Suzanne Oel – Division 4
Greetings! Sharing my News Update…
What is a Secondary Suite? According to our County’s definition, a Secondary Suite is a subordinate dwelling unit located on a parcel, in addition to the principal dwelling unit, which constitutes a self-contained living accommodation unit comprised of kitchen facilities, sleeping amenities, and washroom facilities consisting of a full bathroom including tub and/or shower fixture and has a separate entrance or includes a door which can be physically closed or locked off from the remainder of the principal dwelling.
Types of Secondary Suites currently allowed in Foothills County include Secondary Suite, PRINCIPAL, which is a Secondary Suite located within the principal dwelling unit or above a garage attached to the principal dwelling in accordance with Section 10.26 of the Land Use Bylaw, and Secondary Suite, ACCESSORY, which is a Secondary Suite, located within an accessory building, or detached garage that is subordinate to the principal dwelling on the same parcel.
What is the Process to get an Approval for a Secondary Suite? Check to see if a Secondary Suite is a “use” allowed in the land use district of your property, as a permitted or discretionary use. Apply for a Development Permit Approval before you start any construction work associated with your Secondary Suite. Obtain all Building Permit and Safety Codes approvals. Find more information in the Land Use Bylaw under Section 10.26 Secondary Suites as well as in Section 10.10 Dwellings, plus the Secondary Suites page link noted below. Contact the County’s Development Department for more information on the Development Permit process and Applications: 403-652- 2341. Once all applicable approvals are in place, your Secondary Suite will be placed on the Foothills County online Secondary Suites Registry.
What’s happening with Secondary Suites in Foothills County? The County is reviewing Secondary Suite policies and will be engaging with residents in the process. In 2019, Council adopted Bylaw 8/2019 amending the Land Use Bylaw to allow Secondary Suites on parcels zoned Agricultural District, Agricultural Business District, and Country Residential District located outside of hamlet boundaries. These Secondary Suite provisions have been implemented for four years and are one of the subjects of this review. Additional options, such as detached Secondary Suite structures, are to be explored by Foothills County in the future.
In May 2023, we are hosting three open houses to engage with residents in order to gain additional feedback on what is currently working and what could be improved. We will be exploring suitable types of suites, appropriate sizes of suites, and potential updated provisions to reduce challenges and improve implementation on parcels outside of hamlet boundaries, as well as gauge interest on parcels within hamlets (excluding Heritage Pointe and Priddis Greens). As next steps, we will be preparing a “what we heard” report and holding a public hearing in the June/July timeframe.
Earlier in February 2023, we conducted a Preliminary Survey to poll residents to determine if there is a desire for Secondary Suites in hamlets. The Preliminary Hamlet Survey was mailed out to 1,764 hamlet properties in Foothills County. A total of 287 surveys were either completed online or received by the County via mail or email, with a response rate of 16%. Results can be found on the County’s website. Please note, based on the feedback received, staff has suggested that there is not sufficient support to allow for Secondary Suites in the hamlets of Heritage Pointe and Priddis Greens. Therefore, we will not be continuing engagement for policy review with these two hamlets at this time.
Staff will be including the concerns and challenges noted in the survey responses for the other hamlets, in preparation for the upcoming public engagement and to be considered along with other potential amendments to the Secondary Suite policy. We will be continuing the review of secondary suites in the historical hamlets, in Blackie and Cayley, and on parcels under 2 acres in size on lands outside of Hamlet boundaries, as we proceed with this next public engagement process in May.
Secondary Suites – Open Houses in May 2023: We invite residents to attend these in-person sessions. Find out more about what has been happening with Secondary Suites in Foothills County and provide us with your feedback on policy review.
- Tuesday, May 2, 2023, 4 – 7 p.m. at the DeWinton Community Hall
- Thursday, May 4, 2023, 4 – 7 p.m. at the Priddis Hall
- Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 4 – 7 p.m. at the Foothills County Admin Building
For those who are unable to attend one of the open houses, more information is available on the County’s website: www.foothillscountyab.ca/development/land-use/secondary-suites
An opportunity to provide your feedback by way of an Online Survey will be available on May 1, 2023 – please check online.
For Other News & Updates:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CouncillorSuzanneOel/
Email: Suzanne.Oel@FoothillsCountyAB.ca
With Best Regards,
Suzanne
