Secondary suites proposal would permit them in central wards

City council is set to take another crack at making it easier for homeowners to develop secondary suites at least in a handful of central districts.

There's a proposal to allow secondary suite zoning in four relatively inner-city wards7, 8, 9 and 11 where the area councillors are in support.

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Instead of making a case before city council, as currently happens, applicants would be approved in those wards, so long as they follow the rules for a legal suite.

Ward 9 Coun. Gian-Carlo Carra says there's no political risk for his council colleagues who represent the other 10 wards in supporting the motion.

"To communities, there are no drawbacks and the added benefit is that every secondary suite potentially creates two affordable units. The unit the secondary suite itself and then with the mortgage help, the main home," he said.

"So as I said all good, no bad. Why wouldn't we do it?"

Mayor Naheed Nenshi says while he's not a fan of the proposal, it might have to do for now.

"We've been having a lot of trouble making the touchdown pass, we're just moving the ball a little bit down the field each time and this would be a further movement down the field and that's better than nothing," he said.

Coun. Shane Keating also doesn't like the proposal but is planning amendments which would allow secondary suites in these wards to proceedwith conditions.

"I have always said I'm in favour of secondary suites where they make sense and you have to have public engagement on each and every one," he said.

"We don't need it in council, so we have to figure out and find a way in which any application does not come to council."

Council plans to debate the issue Tuesday afternoon as a marathon meeting moves into a second day.