The City of Delta is planning to host an open house for residents and developers interested in taking advantage of the new small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) residential zoning bylaw.
A report to council notes the yet-to-be-scheduled event will be an opportunity to connect with staff to review development potential for properties, learn about how SSMUH fits within broader city initiatives for increasing housing, hear about common mistakes and challenges during permitting and inspections, view sample projects and learn about servicing requirements, as well as provide feedback on the SSMUH initiative.
In June, council gave final approval to the zoning changes that will pave the way for more small-scale, forms of housing on single-family and duplex lots, but choosing to maintain city standards that control how many units can be built.
The province last fall introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at increasing housing supply including requiring local governments to permit increased density in areas traditionally designated for single-detached homes.
The zoning changes, required for implementation by June 30, 2024, will permit a minimum of four dwelling units on a property exceeding a certain size with a minimum of six units permitted in areas within 1,132-square-feet of frequent transit.
Applications that meet the new provincial SSMUH requirements will go straight to the building permit stage without the need for public notification letters and on-site signage.
A planning department report this summer noted that the amendments will help Delta bring new housing units into the community to help meet a target given to the city by the province, adding that there are circumstances where a property may not be able to achieve additional units allowed by the legislation.
To support local governments in implementing the requirements, the province has released a Policy Manual and Site Standards document to provide guidance on how to implement the zoning changes. It includes site standards that must be considered by a local government.
However, cities are not required to follow those standards and can continue to use their own standards when it comes to things like setbacks, height and floor area coverage.
That means property owners can’t expect to automatically be allowed to have four units on their lots.
Garden suites and coach houses in Delta, for example, are required to have minimum setbacks of 1.5-metres from all lot lines, and they would be required to be constructed behind the principal dwelling unit.
In an interview with the Optimist following the Delta zoning changes, Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon made it clear he wasn’t impressed with the city’s amendments, describing them as too restrictive compared to the province’s suggested guidelines.
“In some places, yes, some taller buildings are more appropriate, but we need to have more gentle density in our communities, and so I think one of the places Delta, if they want to address this in a serious way, is to look at the small-scale, multi-unit policy that they brought forward. I think it is the most prohibitive policy that’s been brought forward by any local government.
“I think that’s a missed opportunity because I think people, certainly people I’ve been talking to, in North Delta and other communities, they understand if a house reaches the end of its life and something needs to be built, most people can’t afford that single-family home. Having the ability to make it into a smaller unit will actually make it more viable for young families to be able to get into,” said Kahlon.
