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Letter: ALR house size bylaw is unproven

Dear Editor, Humraj Kallu of the Richmond Farmland Owners’ Association claims there is “clear evidence” that the current bylaw restricting house size on ALR land in Richmond to 10,783 square feet is “working.
farm house alr
A typical new farm house in Richmond, BC is over 10,000-square-feet. February, 2017.

Dear Editor,

Humraj Kallu of the Richmond Farmland Owners’ Association claims there is “clear evidence” that the current bylaw restricting house size on ALR land in Richmond to 10,783 square feet is “working.”

His evidence is that there has been a 32-per-cent reduction in home size under the new regulations. But does that prove the bylaw is working? Not one bit.

During the first three months of 2017, when council indicated that it was looking to impose a house-size limit, developers inundated the city with building applications. Three quarters were for more than 10,000 square feet and the average was for 12,918 square feet. This is an extraordinary base to work from.

After the house-size limit was imposed and for the balance of the year, there was just a handful of applications. The average was for about 8,640 square feet, which is a reduction of about one-third from the permit fever that we experienced during the first three months of 2017. 

Most were at or near the allowable limit. The average was dragged down by a couple of modest applications, including one for just 2,881 square feet. 

So what does this prove? Only that most developers will build as big as they can. 

It does not prove that restricting farmhouse size to 10,763 square feet is tempering farmland speculation. 

It does not prove that the bylaw is deterring purchasers whose main interest is building a luxury home rather than farming. 

It does not prove that the bylaw is keeping farmland prices to levels that are affordable for genuine farmers, which is what this issue is all about.

Unless Mr. Kallu and his associates can provide some real evidence that this bylaw is doing what it is intended to do, city council should give serious consideration to a further reduction in the maximum allowable house size. 

David Baines

Richmond