Latest news with #highDensityHousing
CTV News
4 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
B.C. judge says concerns ‘overblown' in court challenge to Squamish townhouse project
Apartments, condos and houses are seen in downtown Squamish, B.C., on Thursday, June 26, 2025. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press) VANCOUVER — The B.C. Supreme Court says concerns raised by Squamish, B.C., residents in a legal challenge to a townhouse development project are 'overblown,' paving the way for high-density housing in one of the country's fastest-growing communities. A ruling issued Thursday says Dennis and Andrea Smith wanted to stop a four-unit townhouse project from being built on a neighbouring property, claiming a 'building scheme' from 1959 only allows for single family homes to be built on the lot. The court ruling says the developer behind the project, Clearwater Park GP Inc., sought to cancel or modify the scheme to allow the project to go ahead. It says the homeowners opposed the townhouse project because it will 'change the character of the neighbourhood,' impacting their privacy, increasing traffic and reducing pedestrian safety. The judge's decision says 'circumstances have changed' since the creation of the 1959 building scheme, and it has been 'widely ignored' for years, allowing residents to conduct renovations and build secondary suites. Judge Frits Verhoeven's ruling says the building scheme is therefore 'obsolete' and the company has a development permit from the District of Squamish, rejecting the Smiths' bid to halt the project and agreeing to cancel the building scheme at the heart of the court challenge. 'I am not without sympathy for the desire of the Smiths and other property owners and residents of the area to preserve their neighbourhood as it is, including in particular its single family, low-density nature,' Judge Verhoeven wrote. " However, in relation to the exercise of the court's residual discretion, the need of the community for additional housing is also relevant." The ruling says Squamish is among Canada's 10 fastest-growing communities, with its population growing more than 22 per cent between 2016 and 2021. The ruling says its population was just under 24,000 people in 2021, and is forecasted to grow past 40,000 by 2040. 'Consideration of the public interest does not favour the position of the Smiths that the court should refuse to cancel the building scheme,' the court ruled. This report by Darryl Greer of The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2025.
CTV News
10-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Public hearing focuses on exempting rowhouse development permits in new Calgary communities
Calgary city council will discuss an amendment to a bylaw that would allow certain high-density housing developments to be built in new communities without the requirement of a permit. A public hearing at Calgary city council will focus on exempting rowhouse development permits in new communities. In May 2024, council narrowly voted in favour of moving forward with the change to allow for more density in residential areas. Over 100 hours, 736 people spoke to council during the public hearing on the issue, with nearly 70 per cent of those who spoke against blanket rezoning. When this was approved, administration was directed to bring forward amendments to the Land Use Bylaw that would speed up the approval process for rowhouses in new communities by removing the requirement for a development permit. Currently, rowhouse developments in new communities still require a permit but single and semi-detached homes do not. To be exempt from a development permit, a rowhouse must meet the following criteria: align to all rules in the bylaw; be a permitted use in the developing area; maximum of one dwelling unit per parcel and parcel is not a bare land unit; where there is a rear lane, all parking must be accessed from the lane; be subject to an active development agreement; and have each lot drain direction to the street and lane or provide a swale and overland drainage easement. BILD Calgary, Mattamy Homes, Rohit Homes and Baywest Homes are just some of the companies in favour of this change. In a letter to city council, BILD Calgary says, 'Removing the requirement for a developing permit will eliminate a significant barrier to constructing rowhomes in new, developing communities.' 'The time and cost associated with the development permit process has been prohibitive, often discouraging developers and builders from pursuing this housing form.' Public hearing focuses on exempting rowhouse development permits in new Calgary communities These proposed amendments align with the City of Calgary's Housing Strategy, approved in 2023, specifically supporting the outcome of amending and streamlining planning policy and process to allow for diverse housing.
