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Home My WebLink AboutPD-35-99 J ON, PD-l5-99 ~ , THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON , REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # Date: Monday, Apri I 19, 1999 Res. #GPA- ':J:::J.:S,-?9'. " Report #: PD-35 -99 File #: By-law # Subject: SUBDIVISION STATUS REPORT: JANUARY 1, 1999 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: . 1. THAT Report PD-35-99 be received for information. 1. Introduction 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an overview of subdivision activity as of January l't, 1999. This will assist Council in considering various issues currently before it. 1.2 A 1992 housing report to Council (PD-85-92l identified a shift in the types of housing being built in Clarington. Prior to 1990, the predominant form of housing being constructed was single detached units on lots with frontages 12 to 15 metres. In 1991, semi'<letached/linked units comprised of 39"10 of all units being builCThe report noted that the trend for compact housing would likely continue. 1.3 Analysis of Clarington's building permit activity, approved applications for development, and applications in the review process shows that housing on smaller lot frontages has become the preferred form of urban development. Between 1991 and 1994 inclusive there were more semi'<letached/linkeddwelling units constructed than single detached dwellings. Since then, the percentage of semi- detached/link units has decreased. Although the percentage of single detached units has been increasing, new categories of small lot single detached dwelling have been created. 651 d'~'- ~;,;>" fi:PORT PD-35-99 PAGE 2 1.4 In reviewinglllati$tics on housing in Clarington it is importafltto note that. the Municipality's Zoning By-law defines a semi-detached dwelling unit . housiTIQ which is either joined by a common wall above grade, or connecl$d below grade by a link between two foundations. If joined at the foundation only, they are referred to as linked dwelling unils. Links are preferred by purchaselS above semis as there is no common wall. Theseunils are perceived as single ~homeeas they are physically separate unils on their own 30 ft. lols. Many municipalities provide fora small-lot singles on the same size lols. 2. Historical Review 2.1 In the past ten years, there have been 7532 building. permils is$ued. for new dwellings in Clarington. Between 1989 and 1998, the Building Division issued an average of 753 permils annually. for new dwellings. This is skewed somewhat because 1989 was the last year of the major housing boom of the SO's. In the last nine years, the average annual housing starts was 692. FiglJl9 No. 1 2.2 In 1989, 1305 permils were issued for new houses. By 1995 the number of houses being constructed per year dropped to a low of 447 unils. Figure No.1 largely reflects the change in the economy from the boom of the late 1980& through the recession of the 19908. The past two years have seen an upswing. in the housing market asoew home construction has risen to over 750 unilsper year. With the continuance of low mortgage inte~t rates it is expectecl that new home 652 REPORT PD-3S.99 PAGE 3 construction will continue to rise as first time buyers move in to the marl<et, and current home owners move up. 2.3 The number of permits issued for each type of housing per year is identified in Table No.1 below. Table 1 Buildinll Permit Unit Count by Housinll Tvoe. 1989-1998 Sinllles Semis Townhouses Aoartments Modular Total . 1998 299 144 154 121. 33 751 1997 385 275 63 56 22 801 1996 292 150 140 2 16 601 1995 167 137 125 2 16 447 1994 293 351 236 5 11 896 1993 199 282 80 0 11 . 572 1992 292 254 211 26 10 793 1991 290 305 179 0 2 776 1990 257 193 128 6 6 590 1989 854 343 108 0 NlA 1305 TOTAL 3328 2434 1424 218 127 7532 _ CIMInIIm BuiIt/inB DMsion . includes 115 Assisted Seniors units alCourtice Health Centre There is marked difference between 1989 when single detached dwellings accounted for 65% of permits for new dwellings and 1998 when single detached dwellings comprised only 40% of building permits issued for new dwellings. 2.4 Single detached units accounted for the greatest percentage (44.2%) of the total house construction in the past ten years in Clarington. Semi-detached or linked units follow in second place with 32.3%. Townhouses comprised 19% of new units. The balance of units are apartments with 2.8% and modular units with 2.9%. It is significant to note that the Building Division information does not differentiate between traditional semis and linked dwelling units. As consumer preference is to have a detached unit, very few of the identified semis are actually attached above grade with a common wall. 653 F&'ORT PD-35-99 PAGE 4 FigunI No.2 Building Permits _MId by Housing Type, 1989-1898 Source: Clarington Building Division 3. Approved Urban Development Applications 3.1 There are currently 47 approved applications for residential development within Clarington. The approved applications include draft approved plans of subdivision, Council-approved plans of subdivision and approved site plan applications. Figure No. 3 depicts the number of approved housing units by type for each urban area. Bowmanville has the most dwellings approved for development with a total of 4238 units. Bowmanville also has the greatest number of units for each dwelling unit category . Flgu.. No. 3 '.-C_._._._--Ap.p"ro-Y'.'d'.ro"u-s-ing"tf.n--H".---~-'".'_......._~-, ~ ~ ~ ~ Z ::l ~ .. Source: Clarington Planning De~ . includes Courtice Heights applications for 164 singles and 103 links before the Ontario Municlpalll<lanl 654 REPORT PD-35-99 PAGE 5 3.2 The three urban ateaS have a total of 7223 approved dwelling units. Semi/link dwelling units account for 2486 or 34.4 percent. This is slightly grealer than the single detached dwellings of 2458 or 34.1%. To~nhoUSll$ account for 21.35% with 1542 units, and apartmenls make up the balance with 10.2% or 737 units. 3.3 Apartment units comprise 10.2% of the approved units. The majority of 737 apartment units have been approved for more than seven years with little building permit activity occurring in this category. Furthermore, permits issued in the 1997 and 1998 account for 81% of the 218 permits issued during the last 10 years. This 81% is comprised largely of two projects which are both seniors apartments having a total of 167 units. Assisted housing projects make up a further 14% of the apartments built over the time frame. Therefore, there have been virtually no free-rnarket rental or condominium apartment units built in Clarington over the last 10 years. F'1QU1'8 4 Total Approved Urban Area HOlBlng Units SoIl""': Clarington Planning Department 4. Applications Received 4.1 Twenty-three applications for residential development (including site plan appJications) are being processed in the urban areas. In total, 3689 unils are proposed. Figure No. 5 depicls unils types applied for by urban area. Courtice has the greatest number of proposed dwelling unils, and the greatest number of proposed linked units. BoWll'lanvil1e has the highest amount of singles and of apartments. Newcastle Village has more proposed singles than Courtice and also has no applicatiollS for apartment units. 655 AEiPORT PD-35-99 PAGE 6 , figure 5 Applications Received '" w ~ ~ !:: z ::> ... o .. Source: Claringtori Planning Department 4.2 Current applications before the Municipality include a grealer percentage of single detached dwell lings. It should be noted that a number of proposals include smaller sized lots similar to link lots (33 ft. and 34 ft. frontages) or wide and shallow lots. Link dwelling unit lots comprise 27%. The balance is split between townhouses with 12.8% and apartments with 2.6%. rlgLll9 6 Urban Area Hol8ing Units Subject to AppIlCatiorB 5. Hol8ingSuppIy 5.1 The Municipality's housing supply was calculated using the average number of building permits issued per year by housing type over the past nine years (1989 was not included). Between 1990 and 1998, an average of 275 building permits were 656 R.EPORT PD.3~99 PAGE 7 " issued for single detached units,. 232 for semis, 146 for townhouses and 24 for apartment units. Based on these averages, Clarington has an 8.9 year supply of single detached units, a 10.7 year supply of semis, a 10.6 year supply of townhouses, and a 31 year supply of apartment units. The construction of semi. detached dwellings has virtually disappeared in favour of link dwelling units. If the semis are classified as small.lot single detached units, as they will likely be constructed as links, the semis category can be eliminated. When the number of approved semis is added to the number of approved singles, there. would be a 9.8 year supply of single detached housing in Clarington. 6. Conclusion Over the past 10 years, the housing market has shifted significantly. Clarington still remains an active housing market with an emphasis on small-lot housing styles. Houses with 30 ft., 35 ft., and 40 ft. frontages comprise the vast majority of the market. Houses with 45 ft. and 50 ft. frontages are increasingly rare. Existing approvals provide for good supply of housing. Over a 9 year supply is available which allows for development in a variety of areas. There are portions of the housing market which should be encouraged to provide for a variety of housing forms, tenure and price ranges. Specifically, rental or condominium dwellings in townhouse blocks or apartments and larger-lot single detached dwellings are important components to be encouraged. Reviewed by, Davi Crome, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Acting Director of Planning & Development Of'~~ G.,3t.1.. Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., R.P.P., Chief Administrative Officer ID*DjC*jip April 14, 1999 657