B.C. rejects Burnaby petition for exemption to transit-oriented development law
Province says it will not consider exemptions as it seeks to support density, housing mix
The provincial government is unmoved by a petition from homeowners for an exemption from new legislation that could see up to - storey apartments bui lt in their neighbourhood.
The “Save Brentwood Park” coalition, with names, successfully petitioned city council to lobby the province to make an exception for the single-family home neighbourhood, which sits within the -metre transit-oriented development area for the Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain station.
Provincial legislation will require cities to allow buildings with minimum heights of eight to storeys within certain distances around transit-oriented areas (TOAs), such as SkyTrain stations.
The petitioners said the new rules would lead to the “inevitable decimation” of their neighbourhood and that an exemption would take into consideration the significant development already occurring in Brentwood.
But the province gave Glacier Media an unequivocal answer: No.
“The province is not considering exemptions to the TOA designations across B.C. that were established last year,” said the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in an emailed statement.
The petitioners argued the designation of the Brentwood Town Centre SkyTrain as a transit-oriented area was “indiscriminately superimposed over ¤ per cent of (their) neighbourhood.”
But the province said the purpose of the legislation is to ensure that “appropriate densities” are built on eligible properties in residential areas near “high-quality transit nodes like Brentwood station.”
“New development within TOAs will be a gradual process that’s expected to happen over years,” said the province.
“Land near busy transit hubs like SkyTrain stations is ideal for increasing the supply and mix of housing types.”
The province added that developers will not be required to build to the minimum density requirement.
“This legislation is about saying that local governments can’t deny a project based on height and density if it’s in the standards set in TOA legislation.”
Two weeks ago, Burnaby council unanimously supported Save Brentwood Park’s petition.
Coun. Sav Dhaliwal said the City of Burnaby has done “an excellent job” building in its four town centre quadrants—Brentwood, Metrotown, Lougheed and Edmonds—over the last ¤ years.
But he said there is now a “fatigue in terms of how much one area can take in terms of additional density that’s now going to be imposed by the bills that the province has brought.”
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley agreed, saying Brentwood residents “have done more than enough” when it comes to supporting new development, which is why he doesn’t support what he called the provincial government’s “overstep.”
“And make no mistake, this whole Bill , and the other bills that they’ve brought out, is a great overreach by the provincial government into the work that should be done and should be planned by municipalities and the residents working together.”
The mayor has previously projected Brentwood town centre at build-out will be home to about , residents.
The provincial government’s new legislation will come into effect on July .