The city of Coquitlam will look at implementing neighbourhood-specific zoning to battle concerns about mega homes.
The proliferation of large, new houses has led to a number of complaints from residents, particularly in the city's older southwest neighbourhoods, who say the new homes are hurting the character of their streets.
(Similar concerns have been raised in Port Moody, which has held discussions on the issue and will host a town hall meeting later this month.)
According to a Coquitlam city staff report, many of the original homes were built in the 1950s and 1960s and did not take "full advantage of the permitted building density." And when older homes are torn down, they are often replaced by structures that stand out by meeting the maximum floor space ratio allowed under the city's zoning bylaws.
Balancing the wishes of residents who are comfortable with larger homes with those in older neighbourhoods who believe the megastructures are an eyesore may require more versatility in the city's zoning regulations, city manager Jim McIntyre told city council Monday.
"A neighbourhood-specific solution may be the best option," he said during Monday's council-in-committee meeting. "It is an extensive operation that consumes a lot of staff time and neighbourhood consultation but in the end, that is what might be best in the view of those residents."
But putting a cap on heights and floor space may not be enough to discourage the construction of large homes and could have unintended consequences, according to Jim Bontempo, the city's manager of building permits. For example, height restrictions often lead to flatter roofs and more squat-shaped homes that cut down on sightlines between buildings, he said.
And not all neighbourhoods are adverse to large homes, Coun. Craig Hodge added, noting that the city does not often hear complaints in areas like Westwood Plateau, where there is already an expectation that larger structures will be built.
But in areas that are transitioning, the larger buildings can dramatically change the look and feel of a street, said Coun. Bonita Zarrillo.
"We need to respect the unique characteristics of the neighbourhoods," she said. "Some of these areas are not working and that is what we need to look at."
If Coquitlam pursued a neighbourhood-specific zoning process, the city would be following in the footsteps of Burnaby, which implemented a similar initiative in the 1990s. The neighbouring municipality uses a process whereby a minimum of 50% of the property owners in a given area can petition the city for changes to their zoning regulations.
In Port Moody, the city has planned public consultation on mega homes following a campaign by some residents. Its town hall meeting is scheduled for Oct. 27 at city hall.
