From carriage homes to tiny lots, City of Powell River’s planning department is regularly appearing before city council with recommendations for more residential density.
At its regular meeting on Thursday, May 17, council will be asked to approve new zoning bylaws for tiny or small lots in Powell River.
Tiny lots are not to be confused with tiny homes, which the city's planning department is preparing a report for.
Senior city planner Jason Gow said first reading on the bylaw amendment that would allow for small lots in Powell River will take place at the May 17 meeting, then meetings with developers for feedback will be planned.
“We're asking them to change their building style, not all of them but some of them,” said Gow. “We're looking at narrower, longer and taller buildings in some cases.”
Gow said some developers of new subdivisions are considering small lots.
One Powell River neighbourbood where small lot development activity shows possibility is what Gow calls “the bench” area, which is between Michigan and Marine avenues and Duncan and Alberni streets.
“There's opportunity in there,” he said. “It's not every lot because of where the existing houses are situated and I'm not advocating that buildings should be torn down.”
Other areas can support more density, according to Gow, including some where current properties with one house could possibly have three, 10-metre-wide lots.
“It's being creative how you split those lots,” he said.
Gow said he knows there will be residents who are opposed to density but there will be opportunities for public input on any new bylaw zoning.
Gow said his timeline includes meeting with developers and builders in the middle of June, with the goal to have the bylaw before council long before the fall municipal election.
“The best case scenario,” he said, “is midsummer.”
