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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-119-98DN: PD-119-98 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # L11. Date: Monday, October 5, 1998 Report #: PD-119-98 FILE #: PLN 11.2.3 Subject: BILL 96 -TENANT PROTECTION ACT FILE: PLN 11.2.3 Recommendations: Res.#C~PA -5 a5~`J`~ By-law # ~ ~~ It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-119-98 be received ; 2. THAT the amendment to the By-law No. 96-032, as contained in Attachment No. 1 to this report, be APPROVED. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 The Tenant Protection Act came into effect on June 19`h, 1998, repealing the Rental Housing Protection Act. This new act predominantly deals with legislating tenant and landlord rights. It provides regulations with respect to tenancy agreements; responsibilities of a landlord; termination of tenancies; rights and duties of landlords and tenants; for care homes, mobile home parks and land lease communities; rules for adjusting rents, and the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal. 1.2 Many of the regulations within this Act are not applicable to the Planning Department. However, one significant change of relevance is the relaxation of b53 REPORT NO.: PD-119-98 PAGE 2 regulations for converting existing rental units to condominium units. Under the Rental Housing Protection Act, municipalities were responsible for ensuring that a condominium conversion would not be approved unless the applicant agreed to replace the rental housing with similar units in a similar rental range and/or the proposal did not adversely affect the supply of affordable rental units. In addition, the following procedure was required: • the applicant was required to notify the tenants; • a municipality was required to hold a public meeting; and • a municipality's decision could be appealed to the OMB. Under the new Act, all that is required is that the owner/applicant provide notice for a period of 120 days of their intentions to convert the building from rental to condominium tenure. The Municipalities do not have any approval authority under this new legislation. 2. MUNICIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 The passage of The Tenant Protection Act eliminates the municipal role that previously existed under the Rental Housing Protection Act. However, the municipal role under the Planning Act remains. Area municipalities review and make recommendations to the Region for approval of plans of condominium. In doing so, such applications must conform to the Durham and Clarington Official Plans. 2.2 The Clarington Official Plan includes policies regarding condominium conversion policies in Section 6. An applicant/owner who wishes to convert rental accommodations to condominiums must satisfy the following requirements: a) the rental vacancy rate for the whole of the Municipality is 3% or higher for two successive surveys, as determined in the bi-annual rental vacancy survey undertaken by CMHC. 654 REPORT NO.: PD-119-98 PAGE 3 b) the rental vacancy rate for the specific bedroom types affected by such conversion is 2% or higher; c) the approval of such conversions to condominium tenure does not result in the reduction of the vacancy rate below 3% and 2% respectively, in accordance with (a) and (b) above; and d) there is an agreement between the owner and the Municipality to satisfy financial and other conditions. 2.3 The Ministry of Housing has advised us that the owner of a rental unit has the right to convert the units to condominium units under the Tenant Protection Act. However, should a municipality's Official Plan possess policies regulating the conversion of rental units to condominiums, the requirements of the Official Plan remain enforceable. 3. CONCLUSION 3.1 As a result of the legislative change~a separate application for a condominium conversion will not be required. Instead, a condominium conversion will be treated similar to a new condominium application which will be processed under the Planning Act and the Condominium Ad. This will eliminate the need for a separate public meeting for condominium conversion. 3.2 It is recommended that the Municipality's Fee Schedule By-law 96-032 be revised in accordance with the attached by-law (Attachment No. 1). The proposed by-law amendment would delete the requirement for an application under the Rental Housing Protection Act and clarifies that the subdivision fee is applicable to a plan of condominium. 655 REPORT NO.: PD-119-98 PAGE 4 Respectfully submitted, Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., R.P.P. Director of Planning & Development HB*DC*FW*km 18 March 1998 Reviewed by, tockwell, Chief Administrative Officer. Attachment No. 1 -Proposed Amendment to By-law (96-032) 656 THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON BY-LAW NUMBER 98- being a By-law to amend By-law 96-032, the by-law for the payment of the fees for information and services. WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington deems it advisable to amend By-law 96-032, as amended, of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Clarington enacts as follows: 1. The Schedule "B" to By-law 96-32 being the "Fees Prescribed by the Director of Planning and Development" be amended as follows: a) that the fifth item be changed from "Draft Plan of Subdivision" to "Draft Plan of Subdivision/Condominium" b) that the 21" item "Application Required by the Rental Housing Protection Act" and the related fees be deleted. 2. This By-law shall come into effect on the date of the passing hereof. BY-LAW read a first time this day of 1998 BY-LAW read a second time this day of 1998 BY-LAW read a third time and finally passed this day of lggg MAYOR CLERK rJ ,) l