Zoning Reform Ideas

[Northern Light]

I have heard and read a little on the housing/zoning reform legislation the NDP government has introduced in B.C. I have nothing to offer as my information is still too sketchy, but wondered if anyone on the forum had insight into the proposed changes?

On the zoning side, not super ambitious thus far:

Eby Launches Housing Action Plan | The Tyee

Two bills aim to increase condo rentals and set housing growth targets for cities.

thetyee.ca

The biggest thing on zoning is roughly what Toronto is set to approve (3-4 plexes allowed everywhere)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/single-family-zoning-split-1.6800265

On spending on direct construction of affordable housing they are far ahead of anything in Ontario:

Five Things to Know about BC's Housing Plan | The Tyee

From the renters’ rebate to speeding up home building, here’s what housing sector experts are watching after the budget.

thetyee.ca

 

[W. K. Lis]

Do I hear six-plexes?

From link.

 

[jje1000]

Unless there are a whole lot of deferrals, it will not. Assuming it escapes Planning and Housing (I think it will), this will be on the agenda of the May 10th City Council meeting, well before the election.

I hope that's the case, but I think there's sadly still opportunities for things to go wrong. Could it end up being deferred, and then become an election issue?

 

[Northern Light]

The Multiplex permissions have passed Planning and Housing Ctte. The following amendments were made:

1 and 2 essentially seek to go further than the proposal by allowing six units rather than 4 and greater building depth.

3 - is just a report request to appease those opposed, and it doesn't even generate a report for another 2 and 3/4 years.

 

[evandyk]

What's the particular logic that gives that part of Scarborough better treatment? Or is that just Jamaal's whole riding?

 

[Northern Light]

What's the particular logic that gives that part of Scarborough better treatment? Or is that just Jamaal's whole riding?

That's more or less his ward, Ward 23.

 

[allengeorge]

Gonna be a nail biter in Council.

 

[Northern Light]

Gonna be a nail biter in Council.

You will note that this is on the floor of Council as I type.

So far Holyday attempted to defer the item, that lost; and Perruzza attempted to add additional consultations and that lost. Debate continues.

 

[DensityDan]

Is anyone in the know on what the big developers think about the multiplex plan? How ready are they to leverage this if it passes?

 

[allengeorge]

Yeap - watching Council @Northern Light. I’m counting Robinson, Holyday, Peruzza, Crawford, Fletcher, Colle as against. Not sure about Cheng. Also not sure about Burnside, Crisanti or Mantas.

EDIT: Thompson onside which…was a surprise.

 

[allengeorge]

PASSED!!!

 

[allengeorge]

I assume it will be appealed post-haste, just like the Garden Suites bylaw.

 

[afransen]

Were there any substantive changes from the draft bylaw?

 

[Northern Light]

PASSED!!!

View attachment 476063

19-7, not quite the nail-biter you thought it would be!

 

[Northern Light]

Were there any substantive changes from the draft bylaw?

No, there are no substantive alterations.

Cllr Colle got a motion through asking for reports on incenting creators of multiplexes to make one unit affordable, as well as looking at incenting this type of project on main roads as well as in areas with low rates of intensification (Rosedale! )

Cllr Saxe got one through on documenting the impacts on cutting trees and whether any additional protection of mature trees may be necessary

Cllr Cheng got one through on monitoring the impact on School Board capacity/enrollment.

All the motions are either monitor/track, or report back, but none alter or delay the multiplex approval.