- Councillor suggests using square footage to determine bedrooms in student rentals
Feb 09, 2011 - 04:30 AM
OSHAWA -- Councillors have said no to a group of landlords asking to rezone three streets near Durham College and UOIT -- but the debate's not over yet.
On Feb. 7 council's development services committee unanimously shot down a proposal from Homeowners of North Oshawa that would see 133 houses on Dalhousie Crescent, Concordia Court and Niagara Drive rezoned to allow either five or six bedrooms.
"Letting us have five or six (bedrooms) makes things cheaper for the students, and it lets the landlords get the money we need to maintain the houses properly," said landlord Julie Liard.
A City bylaw limits rental homes near campus to four bedrooms, but a sunset clause allows houses on Dalhousie and Concordia to have five or six until April 30 of this year.
With time running out, landlords are trying to make the situation permanent. Council is expected to follow the committee's lead and vote down the rezoning request.
But Councillor Amy England says there is still a chance for the extra bedrooms to be allowed.
She wants to see a model that uses the square footage of a home to determine how many bedrooms are allowed and plans to raise the issue at council's finance and administration committee meeting on Feb. 10.
"It's not an arbitrary cap, it's based on the living space, which makes sense," she said. "I think that's the final piece of the puzzle, it's a compromise that can work for everyone."
Student Association president Anthony Boland told the committee his group is also in favour of using square footage.
A City report recommends denying the landlord's rezoning request, saying it contradicts plans to encourage new student housing along the Simcoe Street corridor.
"It could set an undesirable precedent, which could lead to the destabilization of other existing low density residential neighbourhoods," reads an excerpt.
Landlords say City officials are balking at the request because they're trying to "force" students out of single-family homes and into "purpose built" developments, such as the Dundurn student apartment complex.
"The City should not be promoting big business at the expense of students," said landlord Mareen Sooriyakumar, saying it's up to developers to make their prices competitive with that the landlords offer.
Tim Bird, president of the Cedar Valley Homeowners Association, told politicians this latest request represents a "crossroads" in the protracted debate over student housing in Oshawa.
He implored councillors to turn down the rezoning, saying more bedrooms available in single-family homes means less incentive for developers to build student housing projects along Simcoe Street.
"We believe it is finally time to say no to these landlords," Mr. Bird said. "For every year the status quo continues the City loses...because there's an incredible amount of tax revenue available if and when a student village is built."
Paul Vrana, president of the landlord group, said their proposal doesn't prevent development along the corridor.
He pointed out that in 2009 council opted not to impose a four-bedroom limit on rental homes across the city, because it could potentially disadvantage some families.
"Why then, is it OK to limit choice for students?" he asked.
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