The obstacles to affordable housing keep falling in Saanich, with the district council backing a plan to create a whole new set of rules for non-market rental developments.
Mayor Dean Murdock called housing the "big need" in the community, saying anything the district can do to make that process of building affordable housing easier "is something we have to advance."
Saanich councillors voted on Monday (July 15) to support a proposal to make the process for building affordable rental housing in the district shorter and simpler, moving forward with a preliminary plan to pre-clear non-market rentals for rezoning as long as they meet criteria laid out in the Official Community Plan (OCP).
According to the plan, buildings as large as 18 storeys in certain parts of Saanich would not need to go to council for rezoning. Additionally, the approval of development permits or development permit variances would not need to go before council but could instead be decided by district staff.
The idea is to create a faster and more predictable process for developers.
The easing of rules would only be in force for developers that met the criteria of non-market — essentially meaning non-profit — housing for people with low incomes. This type of housing is generally built by organizations such as BC Housing and the Capital Region Housing Corporation.
The plans will still have to go back to council in the form of actual bylaw changes before going into effect and would only affect developments within the district's urban containment boundary.
Not every part of the plan received wholehearted support from councillors, with several voicing concerns over a section of the plan that would remove cash-in-lieu payments that developers must make for cutting down trees.
"I wouldn't want people who are moving into non-market rental properties to not have access to trees," said Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff. Phelps Bondaroff was joined by Coun. Nathalie Chambers and Coun. Judy Brownoff in a failed attempt to remove that provision from the plan.
This tree protection bylaw can mean certain developers have to pay a large amount of money if they must cut down trees during the construction process that cannot be replaced on site afterwards. An example given by district staff during the Monday meeting was the Nellie McClung Library, where the cash-in-lieu payment due will top $200,000.
But Phelps Bondaroff was keen on a part of the plan that would remove parking stall requirements for these buildings, something he has long advocated for as part of his pro-active transportation platform.
And Brownoff voiced additional concerns generally with the idea of such large buildings not getting individually assessed by council. These buildings would automatically be allowed near certain "centres" such as Uptown-Douglas or Quadra-McKenzie.
"The whole idea of spreading these tall buildings throughout the centre without a process is concerning to me," Brownoff said.
