New zoning by-laws are now in effect across the city.
Originally passed by City Council on April 11, 2022, The Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) ordered on Tuesday that the City of Thunder Bay can now implement the by-law.
In a release, the City stated that these new by-laws are meant to encourage “infill development, increases density, limits urban sprawl, decreases parking requirements, and provides for new types of housing on residential lots, such as backyard homes. The changes are in response to provincial policies requiring cities to offer more options to increase housing density”.
That means that homeowners could build tiny backyard homes on their property, regulates outdoor storage depending on land usage and other measures.
“Many developers, businesses and property owners have been waiting for the approval of the new Zoning By-law,” said Devon McCloskey, Manager of Planning Services. “This decision allows people who were waiting for the new rules to take effect to be able to move ahead with their development project.”
There were five appeals, however the OLT have allowed the by-laws to come into effect as those appeals are property specific.
The new regulations will also benefit the environment by reducing urban sprawl and encouraging increasing housing density within the city’s urban area.
Additional information on the City’s zoning regulations is located here.
Follow