Vancouver City Council to consider reducing detached house sizes by 14%

Vancouver City Council to consider reducing single-family detached house sizes by 14%

A single-family detached house in Vancouver. (Shutterstock)

On Thursday, Vancouver City Council will consider City of Vancouver staff’s policy recommendations to enable up to six strata ownership units or eight secured purpose-built rental units on a single-family lot through expanded multiplex construction.

This is an increase from the current allowances through the forms of a basement suite, laneway house, duplex, and multiplex.

But this proposed “Adding Missing Middle Housing and Simplifying Regulations” policy will also aim to decrease the size of the total floor area of a new single-family detached house on such lots.

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Currently, a new house can reach a floor area ratio (FAR) density of a floor area of up to 0.7 times larger than the size of the lot.

The proposed policy would decrease the density by 0.1 FAR to a maximum of 0.6 FAR. This is a 14% drop in size.

In real terms, for a standard single-family lot size of 33 ft wide (street frontage) and 122 ft long (deep), the house structure’s maximum floor area would drop from the current limitation of 2,800 sq ft to 2,400 sq ft.

The intention by City staff is to discourage the replacement of existing detached houses with new larger detached houses, and encourage the construction of more housing for more separate households on the same lot.

As well, the density of the main house would be largely transferred to the laneway house. The maximum size of a laneway house would increase from the existing limit of 0.16 FAR to 0.25 FAR — an increase of 56% in floor area.

But this may have the unintended effect of limiting the housing options for multigenerational families who wish to live within the same house.

Tillie Kwan, an architect and the principal of Vancouver-based Studio Balcaen Kwan Architecture and Design, asserts many households live in multigenerational and other co-living arrangements. Larger homes are more suitable for this.

As well, single-family detached houses with a basement suite would now have less floor area to use between the two legal units within the same structure.

“Reducing maximum allowable area makes the single family housing stock built under these new rules less flexible and adaptable for future living,” reads Kwan’s online petition against the move, which has attracted over 500 signatures in recent weeks.

“The reduction in allowable built area will negatively impact the flexibility and desirability of renovating older homes.”

Instead, she argues the City should maintain the current buildable area for single-family detached houses at 0.7 FAR and allow up to a combined total 0.85 FAR for a lot with a single-family detached house and a laneway house, with a maximum laneway house FAR of 0.25.

She believes improved laneway house livability does not have to come at the expense of the livability of the primary residence on the lot.

“This allows for the flexibility to allocate FAR between the principal dwelling and the laneway house to suit individual homeowner’s needs. From an urban planning and long term outlook for housing perspective, there is no good reason to reduce buildable area from the current standard,” she wrote.

Some cultures are also known to be much more likely to practice multigenerational living within the same primary residence.

Ahead of Thursday’s public hearing, many of the written comments City Council has received in opposition to the policy focuses on the reduction in floor area for single-family detached houses.

Mount Pleasant resident Sharmistha Das wrote: “I have lived in Vancouver for the last 32 years and have a young family. I have plans to stay in Vancouver for the rest of my life. I am hoping to build a new home soon in Vancouver. I have a large family and we value a larger space so that we can all continue to enjoy our dream home in Vancouver. Reducing FAR to 0.6 would greatly impact this plan and staying in Vancouver would be much more difficult for us. I also know that there are many others who are in the same situation.”

Kitsilano resident Nelson Simoes wrote: “I support allowing multiplexes on a single lot. However, I strongly oppose reducing the size of new single-family detached houses. Reducing the size of single-family detached houses will penalize families that require new homes to meet the needs of their families. This will push families out of Vancouver into other cities with more favourable building guidelines. Yes, allow multiplex options and provide FAR incentives to meet the needs of single individuals or couples with one child and a dog. But do not reduce FAR and penalize individuals who require more space, not less, for their families, children, and elderly parents who may require care in a single-detached house.

Local resident Sophia Xu wrote: “I agree with the position that more housing needs to be built to help alleviate rental and housing prices. I also support the introduction of multiplex zoning to provide options to add density. Howeve,r I believe the blanket reduction of the size of single family homes goes directly against these goals. Single-family houses do not necessarily house a single family. Many homes have suites that can be used for rental or housing multiple generations. By reducing the FSR from 0.7 to 0.6 you are effectively disincentivizing building secondary suites, which are an important aspect of providing housing density.”

According to City staff, based on their public consultation this past spring, 60% of respondents agree with reducing the maximum size of new single-family detached houses, 80% agree with increasing the maximum size of new laneway houses, and 74% agree with removing guidelines, standardizing regulations, and reducing the number of single-family zoning districts.

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