District of Squamish is planning to update single-family zoning to allow duplex, triplex and cottage clusters as part of its missing-middle housing accelerator plan. District also plans to remove development permit requirements for triplex and fourplex infill to enable the building of more homes in Squamish.
In Spring this year, BC also announced it will bring legislation to allow four units on single-family lots.
Creating more duplexes and triplexes are among several changes District wants to implement in the next five years with an aim to improve the supply of missing-middle homes. According to a recent housing report by the district, more than 6,000 homes are needed in next eight years in Squamish.
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At a council meeting on July 18, staff asked council to endorse a grant application to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund so staff can start the process of building more homes in Squamish.
Key initiatives District is planning:
Allow for affordable housing on public properties with Institutional Zoning.
Allow for affordable housing in all residential zones.
Pre-zone selected sites identified for affordable housing
Give $300,000 in Pre-Development Funding to Squamish Community Housing Society to support non-profit housing development on District identified sites for affordable housing.
Enable permit-based, on-street residential parking in select areas of Downtown to reduce pressures on off-street parking in apartment and townhouse complexes.
Establish Downtown Zoning to allow for multi-unit housing with density bonus for affordable or market rentals.
Reduce the number of projects that require Advisory Design Panel (ADP) review.
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District of Squamish is also planning to create a new “Housing” team in the Community Planning Department that will accelerate development permits and building permits for missing middle and affordable and market rental projects. There are also plans to implement an e-permitting system to digitize application process for building permits, for which District has already secured $250,000 in grant funding.
Over the last one month, District staff have been working with a consultant, M’akola Development Services, as well as Squamish Community Housing Society, on developing a Housing Action Plan.
