Tecumseh's deputy mayor wants stricter rules on where four units as of right can be built in the town.
Allowing four units as of right is a requirement for receiving Housing Accelator Funds from the federal government, which Tecumseh was awarded $4.4 million in March 2024.
At a special council meeting earlier this month, residents strongly voiced their opposition for allowing four units as of right in established low density residential neighbourhoods.
Joe Bachetti brought forward a motion Tuesday night requesting council reject just that.
"The residents came, were loud and clear, saying that they do not want four units as of right in their established neighbourhoods," he said. "I know that the report is coming back to planning in a couple weeks on April 8, and at that meeting that report as a council we can consider, you know, looking at four units as a right, to me, it's four units as a wrong."
He says the motion and upcoming discussion is to give administration direction based on resident feedback.
"There's a petition that's going on in our community that they do not want to see four units as of right in established neighbourhoods," Bachetti said. "So putting the notice of motion, basically saying, this is what they do not want. When I say they do not want, is the ones that were here that voiced their concerns. So, as an elected official, I want to stand up, I want to listen to that and I want to be able to put that at the table for consideration."
Bachetti says he's not 100 per cent against four units as of right, but has a problem with public consultation being taken away from the process.
"Right now in the planning act, it says if there's someone that wants to do four units, you go get a permit, and there's notification, and people will know that they're building so and so on the street," he said. "So that public consultation is there, and that is going to be eliminated if it's done four units as a right. That is the part that is sticking with me in terms of opposing four units in established neighbourhoods."
Mayor Gary McNamara was not present at Tuesday night's meeting, and was said to be away on municipal business.
Council passed three other housing initiative bylaws on Tuesday.
Bachetti's motion will be discussed at the next council meeting on Tuesday April 8.
-With files from CTV Windsor's Robert Lothian