City staff to prepare zoning amendments for housing legislation compliance

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John council directed staff to amend its zoning bylaw during their meeting on April 8th to meet provincial housing legislation requirements. 

The amendments are required after the province passed four bills in 2023, most notably Bill 44, the Housing Statutes (Residential Development) Amendment Act. The passed legislation affects all communities with over 5,000 people regarding housing statuses on development financing, transit-oriented areas, and residential development.

Charlene Jackson, the planning manager for the city, says Bill 44 has the most significant and immediate effect on the city, requiring all low-density parcels greater than 280 square metres to have four dwelling units each.

The city must update the zoning bylaws by June 30th, 2024, and the Official Community Plan (OCP) by December 31st, 2025.

Jackson says that if nothing is done, the provincial government will implement legislation for the community as it sees fit. 

Council was concerned about the idea of implementing too much change in the community, feeling that the provincial policies were too broad in scope and that the least amount of change would be best. 

Staff presented three options to council that would involve varying amounts of change in the community. All options involve reducing the number of low-density housing zones and maximizing parcel coverage.

Options two and three include those changes, as well as increasing the permitted forms of construction for principal dwellings and reducing the minimum parcel width for all forms of construction. 

Council chose the first option as it would involve less change to existing neighbourhoods.

“Option one is the most conservative change, and it will hopefully help maintain our community character and be more consistent with our official community plan,” said Mayor Lilia Hansen.

The amendments will include updates on current municipal housing laws. 

The legislation would change definitions, parking requirements, development permit requirements, and amenity spaces. 

Council directed staff to keep fencing, parking and development requirements the same under the proposed amendments. 

Fort St. John currently has 5,535 parcels of land affected by the bill.

Council raised concerns about how adding housing units can affect available parking spaces and the amount of grass and trees allowed on properties. 

“If you take a residential house and make it multi-dwelling, you are only allowed one parking spot for that multiple dwelling,” said councillor Jim Lequiere.  

“Most houses have two, sometimes three cars. It’s going to be a nightmare on the street,” said Lequiere. 

Councillor Sarah MacDougall said she doesn’t see how properties would have room for grass and trees.

“The province is trying to paint us with the same brush as those large lower mainland communities,” said MacDougall.

Last year, the B.C. government also passed the Homes for People program to allow more small-scale, multi-unit housing (SSMUH) in land zones that are otherwise restricted to single-family dwellings or duplexes.

The zoning amendments will be presented to council for a first and second reading at the June 10th, 2024, council meeting. The amendments are expected to be adopted on June 24th, 2024, and the resolutions will be sent to the housing ministry. 

The full presentation can be viewed below: