Yellowknife looks to change zoning bylaw to promote more housing development

The City of Yellowknife is looking to change its zoning bylaw to try to increase the local housing supply.

On Monday, the city's governance and priorities committee presented a draft proposal to update the city's existing bylaw by adding two new types of residential zones that allow for higher-density housing development, including duplexes and townhouses.

The zoning bylaw sets out how land can be used in different areas of the city. Each zone has its own rules about what types of buildings are allowed and how a property can be used.

The proposed amendments would introduce two new "residential intensification" zoning options for any future land development. The city's director of planning and development, Charlsey White, said that would support new housing that fits with the surrounding community.

White said the changes would address the problem of a "missing middle" in the city's housing options — in other words, buildings that are neither large apartment buildings nor single-family detached homes.

During the meeting Mayor Rebecca Alty said the new types of zones aren't wildly different from existing ones. 

According to the draft bylaw amendment, the residential intensification zones would allow for things like townhouses and multi-unit buildings in areas that are being newly developed, or in areas that are suitable for infill.  

Existing properties would not be re-zoned under the new bylaw. 

"The objective is to facilitate new residential development at appropriate locations. It is not the intent to rezone entire established neighbourhoods for residential intensification, nor overlay on existing zones," the proposal states.

It also says properties won't be automatically changed with the update and instead will require a separate public planning process.

The committee will discuss the proposal at its next meeting on Oct. 7, and first reading of the bylaw amendment is scheduled for Oct. 15.

A public hearing on the proposal will happen at the Oct. 28 city council meeting.