The clock is officially ticking for Grande Prairie homeowners who currently have an unauthorized secondary suite in their home to make good with city regulations.
New changes have been implemented to regulate the size of the suites themselves along with the size of the lots they are allowed to be built on. The city is also imposing a restriction on the number of suites that can be built in proximity to each other.
A maximum of three secondary or garage suites are allowed within a 50 metre radius. It’s hoped that these restrictions will help reduce congestion in neighborhoods where it has become a concern.
There are roughly 1200 suites in the city but it is believed that only 350 to 400 of those actually have the proper permits. Homeowners are encouraged to contact the planning and development department to find out how to bring their suite to compliance.
The grace period to make those changes will expire in two years.