City of Burnaby cuts permitted size of new multiplex homes due to outcry | Daily Hive

City of Burnaby cuts permitted size of new multiplex homes due to public outcry

Example of a multiplex residential structure. (City of Burnaby)

Burnaby City Council has voted to scale back the allowable height and size of small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) typologies, which were recently introduced under the provincial government’s legislation for gently densifying low-density neighbourhoods.

SSMUH legislation was controversially rolled out province-wide, requiring municipal governments to change their bylaws in a manner that aligns with the provincial requirements.

According to the City, the latest amendments to such multiplex typologies are an effort to preserve neighbourhood character — following an outcry from the public — while meeting new density requirements of the provincial government.

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As the first wave of small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) projects nears completion, Burnaby residents have voiced a growing number of concerns to City staff and City Council., according to a City staff report.

While the issues vary, most focus on key zoning elements such as building height, setbacks, lot coverage, and parking requirements.

The most common complaints relate to the height and overall scale of new buildings, which many residents feel are out of character with surrounding neighbourhoods. The City staff report states homeowners have described some of the new structures as overly imposing and inconsistent with the established look and feel of single-family streets. Concerns have also been raised about privacy, with residents reporting that taller buildings allow new occupants to overlook neighbouring yards.

Others have cited the loss of private views and the increased building shadowing of gardens and outdoor spaces as negative impacts of the larger designs.

Parking has emerged as another recurring issue. Many residents fear that limited on-site parking in these new developments will push more vehicles onto residential streets, reducing curbside street parking availability for existing households and adding to local congestion.

As a result, the various changes, approved last week, amend the City’s R1 zoning regulations to reduce building heights, floor area, and lot coverage for new developments. City Council also increased on-site parking requirements, citing concerns from residents about livability and compatibility with existing single-family neighbourhoods.

“Increasing housing supply as legislatively mandated by the Province inevitably changes neighbourhoods,” said Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley in a statement.

“Our goal is to manage the Province’s changes thoughtfully, balancing new options with the qualities residents value.”

In 2023, the provincial government enacted legislation requiring municipalities to permit more housing units on lots previously zoned for single- and two-family homes. Most lots must now allow up to four units, with as many as six units permitted near frequent public transit services. Burnaby updated its zoning bylaw in June 2024 to comply with those requirements.

Under the newly approved amendments, the maximum building height for SSMUH in Burnaby will be reduced from four storeys to three storeys or a real height of up to 10 metres. Rear principal buildings will now be limited to two storeys.

The allowable building floor area for new developments will also decrease by between 33 per cent and 60 percent, depending on the lot size, number of units, and type of housing proposed.

In addition, maximum lot coverage will be reduced by five percent across all housing types, with further reductions of up to 15 percent in certain situations.

On-site parking requirements will rise from the previous minimum of 0.5 vehicle stalls per unit to between 0.67 stall and one stall per unit, based on the size and density of the project.

Despite the higher minimum parking standards, provincial rules restrict Burnaby’s ability to apply them to R1 lots near public transit, which make up about 57 per cent of the city’s R1 zoning.

City officials assert the revisions aim to balance provincial housing mandates with local concerns about neighbourhood change, density, and on-street parking.

“Each municipality has received housing targets from the Province and we remain confident that these goals will be achieved, even with the recent amendments,” said Burnaby city councillor Pietro Calendino.

The City emphasizes it remains committed to its broader housing priorities, including expanding rental housing supply, supporting family-sized homes, and meeting provincial small-scale housing targets.

Over the past two years, ever since the provincial government began introducing its suite of housing legislation, the City of Burnaby has become one of the most vocal municipalities challenging the BC NDP-led government’s sweeping housing reforms.

While City officials have repeatedly affirmed their commitment to meeting provincial housing targets, they have also expressed frustration with a top-down strategy that leaves little room for local planning considerations.

Metro Vancouver municipalities such as Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Surrey have also voiced concerns that provincial mandates are being rolled out faster than infrastructure and community amenities can improve and expand.

The tension between Burnaby and the provincial government has also surfaced in the City’s handling of transit-oriented development legislation. In late 2024, following renewed threats of provincial intervention, City Council approved the necessary bylaws to turn the provincial legislation relating to Transit-Oriented Areas into municipal policy. Burnaby has maintained that, long before the new legislation, it was already a regional leader in catalyzing high-density, transit-oriented development around its SkyTrain stations.

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