The District of Squamish is planning to amend its Zoning Bylaw based on the recommendations in the new provincial policy, which aims to increase the province’s housing supply. The District of Squamish Council will discuss the proposed changes at a Committee of the Whole meeting today.
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The provincial policy is to make zoning regulations as flexible as possible to create more housing. The district plans to replace the RS-1, RS-1A, RS-2, RS-2A, RS-3, and RMH-2 zoning in most of the District with a new R-1 zone.
Highlights of the amendments
1, The zoning bylaw has added a new zone, Residential 1 (R-1), which will replace the RS-1, RS-2, and RS-3 zoning in most of the District. Permitted uses in the R-1 zone include single-unit dwellings, two-unit dwellings, and Multiple Dwellings Residential (MDRs).
2, The district is adding a definition for Multiple Dwelling Residential (MDR), a physical arrangement of three or more attached dwelling units. MDR is included as a permitted use in the new R-1 zone.
3, Maximum lot coverage for a single—or two-unit dwelling remains at 33% but increases to 40% if the dwelling contains a suite and an Accessory Dwelling Unit. Lot coverage rises to 50% for multiple-dwelling residential use.
4, The maximum height for a single or two-unit dwelling remains the same as RS-1 and RS2, at 9 metres, while the maximum height for MDR is 11 metres or three storeys, whichever is less, based on the recommendations in the Provincial Policy guidance.
5, Density in the R-1 zone allows for four strata-titled MDR units on a lot and an additional fifth dwelling unit if it is provided as a secondary suite, multi-unit flex unit, or ADU. This extra unit cannot be stratified, and it is intended to incentivize a rental unit on the property.
6, The district plans to reduce the required setbacks on Accessory Dwelling Units and increase the permitted height from 6.7m to a maximum of 8m, with the aim of increasing design flexibility for ADUs.
7, The minimum lot size requirements in R-1 remain the same as in RS-1 and RS-2. The minimum lot size is 690 square metres, while the minimum lot width is 18.36 m, and the minimum lot depth is 27.4 metres.
Parking reductions
Another set of Zoning Bylaw amendments associated with the new provincial Bill 44 on creating more small-scale and multi-unit housing relates to proposed parking reductions.
The new proposal includes eliminating off-street parking requirements for secondary suites, ADUs and multi-unit flex units. This is recommended in the Provincial Policy guidance and supported by Staff to incentivize infill rental housing. There is a risk that without any incentive to provide a suite, properties will redevelop with the maximum number of stratified units and no longer provide secondary suites, reducing the number of new opportunities for rental units in neighbourhoods.
Include a parking requirement of one space per principal dwelling unit for MDR use.
Provincial Policy guidance sets a maximum parking requirement of one space per dwelling unit, but Staff recommend a more conservative approach. Staff believe that the market will continue to provide parking that exceeds this requirement where practical, as units with additional parking stalls are typically more attractive and may sell for a higher amount.
Dylan says
Eliminating off-street parking requirements is a delusionary mistake. Squamish is already desperately short on parking, and this will only make it worse. People who believe that public transport can take up the slack have clearly never lived in Squamish – while this might work in a large city, the lifestyle of people in Squamish require at least on vehicle per dwelling.