Dear Editor,
Re: “MLAs pointing at council, a bit rich,” Letters, Feb. 1.
I am writing to correct some of the facts presented by letter-writer Kelly Greene regarding mega-homes on the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
First of all, any decisions regarding housing and building permits are the responsibility of local governments.
To help support that decision-making at the local level, our former government created a bylaw standard in November 2011 that provided local governments with a ready-to-use model that restricts building large residential homes in the centre of ALR lots and ensures the majority of the land is preserved for agricultural use.
That standard was created following extensive consultation with local governments, agriculture producers, stakeholders and the general public. Local governments were encouraged to follow that standard — but in my view, forcing them to do so would have undermined their authority.
The fact is, the City of Richmond currently allows homes with twice the footprint of the Province’s guidelines — up to about 11,000 square feet instead of about 5,500 — and it is up to the city to decide whether or not to continue with this practice.
Compare this with other farming communities like Delta, which follows the 5,500-square-foot guideline and Maple Ridge, which allows for up to about 7,000 square feet, which is still considerably lower than what Richmond permits.
I reiterate my view that the square footage limit should be lowered closer to that provincial standard, but ultimately, it’s the city’s call.
Secondly, it’s worth noting that owners of farmland are required to follow all relevant federal, provincial and local government laws and regulations, regardless of their residence. The ALR rules must be followed by everyone, and that includes foreign owners.
Linda Reid, MLA
RICHMOND
