Mono monster homes issue remains
It’s about time Mono council revisited its proposed bylaw regarding monster homes in town.
And Councillor Elaine Capes said the possible rules around mega homes needs to be put to bed since it was first broached in December 2023.
“I’m getting concerned that we haven’t actually reviewed this again, that we don’t have an alternative,” she said during council’s May 14 meeting. “I know we had one version (of the proposed bylaw).”
She said she’s noticed two more large homes in town that would have been restricted if the monster home bylaw was on the books.
“And I’m growing concerned about the number of hotel houses that are being built,” she said.
Indeed, the issue has been periodically discussed for some time.
Mono held a statutory public meeting Nov. 28, 2023, to delve into a draft amendment to the town’s Official Plan and an amendment to a zoning bylaw to better manage larger homes on rural lots. It was part of a process that began in May 2021.
Devising drafts of the amendments began in October 2022.
David Trotman, the town’s former planning director, asked council at the December 2023 meeting to hold off on adopting the draft amendments as there may have been further editing required.
Concerns about overly large homes in the rural area include the scale of the structures, the increased frequency with which they’re being built, the rural neighbourhood’s sensitivity concerns, and disproportional lot coverage to lot area. That refers to the lot coverage to floor area ratio.
Changes to the Official Plan and bylaws would need to address appropriate setbacks, the size of a house relative to its lot frontage and lot area, and the loss of arable farming lands.
A monster home’s impact on natural heritage features or their hydrogeological functions have to be considered. The potable water demand imposed by swimming pools, outdoor water features, multiple bathrooms is an issue.
And, of course, the cumulative adverse changes to the rural character wrought by such large homes.
“It’s a high priority but now it’s been moved into fourth quarter (2024),” Capes said.
“I believe council asked us (staff) to reassess the deadlines on these (short-term rental accommodations and mega home issues),” said Michael Dunmore, the town’s CAO. “In speaking with the clerk, we’ve modified it to what we believe is reasonable.”
The municipality’s planning director position is currently vacant.
“We’ve put together appropriate dates, we believe, for these,” Dunmore said. “I will put large residential homes on my list and I’ll start to dig into it as time permits.”
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James Matthews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Orangeville Citizen
