Tall, narrow and new.

Two years ago Glenwood homeowner Pam St. Godard noticed her neighbourhood was changing.

"What's going on, it just seemed to be out of control," said St. Godard.

You don't have to drive far in the older neighbourhood to find new homes, known as infill housing. In some cases two homes are squeezed into a single lot.

St. Godard said some of them are too tall, take up the entire lot and don't fit the character of the mature community.

"Just this morning I got an email from a resident saying the sunlight that comes into my kitchen is gone now," said St. Godard.

In response to the concerns of her and others in Winnipeg, the city has developed an infill housing strategy. The goal is to place rules and guidelines around infill houses, including a size cap.

Winnipeg property and development chair Brian Mayes supports the move.

"We're trying to do more of what other cities do, have restriction," said Mayes.

The strategy outlines clear intentions:

  • Prevent long narrow infill that extends into the traditional back yard.
  • Improve compatibility of infill with older homes in the neighbourhood.
  • Improve privacy for adjacent homes.
  • Reduce the size of secondary suites.
  • Increase green space.

"You go that's new, the next one isn't, and the heights are going up and down you start thinking, yeah, we should have some control," said Mayes.

Tim Comack from Ventura Developments worries certain restrictions could be a roadblock for infill.

"Infill has to be perceived as something that we want and that we're encouraging," said Comack.

He says this could lead to even more urban sprawl, as it’s already easier to build in the suburbs.

“That's why you're seeing a large percentage of the development taking place in suburbia. And it will continue if we continue to discourage infill," said Comack.

If approved the plan would be phased in over three years.

Pam St. Godard says new rules are needed now and wants the city to put an immediate moratorium on infill in the meantime.

“Do we wait another three years until this is in place, then our neighbourhood would be changed completely," said St. Godard.