District of Squamish will encourage residential density in specific areas of the community under a new Smart Growth Neighborhood Initiative.
The first category where the Smart Growth Neighbourhood Incentive is proposed are lots within an approximate 400 m walking distances of bus stops along the Core Transit Network.
The Core Transit Network runs from Downtown, through the Business Park and Garibaldi Village, up to the University.
Increasing the number of residents along this line will make it possible to provide more frequent bus service, district says.
District’s goal is to achieve 3,500 people and jobs per square kilometer, in order to support bus service every 15 minute, which BC Transit has suggested is the level of frequency need to increase utilizing the transit system.
The specific areas along the Core Transit Network proposed for inclusion in the incentive system are area of Dentville, Northyards, Mamquam and Garibaldi Highlands.
The second category where the Smart Growth Neighbourhood Incentive is proposed are lots within an approximate 400 m walking distances of the neighbourhood nodes in Brackendale and Valleycliffe.
These neighbourhood Nodes are intended as hubs where residents can meet day-to-day needs within walking distance of their homes
As part of this program, duplexes will be available on single-unit (RS-1 and RMH-2) properties, and triplexes on corner lots.
On duplex (RS-2) properties larger than 0.1 ha, or RS-2 properties with rear lanes, triplexes would be allowed.
On properties which permit multi-unit development (RM-1, RM-2, RM-3 and C-1) an additional 0.2 Floor Area Ratio could be built.
This program will not be applied to downtown, the business park and the Garibaldi Estates.
The district is also proposing a Low-carbon Incentive, where extra density will be granted for those developments that use low-carbon energy sources such as electricity rather than high-carbon energy sources such as fossil fuels.
Donald Patrick says
Change the bus routes…. already too dangerous…. I would not even ride on one. Cheers
Donald Patrick says
Thot this was the nice valley to live, work and raise a family with the normal amenities expected for a rural lifestyle….how wrong could I be…. hire a bunch of overpaid folks from the intellectual society to work in City Hall who is trying to save the rest of the world by providing high-density housing, creating standing lines for the Post offices…. hurry up and gets the kids to schools, etc ….. try to be on time for the sports registration line, etc … total far cry from a nice easy lifestyle that the nature folks were expecting …. hustle-bustle, catch the bus to go nowhere and no capacity to bring home what your objective was ….. looks to me like city hall is creating an” easy-going injection site…. who gives a dam” community. Add more homeless homes and lure in those desirable real folks of society….. cannot wait for the results.
Sharon Smith says
I am extremely disappointed to learn of this “Smart Growth” expansion as described for Brackendale, the most rural area of Squamish. The river, wildlife, Eagle preserve, farmland, its predominantly non-commercial makeup, and the quiet neighbourhoods are the very things that define Brackendale. Considering local opposition to this initiative I am wondering why this is going ahead. Why too, has Garibaldi Estates been excluded from these plans. With its central location to transit, highway, exising commercial development, expanding village, large level properties and access point and proximity to Quest U., it certainly has room for some of that “Smart Growth”. But honestly, is this really what our communities want. I am still astounded at that concrete mausoleum defacing the entrance to our downtown and the schoolchildren that have that “architectural” disaster to look at. We now have building heights that incorporate higher ground floors that end up having the height of six and seven story buildings. Developers have too much leeway with variances. I am not confident we can trust that we wont have more of these.