Vancouver's Popular Laneway Housing Program Gets a Redesign

Vancouver's efforts to facilitate accessory dwellings has proven to be popular - perhaps too popular for some residents. As officials prepare to expand the program citywide, they're tweaking it to address concerns with privacy and parking.

May 15, 2013, 7am PDT | Jonathan Nettler | @nettsj

"Since the City of Vancouver introduced its laneway housing program in 2009, secondary residences have become the hottest thing going in the neighbourhood near Nanaimo and Broadway," reports Jessica Barrett. "But not everyone has embraced laneway houses, and a slew of proposed changes to the program aims to bring more people on board by addressing privacy and parking concerns and expediting the permit approval process."

"A staff report to be presented to council Wednesday recommends several measures designed to encourage one-storey designs, allow for increased square-footage on some sites and expand the program to all areas in the city zoned for single family residences," she explains.

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Report targets parking, privacy concerns

Published on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 in The Vancouver Sun