Rothesay Town Hall. Image: Staff photo
The public will have one more chance to comment on Rothesay’s proposed 10-year municipal plan.
Councillors have scheduled a virtual public hearing on the 120-page document for the evening of Feb. 2.
More than two dozen written comments were submitted after the proposed plan was presented to the public in September.
Two sections of the plan have drawn the most controversy, including a proposal to regulate modular and mobile homes as “incompatible with the architectural and characteristic housing styles” in the town.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) was one of two groups to submit comments regarding the proposed policy, which it said would prohibit manufactured, modular and mobile homes.
“Canada’s residential construction industry recognizes the important and increasing role that modular construction plays in our ability to meet the needs and aspirations of our citizens with regard to housing affordability, quality and choice,” the associate wrote in its letter.
“Unfortunately, the proposed Policy R-8 in the draft Rothesay Municipal Plan is a prime example of the antiquated policies that linger in some municipalities in Canada in relation to the factory-built method of construction, a view focused on images of the past, that will prevent advancing better outcomes for the city now, and in the future.”
CHBA noted that modular homes are highly customizable and “can seamlessly fit into any type of neighbourhood — from heritage, to traditional, to contemporary.”
John Wheatley also submitted a letter on behalf of Westmorland Homes, which is a major supplier of modular manufactured homes in the region.
“There is no basis for differentiating manufactured homes/modular construction from other construction methods when developing policies for home construction in any community,” Wheatley wrote.
Wheatley noted that, based on conversations with the town’s planning and development director, they are pleased to learn that revisions will be made to the policy proposal.
Others who wrote to the town raised concerns about plans to prohibit short-term rentals, such as Airbnb and VRBO, in Rothesay.
“Council has determined that allowing residents to rent their registered properties for longer periods appropriately balances the need to protect neighbourhood stability from issues of neighbourhood
nuisance, noise, and housing availability and affordability,” said the draft plan.
But the town’s deputy mayor said the proposed policy attempts to control a problem which does not appear to exist in Rothesay.
In his written remarks to council, Matt Alexander said a recent Airbnb search revealed seven residences with a room/suite for rental and one complete home for rental in the town.
“As much as I love our community, I do not believe that Rothesay is a destination for many tourists or visitors who tend to seek out short-term rental properties,” Alexander wrote.
But Alexander did propose two stipulations he said should be applied to short-term rental properties. He said rentals should only be within owner-occupied dwellings, and the property owner should be occupying the dwelling for the duration of the rental.
Following the public hearing on Feb. 2, councillors will have a chance to debate the draft plan and provide direction to staff. Council hopes to approve the final plan before the municipal elections in May.
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