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Change building code to allow tiny homes, district tells province

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Tiny homes are currently illegal in the district.
staff report
April 29, 2020 10:57am

District of Squamish is asking the province to make changes to the building code that would allow tiny homes as permanent dwellings.

The code changes should also enable the construction of tiny homes where local government plans and zoning bylaws deem them appropriate, district says.

The demand was brought forward by Councilor John French in a district resolution to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM).

While not legally binding, the resolutions are a way for local governments to seek provincial attention for local issues deemed important by municipalities.

In his resolution, Councillor French said communities across BC were experiencing a housing crisis, and the full spectrum of affordable housing isn’t available to them.

Tiny homes could be one solution to the problem.

Tiny homes, single detached homes less than 500 square feet, could support infill densification as an alternative to laneway home, he said.

But tiny homes are non-compliant when it comes to the present BC Building Code.

District wants UBCM to ask the province to review the 14 Code change requests, including application of the code, definitions within the code, combination rooms, ceiling heights, doorways, stairs, guards, smoke detectors, escape windows and lateral loads and plumbing.

These code changes requests have also been made at the national level by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association.

Tiny homes should be considered distinct from mobile homes or recreational vehicles and are meant for full-time living, district resolution says.

District has been exploring ways to allow tiny homes to be parked on residential lots to increase housing affordability.

However, mobile tiny homes are not currently legal in the district as there are currently no zones that allow them.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Reckoning Day says

    April 29, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    Perfect for the homeless ! Get it done!

    • Terry Courtney says

      April 30, 2020 at 6:03 am

      If you want your tiny homes legal then rv’s should also be legal especially ones like ours that is csa approved

    • Marie says

      April 30, 2020 at 7:20 am

      Not just the homeless (and they certainly require an investment).
      Perfect for people who are conscientious about limiting their ecological footprint and living in a more sustainable way.

    • Pennie Boyd says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:59 am

      Perfect for people who cannot afford the cost of Condos or Townhouses.

    • A. Nonog says

      May 17, 2020 at 11:05 am

      I am not homeless yet but i would like a home for myself and a tiny home is a viable avenue for me. I hope changes can be made to accommodate people with average incomes in a high rent environment such as Victoria

  2. Simon says

    May 1, 2020 at 5:44 am

    Let them build!

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