Tiny homes may be coming to the urban parts of Champlain Township.
At its June meeting, council heard senior planner Jennifer Laforest explain the conception of tiny homes and how they could fit into Champlain Township’s landscape as well as being a way to provide more housing amidst a housing shortage.
Tiny homes is a concept that had its beginnings in the 1960s, explained Laforest, who further defined them as consisting of a small home encompassing between 180 and 400 square feet. Tiny homes include as a minimum a full bath (shower, bath, toilet, sink), kitchen and sleeping area. Tiny homes cannot be on wheels, she added.
The notion of tiny homes would be in line with a policy of encouraging intensive dwellings, she continued. explaining that there are currently a lot of single-person households and that tiny homes could also increase rental accommodations.
The idea would be to promote tiny homes in urban areas with R1 and R2 zoning. A tiny home would be connected to the main home to access water and sewer services, avoiding the need for a second connection to municipal services
Laforest reinforced the idea of encouraging tiny homes in urban areas as there could be challenges in rural areas related to adding a dwelling at a property served by a well and septic system. She pointed out that five or more dwellings on a property creates a situation where the municipality has to assume responsibility for a communal septic system.
Longueuil Councillor Ginette Clement supported the idea, saying that many young people cannot afford to purchase their own homes.
Laforest summed up by recommending a start in urban areas. “We could start with the villages and maybe in the future, look at rural areas,” she said.
In the end, council voted to move forward with public consultations and instructed the planning department to propose a zoning by-law amendment to increase the number of tiny homes in Champlain Township.
Champlain Township has launched a survey to obtain opinions from residents about allowing tiny homes in the municipality. The information gathered in the survey will help staff with the development of policy and a bylaw. The information will also help council make a decision on if tiny homes will be permitted in Champlain Township. To take the survey, go to: www.champlain.ca/tinyhomes .
