Delta council last week gave preliminary approval for a five-lot subdivision application, but such proposals will soon get to skip a lengthy process.
Currently zoned Single Family Residential (SFR), the 24,768-square-foot site in the 11100-block of 80A Avenue in North Delta is currently comprised of three single-detached residential lots of which two are vacant.
The application includes a request for an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment and zoning bylaw amendment which would enable a two-phased subdivision from three to five lots.
Each lot would be developed to accommodate a new single-detached house with an in-ground basement, secondary suite and coach house.
A public hearing would be required because the application involves an OCP amendment.
However, a staff report notes that work is currently underway to update Delta's OCP to align with provincial housing legislation and to meet Delta's housing target order. Should the new OCP be adopted, the OCP amendment component of the application would no longer be required.
The city is planning to have a new OCP approved by the end of June.
The planning department report also notes that, based on the recent provincial announcements, municipalities across B.C. will be required to amend their zoning bylaws to permit small-scale, multi-unit housing on all existing single-detached lots.
The proposal on 80A Avenue is in line with the recent policy discussions and forthcoming changes to the zoning bylaw, but further analysis of small lot subdivision dimensions will be needed as part of the zoning changes, the report adds.
The lots would be rezoned to a CDZ40 Zone, which is based on the existing Single Detached Residential Coach House (RSC) Zone that allows for a single-detached dwelling and an accessory coach house. However, several variations are proposed, so a site-specific zone is required.
“While these lots would be the first in the area to be zoned for coach houses, changes proposed in the OCP update and Provincial requirements would permit coach houses and other forms of small-scale multi-unit housing in all residential areas. Staff note, however, that the intent of the Provincial small-scale multi-unit housing legislation is to enable additional housing opportunities on existing lots without subdivision applications,” the report notes.
