Existing bylaws dictating home height restrictions should be reviewed by the City of Richmond, according to some city councillors.
“How do we maintain neighbourhoods? I think we get creative in our zoning,” Coun. Carol Day told the Richmond News following a council meeting whereby she was the sole opposition (7-1 vote) to a development in Shellmont where one home was rezoned to make way for two.
Councillors Harold Steves and Bill McNulty voted in favour of the development, including the initial readings at planning committee last January, although both spoke negatively of large homes in their own neighbourhoods.
Both McNulty and Steves have pointed out that provincial regulations dictate some land plots in the city and they’re of the opinion they need to be eliminated to give control back to the city.
Day said she also opposes new homes that take up nearly the entire area space of the land because, along with the added height, shadows are cast on older homes and drainage issues have been reported.
At council, McNulty appeared upset that Day was voicing opposition to the development during the fourth and final reading.
“All of a sudden we’ve become experts on things …There was a process that took place that followed through. As a matter of fact I remember this because I voted against this and lost the vote,” said McNulty.
After the consternation, Mayor Malcolm Brodie allowed Day, a new councillor, an opposition voice by allowing a separate vote on the matter (normally bylaw adoptions are clumped together in one vote when previous readings had a majority consensus).
Steves said city planners are interpreting the bylaws of allowing 2.5 storeys on homes to actually allow three storeys across half the home.
He said if he didn’t vote in favour of developments like the one in Shellmont the landowners would simply build one extra large home.
“I’d rather have the two homes because they’re more affordable,” he said, noting councillors cannot oppose the building of new homes, but only rezoning applications.
Day said she also opposed the development because she didn’t have an opportunity to speak to nearby residents and because she believes plots can be further subdivided to make room for even smaller homes.
“It densifies but in a much more reasonable way,” said Day.
She said she favours more discussions with developers as well as improving the public consultation process.
When asked about possibly slowing down the development process with more consultation and bylaws, Day said that wasn’t necessary.
“It’s about getting the right development. We need more sincerity with public consultation,” she said.
When asked if she, a Shellmont resident herself, would accept lower land values due to more restrictions, Day said it wouldn’t be a bad thing.
“I think if you ask people if they want to maintain quality of life and potentially lose a little value I’d say that’s just fine.”
