HomeMy WebLinkAboutChapter 620 - Demolition ControlKITCHENER 620.1 SEPTEMBER 2024
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE
Chapter 620 DEMOLITION CONTROL
Article 1 INTERPRETATION
620.1.1 Approval authority - defined
620.1.2 Building Code Act - defined
620.1.3 Chief Building Official - defined
620.1.4 City - defined
620.1.5 Council - defined
620.1.6 Dwelling unit - defined
620.1.7 Director of Development and Housing Approval -
defined
620.1.8 Lodging house - defined
620.1.9 Lodging unit - defined
620.1.10 Manager of Development Approvals of the
Development and Housing Approvals Division -
defined
620.1.11 Ontario Heritage Act - defined
620.1.12 Municipal Act – defined
620.1.13 Standard approval conditions - defined
Article 2 DEMOLITION CONTROL
620.2.1 Provisions - intended - Planning Act
620.2.2 Provisions - not intended - Planning Act
620.2.3 Area - limited - as set out
620.2.4 Permit - required
620.2.5 Exemptions - set out - demolition permitted
620.2.6 Authority to approve demolition
620.2.7 Application for approval - directed to Council
620.2.8 Redevelopment - approval required – condition
620.2.9 Permit issue - redevelopment time limitation – fine
620.2.10 Heritage property of interest - examination
DEMOLITION CONTROL
KITCHENER 620.2 SE 2024
Article 3 SEVERABILITY
620.2.11 Validity Validity
Article 4 REPEAL
620.4.1 By-law - previous
WHEREAS section 33 of the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, provides that
Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener may by by-law designate any
area within the City of Kitchener as a demolition control area when a property
standards by-law under section 15.1 of the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c.
23, is in force in the City of Kitchener;
AND WHEREAS Chapter 665 (Property Standards) of the City of Kitchener
Municipal Code has been enacted and is in force in the City of Kitchener;
AND WHEREAS no person shall demolish the whole or any part of any
residential property in a demolition control area unless the person has been
issued a demolition permit by the Council of The Corporation of the City of
Kitchener;
AND WHEREAS under subsections 33 (3) and 33 (6) of the Planning Act,
R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, the Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener is
the decision-maker in respect of consenting to the demolition of a residential
property in an area of demolition control;
AND WHEREAS under section 99.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S. O. 2001, c. 25,
as amended, a municipality may prohibit and regulate the demolition of residential
rental properties and may prohibit and regulate the conversion of residential rental
properties to a purpose other than the purpose of a residential rental property, and,
in accordance with section 99.1(3), a municipality cannot prohibit or regulate the
demolition or conversion of a residential rental property that contains less than six
dwelling units;
AND WHEREAS under sections 9 and 10 of the Municipal Act, 2001,
S.O. 2001, c. 25, in accordance with section 23.1 of the Municipal Act, 2001,
the powers of a municipality under that or any other Act maybe delegated to a
person or a body subject to the restrictions set in sections 23.2 to 23.5,
inclusive, of the Municipal Act, 2001;
AND WHEREAS it is deemed expedient to exercise the powers conferred by the
Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25;
KITCHENER 620.3 SEPTEMBER 2024
Article 1 INTERPRETATION
620.1.1 Approval authority - defined
"approval authority" means Council or Manager, depending on the circumstance as
described in Section 620.2.6.
620.1.2 Building Code Act - defined
"Building Code Act, 1992" means the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992,
c. 23, as amended.
620.1.3 Chief Building Official - defined
"Chief Building Official" means the Chief Building Official of the City and shall
include a delegate or delegates thereof
620.1.4 City - defined
"City" means The Corporation of the City of Kitchener.
620.1.5 Council - defined
"Council" means the Council of The Corporation of the City of Kitchener.
620.1.6 Dwelling unit - defined
"dwelling unit" means any property that is used or designed for use as a domestic
establishment in which one or more persons may sleep and prepare and serve
meals.
620.1.7 Director of Development and Housing Approvals
- defined
"Director of Development and Housing Approvals” means the Director of
Development and Housing Approvals for the City, their designate, or successor
thereto.
620.1.8 Lodging House - defined
“Lodging House” means a dwelling unit where five or more persons, not including a
resident owner of the property, may rent a lodging unit and where the kitchen and
other areas of the dwelling unit are shared amongst the persons occupying the
dwelling unit. Lodging house can include student residences but shall not include a
group home; hospital; and small residential care facility or large residential care
facility licensed, approved or supervised under any general or specific Act; or a
hotel as defined in Zoning By-law 2019-051.
620.1.9 Lodging Unit - defined
“Lodging Unit” means a room or set of rooms located in a lodging house or other
dwelling designed or intended to be used for sleeping and living accommodation
which:
a) is designed for the exclusive use of the resident or residents of the unit;
b) is not normally accessible to persons other than the residents or residents of
the unit; and,
c) does not have both a bathroom and a kitchen for the exclusive use of the
resident or residents of the unit.
DEMOLITION CONTROL
KITCHENER 620.4 SE 2024
620.1.10 Manager of Development Approvals of the
Development and Housing Approvals Division -
defined
“Manager of Development Approvals” means the Manager of Development
Approvals of the Development and Housing Approvals Division for the City, their
designate, or any successors thereto. In the absence or unavailability of said
Manager of Development Approvals, this term shall also mean the City’s Director
of Development and Housing Approvals.
620.1.11 Ontario Heritage Act – defined
" Ontario Heritage Act” means the Ontario Heritage Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18.
620.1.12 Municipal Act - defined
“Municipal Act” means the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25.
620.1.13 Standard approval conditions - defined
"standard approval conditions" mean those conditions outlined in section 8, as
permitted by the Planning Act.
KITCHENER 620.5 SEPTEMBER 2024
Article 2 DEMOLITION CONTROL
620.2.1 Provisions - intended - Planning Act
The demolition control provisions contained within section 33 of the Planning Act
are intended to:
(a) prevent the premature loss of viable housing stock and the creation of vacant
parcels of land;
(b) protect the appearance, character, and integrity of residential neighbourhoods
and streetscapes where no redevelopment is planned;
(c) prevent the premature loss of municipal assessment;
(d) retain existing dwelling units until redevelopment plans have been considered
and approved; and
(e) ensure that redevelopment occurs in a timely manner, where proposed.
620.2.2 Provisions - not intended - Planning Act
The demolition control provisions contained within section 33 of the Planning Act,
are not intended to:
(a) examine the layout or design of a proposed redevelopment of a site that is the
subject of a demolition control application since other Planning Act provisions
perform this function; or
(b) prohibit or delay demolition where a building permit for redevelopment is ready
to be issued, where a rental replacement permit has been issued if required. The
approval authority must issue approval where a building permit is ready to be
issued and may impose the standard approval conditions.
620.2.3 Area - limited - as set out
The City’s demolition control area shall be limited to:
a) lands zoned R-1 through R-6 as defined in the City of Kitchener Zoning By-law
85-1, and
b) lands zoned RES-1 through RES-5 as defined in the City of Kitchener Zoning
By-law 2019-051
c) any property, or assembly of properties in the City of Kitchener, that contain six
or more dwelling units on lands within any zone in the City’s Zoning By-law 85-
1 or Zoning By-law 2019-051.
620.2.4 Permit - required
No person shall demolish the whole or any part of any residential property within
the demolition control area specified in Section 620.2.3 unless the person has
obtained demolition control approval and a demolition permit issued by the City.
620.2.5 Exemptions - set out - demolition permitted
This Chapter shall not apply if:
(a) the proposed demolition does not result in the loss of any dwelling units;
DEMOLITION CONTROL
KITCHENER 620.6 SE 2024
(b) the residential property is not a permitted use under the current zoning of the
property except where a by-law passed pursuant to section 99.1 of the Municipal
Act applies to said property.
(c) the residential property has been found to be unsafe under section 15.9 of
the Building Code Act, 1992 (unsafe order) and/or has been found to be an
immediate danger to life safety under section 15.10 of the Building Code Act, 1992
(emergency or- der) and/or has been found to constitute an emergency situation
under the Chapter 665 of the City of Kitchener Municipal Code and an emergency
order has been issued under section 15.7 of the Building Code Act, 1992;
(d) the proposed demolition is necessary to facilitate environmental remediation
of the site and completion of a record of site condition as specified by a qualified
professional;
(e) demolition of the residential property is necessary to allow for the
construction or establishment of a public work or service ap- proved by the City, the
Regional Municipality of Waterloo, or Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro Inc.;
(f) the residential property is a mobile home; or
(g) the residential property is exempted under any provincial or federal statute or
regulation.
620.2.6 Authority to approve demolition
Subject to the conditions hereinafter contained, all authority of Council to approve
demolition control applications under subsections 33 (3) and 33 (6) of the Planning
Act is delegated to the Manager under the following circumstances only. In all other
cases Council shall have all authority. Delegated authority to the Manager shall
include the authority to impose the standard approval conditions under subsection
33 (7) of the Planning Act at the discretion of the Manager. This authority shall not
include the power to refuse a demolition control application. Delegated authority to
the Manager shall only apply where the residential property proposed to be
demolished is not listed as a non-designated property of cultural heritage value or
interest and not designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and under at least one
of the following circumstances:
(a) where redevelopment of the residential property to be demolished is
proposed via the submission of a building permit application and/or site plan
application, if applicable under Chapter 683 of the City of Kitchener Municipal
Code, and the applicant is in agreement with the imposition of the standard
approval conditions;
(b) where the residential property is within a draft plan of subdivi-sion for which
a pre-servicing agreement has been registered; or
(c) in the opinion of the Manager the residential property poses a significant
threat to the health, safety, or security of the community.
620.2.7 Application for approval - directed to Council
Notwithstanding Section 620.2.6 (a) to Section 620.2.6 (c) inclusive, at the
discretion of the Manager, any application may be directed to Council for final
decision.
KITCHENER 620.7 SEPTEMBER 2024
620.2.8 Redevelopment - approval required - conditions
In cases where a site plan application has been submitted, if applicable under
Chapter 683 of the City of Kitchener Municipal Code, and a building permit has
been submitted for the imminent redevelopment of the lands subject to a demolition
control application, the approval authority must approve the demolition control
application and may impose the following standard approval conditions. The
redevelopment timeframe may be extended beyond two years at the discretion of
the approval authority, but shall in no cases be less than two years. The Planning
Act outlines the procedure related to such timelines. No other conditions may be
imposed:
(a) that the owner obtains final site plan approval for the proposed
redevelopment, if applicable under Chapter 683 of the City of Kitchener Municipal
Code; and
(b) that the owner obtains a building permit(s) for the proposed re-
development.
620.2.9 Permit issue - redevelopment time limitation - fine Upon
satisfaction of Section 620.2.8.(a) and Section 620.2.8 (b), the City's Chief Building
Official may authorize and issue a demolition permit under subsection 33 (6) of the
Planning Act. The demolition permit will be subject to the following condition:
That in the event that construction of the proposed redevelopment is not
substantially complete within two years of the date of issuance of the demolition
permit, the Clerk may enter on the col- lector's roll, to be collected in like manner
as municipal taxes,
$20,000 for each dwelling unit contained in the residential properties in respect of
which the demolition permit is issued and such sum shall, until payment thereof
be a lien or charge upon the land in respect of which the permit to demolish the
residential property is issued.
620.2.10 Heritage property of interest – examination
In the case of a residential property having cultural heritage value or interest, the
approval authority may also request, though not require, that the owner sign an
undertaking allowing the members of the City's Heritage Committee and/or the
City's Heritage Planning staff the opportunity to enter the residential property to
photograph and document the building(s) before demolition occurs.
DEMOLITION CONTROL
KITCHENER 620.8 SE 2024
Article 3 SEVERABILITY
620.3.1 Validity
It is hereby declared that each and every of the foregoing sections of this Chapter
is severable and that, if any provisions of this Chapter should for any reason be
declared invalid by any Court, it is the intention and desire of Council that each and
every of the then remaining provisions hereof shall re- main in full force and effect.
KITCHENER 620.9 SEPTEMBER 2024
Article 4 REPEAL
620.4.1 By-law - previous
By-law 91-324 and the contents of Chapter 620 are hereby repealed. By-law 2013-
093, 24 June, 2013; By-law No. 2023-105, 26 June, 2023; By-law 2024-131, 24
June 2024.