Project Update (August 22, 2024): We have now concluded early consultation for the Infill Housing Accelerator Program and Townhouse Accelerator Program. During this initial conversation, we sought to gather feedback from the community on their perceptions of infill housing and townhouse development, especially about new forms of housing that align with recent Provincial regulations. Scroll down to the discussion forums to read what your neighbours had to say ⬇️.
Along with the input on Be Heard, staff are also reviewing and will incorporate feedback from other sources including local housing providers and developers, City departments, the experiences of other municipalities, local First Nations, and design and financing professionals to inform the set-up of the infill and townhouse programs.
Over the next two years of program development, staff anticipate determining details such as which land parcels are eligible, what types of buildings will be permitted, and what types of incentives and procedures can be introduced to make the development of infill and townhouse projects easier.
Stay tuned to Be Heard for more opportunities to provide input into the Infill Housing Accelerator and Townhouse Accelerator projects in early 2025.
Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan identified Homes and Housing Options as a focus area. The plan identifies infill housing as an outcome that allows for diverse housing options in all neighbourhoods of New Westminster. To deliver this outcome the City has initiated two programs: the Infill Housing Accelerator and the Townhouse Accelerator.
The Infill Housing Accelerator Program explores the redevelopment of individual single detached dwelling lots to up to six homes on one lot, including laneway and carriage houses, duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes.
The Townhouse Accelerator Program explores the consolidation and redevelopment of multiple single detached dwelling lots to allow new townhouse developments.
Both of these programs will involve changing the City’s single detached zoning to allow and support more infill housing and townhouse development across the city.
What is the Infill Housing Accelerator Program?
The Infill Housing Accelerator initiative builds on the Phase 1 Infill Housing Program. It will explore pre-zoning that would permit up to six homes on single detached dwelling properties. This work goes further than the new requirements of the Province by considering allowing six homes on lots throughout most of the city, rather than only on sites in proximity to frequent transit. The program will consider lessons learned from past projects and input gathered from the 2022 public engagement.
What is the Townhouse Accelerator Program?
The Townhouse Accelerator Program builds on the Phase 1 Infill Housing Program. Despite redevelopment interests, there has been limited uptake of the Infill Townhouse and Rowhouse Program since adoption in 2017. This is because the rezoning process and allowable density have represented barriers for applicants.
To encourage uptake and increase the number of new townhouse units constructed, the program may consider the zones townhouses are permitted, the density of townhouse units on lots, possible multiple units within townhouses (e.g. lock-off suites or secondary suites), and other regulatory and policy improvements based on lessons learned from past projects and input gathered from the 2022 public engagement.
Phase 1 originally combined townhouses and rowhouses with other forms of infill housing. However, informed by Phase 1 feedback, two programs have been created to separate these housing types. While the Infill Housing Accelerator Program focuses on the redevelopment of individual lots, the goal of the Townhouse Accelerator Program is to facilitate the consolidation and redevelopment of multiple single detached dwelling lots. Townhouses meet a critical need in the city for increased housing choice, specifically ground-oriented family friendly housing.
What has happened so far?
- 2017 – City engaged on Official Community Plan Update and created Infill Housing Program Phase 1:
The City undertook considerable community engagement as part of the update of the Official Community Plan. Analysis of this engagement led to the roll-out of the Infill Housing Program Phase 1, specifically:- allowing laneway / carriage houses on single detached lots citywide,
- designating specific new areas for small scale infill townhouses (strata) and rowhouses (fee-simple).
The City envisioned a potential future Infill Housing Program Phase 2 to focus on how duplexes, triplexes, and quadraplexes (multiplexes) would be permitted.
- 2020 – City introduced Interim multiplex policy: The City introduced an interim policy to guide and encourage applications for development of duplexes, triplexes, and quadraplexes.
- 2022 – City reviewed Phase 1 and new Council Priorities: In Spring, the City reviewed the successes and challenges of the Program. Also in Spring, Council created the 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan which includes a large focus on housing.
- 2023 – City launched streamlined Laneway Guidelines and Province mandated more housing: The City used the 2022 engagement feedback to create Streamlined Guidelines for Laneway and Carriage Houses. In the fall the Province began setting new regulations to encourage building of more homes.
- 2024 – City launches Phase 2: In response to new Council priorities and new mandates from the Province, the City begins planning for the launch of the Phase 2 of the program, and given engagement and analysis to date, reshapes Phase 2 into two programs:
- Infill Housing Accelerator (for laneway/carriage and multiplexes) and
- Townhouse Accelerator (for townhouses and rowhouses).
Phase 1: What did we hear from the public?
The most recent engagement for infill housing and townhouses was the Infill Housing Phase 1 Review, which took place from September to October 2022 through:
- Community surveys,
- Program participant surveys, and
- Interviews.
The below table provides a summary of what we heard.
Infill Housing Phase 1 Review (2022) – Key Findings |
| Laneway and Carriage Houses | Infill Townhouses / Rowhouses |
Support for: | - relaxing regulations,
- streamlining process,
- reducing costs,
- not restricting stratifications,
- permitting larger, more livable laneway and carriage houses,
- reducing the massing of principal dwellings,
- easing Development Permit review process,
- reducing servicing and tree-related requirements.
| - allowing in all neighbourhoods,
- making regulations and approvals processes less restrictive and shorter
- accounting in policy for the financial viability of projects,
- relaxing zoning bylaw and design guidelines,
- increasing maximum floor space ratio,
- providing pre-approved designs and building plans, and
- allowing parking pads and carports in place of garages to increase cost-effectiveness.
|
| Concerns with: | - overlooking/loss of privacy,
- greenspace,
- parking, and
- traffic.
| - traffic, infrastructure, services, and amenities for more dense population,
- similar look to adjacent single detached dwellings, and
- unit size, especially to make them sufficiently family oriented.
|
What is happening now?
We are launching early consultation for the Infill Housing Accelerator Program and Townhouse Accelerator Program, which will include new forms of housing not covered in Infill Housing Program Phase 1. We want to hear from you if the feedback we received in 2022 still reflects perceptions of infill housing and townhouse development, especially regarding new forms that align with provincial regulations. Follow the buttons below to access the discussion forums. Forums close on August 11.
This work supports the intent of the Province’s new Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation, and expands further upon it. This webpage is the first step of public consultation. Check back over the following months for further opportunities to engage.
Project Update (August 22, 2024): We have now concluded early consultation for the Infill Housing Accelerator Program and Townhouse Accelerator Program. During this initial conversation, we sought to gather feedback from the community on their perceptions of infill housing and townhouse development, especially about new forms of housing that align with recent Provincial regulations. Scroll down to the discussion forums to read what your neighbours had to say ⬇️.
Along with the input on Be Heard, staff are also reviewing and will incorporate feedback from other sources including local housing providers and developers, City departments, the experiences of other municipalities, local First Nations, and design and financing professionals to inform the set-up of the infill and townhouse programs.
Over the next two years of program development, staff anticipate determining details such as which land parcels are eligible, what types of buildings will be permitted, and what types of incentives and procedures can be introduced to make the development of infill and townhouse projects easier.
Stay tuned to Be Heard for more opportunities to provide input into the Infill Housing Accelerator and Townhouse Accelerator projects in early 2025.
Council’s 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan identified Homes and Housing Options as a focus area. The plan identifies infill housing as an outcome that allows for diverse housing options in all neighbourhoods of New Westminster. To deliver this outcome the City has initiated two programs: the Infill Housing Accelerator and the Townhouse Accelerator.
The Infill Housing Accelerator Program explores the redevelopment of individual single detached dwelling lots to up to six homes on one lot, including laneway and carriage houses, duplexes, triplexes and multiplexes.
The Townhouse Accelerator Program explores the consolidation and redevelopment of multiple single detached dwelling lots to allow new townhouse developments.
Both of these programs will involve changing the City’s single detached zoning to allow and support more infill housing and townhouse development across the city.
What is the Infill Housing Accelerator Program?
The Infill Housing Accelerator initiative builds on the Phase 1 Infill Housing Program. It will explore pre-zoning that would permit up to six homes on single detached dwelling properties. This work goes further than the new requirements of the Province by considering allowing six homes on lots throughout most of the city, rather than only on sites in proximity to frequent transit. The program will consider lessons learned from past projects and input gathered from the 2022 public engagement.
What is the Townhouse Accelerator Program?
The Townhouse Accelerator Program builds on the Phase 1 Infill Housing Program. Despite redevelopment interests, there has been limited uptake of the Infill Townhouse and Rowhouse Program since adoption in 2017. This is because the rezoning process and allowable density have represented barriers for applicants.
To encourage uptake and increase the number of new townhouse units constructed, the program may consider the zones townhouses are permitted, the density of townhouse units on lots, possible multiple units within townhouses (e.g. lock-off suites or secondary suites), and other regulatory and policy improvements based on lessons learned from past projects and input gathered from the 2022 public engagement.
Phase 1 originally combined townhouses and rowhouses with other forms of infill housing. However, informed by Phase 1 feedback, two programs have been created to separate these housing types. While the Infill Housing Accelerator Program focuses on the redevelopment of individual lots, the goal of the Townhouse Accelerator Program is to facilitate the consolidation and redevelopment of multiple single detached dwelling lots. Townhouses meet a critical need in the city for increased housing choice, specifically ground-oriented family friendly housing.
What has happened so far?
- 2017 – City engaged on Official Community Plan Update and created Infill Housing Program Phase 1:
The City undertook considerable community engagement as part of the update of the Official Community Plan. Analysis of this engagement led to the roll-out of the Infill Housing Program Phase 1, specifically:- allowing laneway / carriage houses on single detached lots citywide,
- designating specific new areas for small scale infill townhouses (strata) and rowhouses (fee-simple).
The City envisioned a potential future Infill Housing Program Phase 2 to focus on how duplexes, triplexes, and quadraplexes (multiplexes) would be permitted.
- 2020 – City introduced Interim multiplex policy: The City introduced an interim policy to guide and encourage applications for development of duplexes, triplexes, and quadraplexes.
- 2022 – City reviewed Phase 1 and new Council Priorities: In Spring, the City reviewed the successes and challenges of the Program. Also in Spring, Council created the 2023-2026 Strategic Priorities Plan which includes a large focus on housing.
- 2023 – City launched streamlined Laneway Guidelines and Province mandated more housing: The City used the 2022 engagement feedback to create Streamlined Guidelines for Laneway and Carriage Houses. In the fall the Province began setting new regulations to encourage building of more homes.
- 2024 – City launches Phase 2: In response to new Council priorities and new mandates from the Province, the City begins planning for the launch of the Phase 2 of the program, and given engagement and analysis to date, reshapes Phase 2 into two programs:
- Infill Housing Accelerator (for laneway/carriage and multiplexes) and
- Townhouse Accelerator (for townhouses and rowhouses).
Phase 1: What did we hear from the public?
The most recent engagement for infill housing and townhouses was the Infill Housing Phase 1 Review, which took place from September to October 2022 through:
- Community surveys,
- Program participant surveys, and
- Interviews.
The below table provides a summary of what we heard.
Infill Housing Phase 1 Review (2022) – Key Findings |
| Laneway and Carriage Houses | Infill Townhouses / Rowhouses |
Support for: | - relaxing regulations,
- streamlining process,
- reducing costs,
- not restricting stratifications,
- permitting larger, more livable laneway and carriage houses,
- reducing the massing of principal dwellings,
- easing Development Permit review process,
- reducing servicing and tree-related requirements.
| - allowing in all neighbourhoods,
- making regulations and approvals processes less restrictive and shorter
- accounting in policy for the financial viability of projects,
- relaxing zoning bylaw and design guidelines,
- increasing maximum floor space ratio,
- providing pre-approved designs and building plans, and
- allowing parking pads and carports in place of garages to increase cost-effectiveness.
|
| Concerns with: | - overlooking/loss of privacy,
- greenspace,
- parking, and
- traffic.
| - traffic, infrastructure, services, and amenities for more dense population,
- similar look to adjacent single detached dwellings, and
- unit size, especially to make them sufficiently family oriented.
|
What is happening now?
We are launching early consultation for the Infill Housing Accelerator Program and Townhouse Accelerator Program, which will include new forms of housing not covered in Infill Housing Program Phase 1. We want to hear from you if the feedback we received in 2022 still reflects perceptions of infill housing and townhouse development, especially regarding new forms that align with provincial regulations. Follow the buttons below to access the discussion forums. Forums close on August 11.
This work supports the intent of the Province’s new Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing legislation, and expands further upon it. This webpage is the first step of public consultation. Check back over the following months for further opportunities to engage.
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