Six months after 27,000 Richmond single-family-home properties were rezoned to allow three to six units per lot, the city has only received 10 applications to build three or more units per lot.
The city has received 42 building permit applications since the new zoning rules took effect in June, rules that were mandated by the province.
In addition to the 10 applications for three or more units, 10 applications are for single-family homes without secondary suites, 18 are for single-family homes with secondary suites, one is for a house with a coach house on the property and three are for duplexes.
“Rather than indicating limited interest in (small-scale multi-unit housing) development, the data may reflect the short duration of time that has passed since the RSM zone was introduced in June 2024,” reads a city report, adding project planning, land acquisition and design can take “several months.”
The provincial government passed legislation that required municipalities to allow between three and six units on many single-family lots – depending on their size – and high-rise development next to rapid transit.
After city council approved the zoning in June, the city consulted with builders and solicited public feedback from July to November, and came up with some minor zoning change suggestions.
These include increasing the maximum height of buildings from nine metres to 10 metres as well as other changes in regards to rear yard setbacks, fence heights, secondary suite design requirements and sub-division in duplex developments.
City council’s planning committee will deal with these zoning change recommendations at next week’s planning meeting.
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