A zoning bylaw change approved at Tuesday's Port Moody council meeting has closed a loophole that allowed some residents to build four-storey homes.
The old bylaw limited the height of a home to 10.5 m or three storeys (not including the basement). On a sloped lot, however, that meant an owner could build three storeys on top of a walk-out basement.
One Ioco Road resident who spoke at the public hearing said his neighbour had built a four-storey home and he worried his own property value would suffer because of the bylaw change.
Council unanimously approved the zoning bylaw amendment, with Coun. Gerry Nuttall absent.
Other Moody news:
LANEWAY HOUSING
Neighbours spoke up in favour of a rezoning application for a laneway house on Clarke Street at a public hearing Tuesday.
Michael McCann, who lives at 2210 Clarke St., wants to build the laneway house on his property to look after his son, who was injured in a car accident.
Four PoMo residents expressed their support and indicated they'd like to see more laneway housing options in the city.
Council approved third reading of the zoning bylaw amendment.
GREEN ROOF
Staff will report back at the next council meeting on the feasibility of having a green roof on the new Fire Hall #1.
Gerard Evans, a green roof technology student at BCIT and a PoMo resident, made a presentation at Tuesday's council meeting on the benefits of a green roof for the fire hall.
Evans said the city could build a low-maintenance green roof with the existing plans or go for an intensive roof with a deeper growing medium, which would support a wider range of plants, trees and agricultural produce, and require changes to the building's structural plans.
Coun. Zoe Royer said she's a "huge proponent" of green roof technology, adding, "There's something rather novel about the possibility of our firefighters growing some kind of vegetation on the roof that would be available at the market."
MONEY MATTERS
Port Moody council continues to hash out its five-year financial plan, with several finance committee recommendations up for approval at Tuesday's council meeting.
The outdoor stage covering for the Inlet Theatre was axed from the capital budget, with no plans for it in the five-year plan unless a grant funding source can be found.
Council also defeated a motion to defer public consultation on city services to 2014. Mayor Mike Clay said given the historically low numbers for town hall budget feedback, it was time to get some public input.
