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THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1999 Elliott calls for report on basement apartments, By FRANCES NIBKLOCK The New Tanner Acton Councillor Norm Elliott has "grave concerns" " about the huge number of unregistered second units in Halton Hills houses and wants staff to try to get a han- dle on the issue. Provincial legislation gives municipalities to au-- thority to allow homeowners to have second units - usu- ally basement apartments - in their houses, provided safety standards are met. In 1996, the Town passed a bylaw re- quiring registration of all, two-unit houses but in the; past two years just 38 two- unit houses have been regis-' tered. | Noting that the Town had. made a concerted effort to find unregistered dogs in. Halton Hills, at Monday's general committee meeting Elliott said not enforcing the two-unit registration bylaw. increases or expands the Town's liability. While Elliott said the term "illegal apartments" shouldn't be used because people have the right to have them, they have to be legally constituted so the people that are renting them are safe. The fee to register a sec- ond unit is $625 and the. homeowner must submit to a fire, hydro and property standards inspections and do any work required. Elliott said the unregis- tered units raise safety and economic issues. "We're basically turning a blind eye to the fact that there's hundreds of units: which should be paying some freight because they are tak- ing water, they're putting children in the schools ..." Elliott said, adding that they need to put some teeth into enforcing the bylaw and find. . out exactly how many unreg- istered second apartment there are in town. Mayor Marilyn Serjeantson questioned whether the $625 registration fee was too high and acted as a deterrent to people who should register their second unit. Town staff said it's the potential for increased in- come and property taxes that stop most people from regis- tering their second units. "Tt is probably futile if we drop the price down of the permit fee as long as there is ' property owner," explained "then between the building" -think we've scratched the' a concern about the govern-- ment seeking more tax money and the property tax increasing. Those are real threats, or concerns to the Henry Tse, the Town's Direc- tor of Building, Zoning and Enforcement Services, add- ing that staff haven't been proactive in enforcing the registration bylaw. Fire Chief Bill': Send a message with Love in the Feb.l lth issue of Tanner Cunningham said that they hadn't tried to ferret out the oA cried units o instead responded to specific com- pines "If it's Council's wish department and ourselves we can heighten the awareness and mount a public cam- - paign to identify more of the _ units than what have been identified to date. I don't" surface on this issue," Cunningham said. Sheuwoed Hume Send a Valentine Greeting to your kids, your Grandma, your aaa va Na aaCaTONS or fet someone ae nO have a secret admirer! Gordon Hume 'Auctioneew HUME'S AUCTION FARM 9313 4th Line, R.R. #5, Milton Mobile: (416) 543-5242 Fax: (905) 878-7647 _ Tel: (905) 878-4878 CASH OR CHEQUE ONLY - ALL ADS MUST BE PREPAID CALL 853-0051 OR DROP IN TO OUR OFFICE AT 59 WILLOW ST. During regular business hours DEADLINE IS.FEB. 9 AT 3 P.M. Unisex gg ne FOR HIM Hot Tub Session Spend " Some Quality Time Together FOR HER Be My Valentine 1 Hour Anti-Stress Massage 1/Z hour Hot Tub Session Hot 7. Session $50.00 _ 1/2 hour Anti- Stress Massage : : Chosose from Spa Facial or Pedicure 30 Minute Anti-Stress Massage Manicure %e th VISIT OUR BATH & BODY BOUTIOUE aa Lie oa 3 9 120.00 Gentlemen's Skin Care Treatment $35.00 'New $45.00 of Reflexology Massage Full Day or Half Day Spa Packages -Bridal Packages Ow \-/ 36 Main Street S. Georgetown BEAT THE WINTER BLAHS! 10 TAWHING SESSIONS $40.00 873-4907 i VALENTINE'S LINGERIE GIFT SETS, GIFT CERTIFICATES one sd