Amendment Package Five will be presented to the Municipal Planning Commission on December 20, 2022. The Zoning Bylaw Review Project team welcomes your comments and questions by email at zoningbylaw@saskatoon.ca
The Zoning Bylaw is a regulatory document that facilitates implementation of the City of Saskatoon's Official Community Plan. All land in the City of Saskatoon is assigned a zoning district and subject to development standards associated with the zoning district. Parking, permitted uses, and setbacks are included in these regulations. The Zoning Bylaw Review project will undertake a review of the Zoning Bylaw to ensure that it meets the current and desired trends in commercial, residential and community development. It will also ensure that the Zoning Bylaw aligns with the City's sustainability goals and that it follows best practices.
Review of Industrial Zoning Districts
Background
A review of light, heavy and business park industrial districts are underway. The Industrial Districts include a wide variety of uses and conditions of development from commercial uses to heavy industrial manufacturing and processing. The Industrial Districts also include a wide variety of amenities, from business parks that have a higher level of planned environment, to areas that are not appropriate for public assembly due to their proximity to hazardous material manufacturing.
Proposed recommendations for the Industrial Districts will include:
- New definitions to address new technologies and industries as well as to clarify existing uses;
- Review use tables to provide clarity, remove redundancies, and ensure uses are being considered consistently and equitably;
- Extend provisions for flexible landscaping in established industrial areas;
- Clarify the purpose of zoning districts containing or adjacent to hazardous material facilities – including chemical manufacturing.
Further information can be found here.
Review of Off-Street Parking Standards for People with a Disability
Background
Off-street parking standards for people with a disability are being reviewed. A municipal scan of accessible parking standards across Saskatchewan and Canadian municipalities, and engagement with internal stakeholders are complete. External engagement is currently underway to inform our review. The intent of this review is to increase accessibility of off-street parking for greater inclusion of people with a disability. All proposed amendments are in draft and are subject to change.
Amendments being considered include:
1. Proposed definitions to be added to the Zoning Bylaw:
- "access aisle" means a designated area for drivers and passengers, including persons using mobility devices, to safely move from their parked vehicle to the access path and to their desired destination.
- "access path" means an accessible route from a parking space for people with a disability to an entrance of a destination and may include pedestrian accessibility ramps and other elements that facilitate accessibility.
2. Proposed increase to the dimensions of parking spaces for people with a disability:
- To increase space dimensions from 3.9 by 6 metres and 6.3 by 6 metres for two spaces that are side by side, to 4.2 by 6 metres and 6.9 by 6 metres for two spaces side by side (an increase of 0.3 metres of width per parking space).
This width increase reflects the standard space size required for all off-street parking in the Zoning Bylaw (2.7 metres) and the addition of an access aisle of 1.5 metres.
3. Proposed increase to the number of parking spaces for people with a disability to the following rate:
Number of Required Vehicle Parking Spaces Number of Required Parking Spaces for People with a Disability
4 - 50 1 parking space
51 - 400 1 space for every 50 spaces
More than 400 8 spaces, plus 0.5% of total required parking
This proposal aligns Saskatoon more closely to the average number of accessible parking spaces as those of reviewed municipalities.
4. Illustrative figures to be added to the Zoning Bylaw:
- One figure will depict proposed space dimensions, access aisle, signage, and potential pedestrian accessibility ramp (curb cut) placement for one parking space.
- One figure will depict proposed space dimensions, a shared access aisle, signage, and potential pedestrian accessibility ramp (curb cut) placement for two parking spaces side by side.
The proposed figures can be found here.
Review of MX1 – Mixed Use District 1
Proposed Amendments to the MX1 District Presentation
Background
As part of the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw Review Project, the MX1 – Mixed Use District 1 is being reviewed. This district was implemented in 2004 and was created to transition historic light and heavy industrial areas to a mixed use area. The MX1 District provides for commercial, office, limited manufacturing in addition to residential uses. Amendments being considered include:
- Refine the purpose of this district to clarify that it is specific to the historic neighbourhoods.
- Review the permitted and discretionary use lists for consistencies and to reduce redundancies.
- Review development standards for specific uses.
One proposed change will allow for residential uses to be permitted rather than discretionary. With this change, sites in this district will require environmental site remediation to meet residential standards, and an environment site assessment (ESA) will be required with the building permit application. This proposed change will eliminate the current requirement for discretionary use approval and will substantially decrease application processing time and application costs.
Review of Home Based Business Development Standards
Background
A review of regulations for home based businesses is underway. Home based businesses are permitted in every zoning district that allows for dwelling units, subject to development standards that are intended to limit the type and scale of business activity to ensure it does not conflict with the residential characteristics of the neighbourhood. A business license is required to ensure compliance.
Proposed recommendations for home based businesses include:
- Permitting tattooing and piecing to be conducted, subject to any further approval from the Saskatchewan Health Authority;
- Permitting incidental retail sales related to personal services such as massage therapists, barbers and hair salons;
- Removing parking requirements in the B6, DCD1, MX2 and M4 zoning districts; and
- Updating terminology to reflect changes in business activity, clarifying existing requirements, and other administrative changes.
Review of Short Term Rental Property and Homestay Development Standards
Background
A review of regulations for short term rental properties and homestays (sometimes referred to as vacation rentals, Airbnbs or Vrbos) is underway. These two land uses are defined as hosting guests in a dwelling for tenancies less than 30 days. Zoning regulations, development standards and business license requirements are in place to ensure compliance and that the uses do not negatively impact the residential characteristics of neighbourhoods.
Proposed recommendations for short term rental properties and homestays include:
- Removing existing three guest limit in a secondary suite to be consistent with current regulations for secondary suites. There will continue to be a six guest maximum for the entire dwelling.
- Amend parking requirements to allow for required surface parking areas to consist of gravel, in addition to asphalt and concrete. This is to align with earlier amendments for required parking for secondary suites and home based businesses (when applicable).
Review of On-Site Waste Storage and Collection Spaces
Background
The City of Saskatoon is proposing regulations in the Zoning Bylaw to require on-site spaces for waste storage and collection. Under these regulations, waste includes garbage, organics and recyclable material. The proposed amendments would require on-site spaces for waste storage and collection to be shown on plans submitted for Development and Building Permit applications. Proposed amendments being considered include:
- Minimum dimensions of 3.0m by 7.5m;
- Required spaces would not be permitted to locate in areas designated for required landscaping, amenity space, vehicle or bicycle parking areas;
- In Residential, Commercial, Institutional and Specialized Districts, screening would be required;
- Developments that provide waste collection and storage areas within a building would not be required to provide outdoor waste spaces;
- In buildings where residential uses are located with other non-residential uses, separate on-site waste collection spaces may be required;
- Regulations would not apply to one- and two-unit dwellings, semi-detached dwellings, street townhouses, and multiple-unit dwellings containing 4 or less dwelling units.
Residential Zoning Districts
- 1 space per 40 dwelling units would be provided on-site for multiple-unit dwellings and dwelling groups containing 5 or more dwelling units.
Institutional Zoning Districts
- 1 space per 40 dwelling units would be provided on-site for multiple-unit dwellings and dwelling groups containing 5 or more dwelling units;
- All other uses would require 1 space on-site.
Commercial Zoning Districts
- Amend the current regulation to provide for a space with dimensions of 3.0m by 7.5m for all permitted or discretionary uses;
- Where multiple-unit dwellings are permitted or discretionary in the following Commercial Zoning Districts, 1 space per 40 dwelling units would be provided on-site for multiple-unit dwellings and dwelling groups containing 5 or more dwelling units:
- B1B Neighbourhood Commercial Mixed Use District
- B4A Special Suburban Centre and Arterial Commercial District
- B4MX Integrated Commercial Mixed-Use District
- B5 Inner-City Commercial Corridor District
- B5B Broadway Commercial District
- B5C Riversdale Commercial District
- B6 Downtown Commercial District
Industrial Districts
- 1 space on-site for all permitted and discretionary uses.
Specialized Districts
- In the AM Auto Mall District, amend the current regulation to provide for a space with dimensions of 3.0m by 7.5m for all permitted or discretionary uses;
- In the MX1 Mixed Use District 1 and MX2 Downtown Warehouse Mixed Use District, 1 space per 40 dwelling units would be provided on-site for multiple-unit dwellings and dwelling groups containing 5 or more dwelling units.
South Downtown Local Area Design Plan Review
As part of the Comprehensive Review of the Zoning Bylaw Project, Administration is reviewing Architectural Control District (ACD) Guidelines for the South Downtown area, commonly referred to as River Landing.
The Zoning Bylaw has regulations for the South Downtown area in the form of a Direct Control District (DCD1) and an ACD. Guidelines for the ACD can be found in Appendix C of the Zoning Bylaw, South Downtown Local Area Design Plan (Plan). The ACD overlay provides for the review and control of key architectural features of buildings and landscaping of sites within the area because a Direct Control District alone does not allow for architectural review of proposed buildings.
The purpose of this review is to evaluate the Plan and provide updates to keep the Plan current and in line with existing conditions, precedents, programs and priorities. This work will focus on areas where stakeholders recommend potential changes to the current guidelines and is not intended to be a wholesale change for the Plan.
Other proposed amendments include:
- Add a provision to provide for the option for site plan control for sites in proximity to the high frequency transit corridors;
- Update the discretionary use section to clarify that an increase in intensity of use requires a new discretionary use application;
- Review provisions for accessory buildings and structures for clarity and alignment with current Zoning Bylaw interpretations;
- Update attached covered entry, patio, and deck, or three season room terminology throughout Zoning Bylaw to align with previous amendments.
Contact the City
You are welcome to provide your comments and questions by email, telephone or mail using the contact information below:
Email: zoningbylaw@saskatoon.ca
