling on an empty lot, renovate or add units to an existing property bringing the total number to four, or demolish their homes and build a four-unit house from scratch.

It does not mean that every house has to be a four units. People can still choose to build the kind of housing they would like, Davies said.

"We are not saying that single-unit dwellings must be converted," he said. "What we are doing is providing some level of flexibility."

He said people building or altering their properties would still be required to get permits and comply with the building code and the design standards, which are meant to protect the neighbourhood's character.

He said demolishing an existing home to build four units comes with a significant cost, which will limit the impact of the zoning change, since not many are likely to spend that kind of money.

"It's not something that we anticipate in our existing areas, to see a ton of four-units, because those areas are already predominantly built out," he said.

The proposed bylaw would also give builders a choice to provide off-street parking for residents if the four-unit property is within 400 metres of certain bus routes.

On-site parking for each unit would remain an option if it met standards.

Councillors had two options on the map to choose the area for which the parking choice would apply. They decided to opt for a smaller area, excluding parts of the city's north end.

Many municipalities across Canada are adopting or have already adopted the four-unit requirement to qualify for the federal housing grants.

Those in Eastern Canada include Saint John, Fredericton, Halifax, Summerside and St. John's, said Davies. 

About a dozen residents attended the meeting and opposed the four-unit bylaw, while one spoke in favour.

Opponents were concerned about the effect of the change on the character of neighbourhoods, traffic, property values and worried that short-term rentals or Airbnb units would increase.

Patrick Pilon, 27, said approving this bylaw would help young people like him have more housing options.

"I would love to buy a home that doesn't cost me half a million dollars," he told council.

"There's a lot of young people, a lot of people my age ... who just simply cannot even consider buying a house."

In an interview after the decision, Pilon said he now pays $2,000 for rent, so the approval of this new bylaw left him feeling "relieved," since it may result in more housing options at different prices.

Davies reminded council the city is undergoing a municipal plan review that includes a review of the zoning bylaw. This makes it a good time to adopt the four-unit bylaw, which the city can amend later, depending on the response.

"What this will do is provide us with an 18-to-24-month window to see what happens with those four units," he said in an interview after the meeting.

"And do our bit of homework and see, OK, from an enforcement perspective, what's worked and what's not worked."