The Town of Tecumseh will host a second public meeting to gather resident feedback on proposed zoning changes.
Council reviewed a draft of the new zoning bylaw Tuesday evening, focusing largely on next steps for regulating the parking of recreational vehicles and trailers.
The update aims to consolidate and modernize zoning rules following the 1999 amalgamation of Old Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, and the Township of Sandwich South, which never saw a unified bylaw.
While the draft addresses a range of issues, such as additional dwelling units, short-term rentals, and pools, residents primarily raised concerns about RV and trailer parking, as well as lodging house permissions. Staff recommended that lodging houses be removed as a permitted use in residential zones.
Council also considered two approaches to regulating RVs and trailers, one based on size, and another based on setback distances from roads and sidewalks. Council supported the setback approach.
Under the draft bylaw, RVs and trailers must be set back at least 0.6 metres from lot lines - which is the only requirement in the current bylaw - as well as 4.5 metres from roadways, and one metre from sidewalks or multi-use trails, with a maximum height of 4.5 metres.
Tecumseh deputy mayor Joe Bachetti says the zoning proposals for lodging homes has been removed.
"That was a big concern from many residents, especially in the R1 zones - single-family residential. They did not feel that that was a good fit, so that is being taken off the table. So that, right now, the lodging homes is not going to be proposed in R1 zones."
He says having setback distances for RVs and trailers made sense safety-wise.
"We also want to protect the safety, the sightlines of the neighbourhood, and the pedestrians, so that these trailers are in a spot that will not cause any potential hazards to the roadway."
Bachetti says it's important that residents continue to express their concerns on this change.
"This is a huge, huge consolidation of three former zoning bylaws, and it's long overdue, but we want to make sure we get it right. And we want to make sure moving forward that we don't do this in a rushed fashion... that we have opportunities for people to attend these meetings and give their feedback."
The second public meeting will be held on May 26 at 7 p.m. to review the updated draft changes, and receive further public input.
The updated draft document will be available on the town's website in early May ahead of the meeting.
Adoption of the new zoning bylaw is expected to occur in June 2026.