Ask Pat: Carriage/Laneway homes

Bill asks—

Carriage/Laneway homes … what is the current status of talks about this topic? I am in the midst of planning a demo/rebuild of a home here in New West for ~ April 2016. I’m wondering if future planning for a Carriage home (my parents or in-laws suite, or delinquent kids in their 30s) is a good idea. Thanks!

Although it sort of depends on where your house is and the details of the site, I suspect you are not currently permitted to put a Carriage House in. However, it just so happens the City is having discussions on this very topic as part of the ongoing “Our City 2041” Official Community Plan Update consultations.

There have been a series of public and stakeholder meetings on this topic since the big day-long workshop at the Anvil Centre that was held on November 7th that was attended by more than 200 people. There is one more Open House on the tour (this coming Saturday, November 28, 9am-noon, at Connaught Heights School) where you can look over the types of new housing and infill density being considered in the City in the coming decade, and provide your feedback on what parts of the City different forms may fit better.

There will also be (I’m told) a pretty solid on-line engagement tool being rolled out in a couple of weeks, so that you can provide similar feedback from the comfort of your couch (or wherever you typically sit while engaging in public consultation).

So if you are interested in carriage homes, laneway housing, cluster homes, quadriplexes, or other types of housing we don’t currently have an abundance of in New Westminster, you might want to check out this link for your opportunities to tell the City what you want to see.

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