Any business owners hoping to open the next neighbourhood pub in the city might want to get their paperwork into the city before changes are made to the zoning bylaw.

One of several changes could see licensed eating and drinking establishments in all mixed-use commercial 1 (CM1) and some CM2 zones permitted only as a conditional use to be approved by city council.

As planning manager Pat Ross reminded council Monday night, the territory changed the Liquor Act to allow for stand-alone bars (previously, they had to be attached to a hotel).

At that time, some neighbourhood pubs opened outside of the downtown area, changing neighbourhoods somewhat with businesses that are now open into the early hours of the morning.

As Ross noted in his report to council: “The city has received complaints regarding licensed premises when they are in close proximity to low-density residential neighbourhoods.

“The complaints were generally regarding noise, patrons congregating outside at late hours and potential crime increase.

“The proposed change is intended to alleviate the concerns of property owners by making ‘eating and drinking establishments’... a conditional use in mixed-use zones that allow single detached dwellings.

“This includes the CM1 zone and the CM2 zone where it is applied outside of downtown, such as Centennial Street and Range Road.”

By changing the zoning requirements to require a conditional use, council would be able to better scrutinize the proposed businesses and potentially add conditions suitable for that neighbourhood.

Conditions might relate to operating hours and limited outdoor seating, Ross explained.

If any existing establishments that don’t have a licence should apply for one, they too would be subject to the conditional use process.

The change for restaurants and bars is just one of several proposals for the zoning bylaw as the city updates the document that could impact residential properties, home-based businesses, parking and incorporate mapping changes as well.

Among the changes in store for home owners would be new regulations that:

• prevent chain link fencing over 1.2 metres and any barbed wire fencing from being installed on residential properties;

• prevent landscaping from impacting streets or sidewalks;

• put greater restrictions on front yard storage (with such vehicles as RVs limited to driveways rather than front yards); and

• permitting garden suites on larger duplex lots of at least 555 square metres that meet certain conditions.

As Ross stated: “This lot type is large enough to have limited impact on the other duplex owner and a suite provides additional density and income.

“Living suites, located within the principal dwelling, would still not be permitted as part of a duplex unit as per the National Building Code of Canada.”

He said later that adding live-in suites to a duplex could have more of an impact on neighbours, as it would put more residents on the other side of a shared wall which has the potential to result in more noise.

As for home-based businesses, the zoning amendments would remove major home-based businesses from several zones.

Those include many types of multiple family and townhouse zones, neighbourhood commercials sites, Residential Mobile Home Park, Mixed-Use Commercial/Industrial and Service Commercial.

Ross noted there are currently no major home-based businesses registered in any of the zones that could be changing.

Under amendments to parking, the city would follow the downtown parking plan by removing the maximum limit on parking stalls in the Service Commercial zone.

It would also require home owners to screen any side yard parking.

“The purpose of this proposed amendment is to address a gap in the regulations where screening is required in some situations but not others,” Ross stated in his report. “This gap was created when a distinction was created between interior and exterior side yard setbacks.”

Other changes focus on incorporating various maps and plans into the bylaw.

Coun. Dan Boyd was the first member of council to note “a lot of changes” to zoning in the city are coming forward. He stressed the importance of the public, businesses and others being aware of how the numerous amendments might impact them.

In cases where so many various changes come forward at once, it’s easy for things that might otherwise be a concern to slide through the approval process.

“Consultation on this one, I think is really important,” he said.

If council approves first reading next week, there would be public notification through advertising of a public hearing at council’s March 14 meeting.

A report on the hearing would then come to council a week later followed by a vote on second and third readings at council’s March 29 meeting.

Coun. Samson Hartland and Mayor Dan Curtis were absent from Monday’s meeting, with Coun. Roslyn Woodcock serving as acting mayor.