Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law Amendments to Incrementally Increase Housing Supply

At the December 13, 2021, Council Meeting, Council endorsed the updated affordable housing scope of work and funding reallocation. This scope of work defines a series of staff led deliverables for rapidly facilitating the creation of affordable housing in Bridgewater. One of these staff led deliverables is to present recommendations to update the Town of Bridgewater Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law.

These amendments are focused on ways to facilitate additional housing units without major impact to the community (e.g., neighbourhood, wastewater, etc.). These amendments are meant to encourage ‘strategic infill’ and ‘gentle density’. Strategic infill refers to housing projects that build new dwellings in already established neighbourhoods. Gentle density is a type of housing encouraged as infill – typically housing that has a minimum impact on a neighbourhood while providing for additional housing options such as secondary suites, backyard suites, and internal conversions in existing single-unit homes. The type of density and infill areas are typically dictated by municipal policy and the land use by-law.

If endorsed, text amendments would be made to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law to reflect the Town of Bridgewater’s updated strategic priorities regarding affordable housing.