New Zoning Bylaw

The new zoning bylaw has been working its way forward since the first draft was issued on April 29, 2024. The third draft was considered by a joint committee of Council this week. The new zoning bylaw is needed to update the city’s zoning so that it is consistent with the new Official Plan adopted on November 4, 2022. As well, a series of new provincial laws and regulations regarding land use and housing construction also necessitate changes in the city zoning. The city has an engagement page here that explains the overall process. Copies of all the various studies and versions of the new zoning bylaw are available, and there is a digital map showing the old and new zoning.

After conducting a review of the bylaw, and hearing from community associations and individuals, I worked with staff to make some changes to the overall zoning in Ward 12.

The largest change was between drafts two and three of the new zoning bylaw for Vanier. Draft three introduced large areas of land that would be zoned N3 without height restrictions, between the N2 – very similar to the existing zoning – and N4 which is the zoning along corridor roads, such as Montreal Road. This would have had a particular impact on Marier avenue. Due to my interventions, staff agreed that the areas zoned N3 should be significantly reduced, and that it should have the suffix -11 meaning that the building constructed on that land could not be more than 11 meters in height – again similar to existing zoning. This was done by means of a staff recommendation / correction.

In addition to that change, I had two motions at the joint committee on Wednesday. Since I am not a member of that committee, another member of Council introduced them on my behalf.

1. 1. Draft 3 of the new zoning bylaw contains a provision that for lots that are larger than 450 m2, 15% of the units need to have 3 or more bedrooms. My research showed that for Ward 12 this would have little effect as the standard lot size was 300 m2, and many of the lots currently being redeveloped are close to being 400 m2 and would not be subject to this threshold. The threshold is important to develop what is described as the “missing middle” in housing, that is, multi-unit housing with three or more bedrooms. Working with planning staff I moved a motion to lower the threshold to 360 m2, so the objective of the official plan would be met in Ward 12.
   2.  My second motion related to the elimination of zoning regulation of nightclubs in the ByWard Market.When I asked zoning staff why it was dropped in the draft report, they said it was too hard to enforce.I convened a meeting of staff from zoning, building code, and By-law.Building code staff said they did try to enforce zoning regulations for nightclubs when issuing building permits, but it was difficult for them.Bylaw staff said they know who gets licences for nightclubs under the Places of Amusement licence, and to make it clearer, under the current bylaw review, they are working on tighter definitions of both nightclubs and restaurants that convert to nightclubs in the evening. These definitions will go to Council in 2026.My motion at Committee next week, which staff have said they support, asks for the zoning of nightclubs to be reintroduced once the reviewed licensing definitions are in place, later in 2026.

These two motions were approved unanimously at the Joint Committee meeting and will go to Council in late January of 2026 as part of the committee report.

This post is also available in French.