North of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the Town Administration of Sylvan Lake was looking for clarification from the town council on recent changes to a land use bylaw for manufactured and modular homes.

And it received a very interesting answer.

 

It appears the bylaw is designed to stop manufactured or modular homes 10 years or older from being in any subdivision.

According to Sylvan Lake News, the previous law stated that manufactured and modular home designs had to be a minimum width of 4.9 meters (16 feet).

In their response to town administration, the council clarified that the new bylaw states that in the case of so called “newer subdivisions” that were developed, constructed and registered in 2016, or that will be developed in future years, all manufactured and modular homes in those subdivisions would have to be a minimum width of 6.1 meters (20 feet). Additionally, all homes placed in the new subdivision could not be any older than 10 years as of the date of an approved development permit and/or as of the date of an approved building permit.

With subdivisions developed, constructed and registered prior to 2016, so called “mature subdivisions,” all manufactured and modular homes in those subdivisions would have to be a minimum width of 4.9 meters (16 feet). Further, all homes placed in the new subdivision could not be any older than 10 years as of the date of an approved development permit and/or as of the date of an approved building permit.

The bylaw also states that in mature subdivisions, manufactured and modular homes “shall be similar and consistent with the character of the area.”

Sylvan Lake isn’t the only town in the area that has taken a look into their land use bylaws for manufactured housing.

In nearby Eckville, a bylaw that would dictate new manufactured homes moving into the town was discussed in September.

The proposed bylaw would move the current maximum length from 22 feet down to 20 feet to allow for more portability, and would also increase the maximum age of a new home to 10 years old, up from 5 years old as stated in the original bylaw.

The Eckville council said that it was important to ensure the bylaw was proper, as there was much debate on the dimensions and the quality of manufactured homes built before 2003. A decision is still pending. ##

 

(Image credits are as shown above.)

Submitted by RC Williams to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.