The City of Salmon Arm is moving closer to the day when coach houses will be an accepted affordable housing option.
At their Monday meeting, city council approved for the preparation of bylaws to amend the official community plan and zoning to allow coach houses, or detached suites, within the city’s urban containment boundary.
In the proposed zoning amendment, a detached suite is defined as a dwelling unit with a maximum floor area of 968.9 square feet, and would be an accessory unit to an existing single-family dwelling. This will not include a mobile or manufactured home, recreational vehicle or storage container.
Detached suites must meet BC Building Code requirements, be accessible by a cleared and constructed pathway from the offstreet parking stalls to the building entrance and be appropriately serviced.
Detached suites could only be built on properties rezoned to the proposed R8 - Single Family/Secondary Suite Residential Zone, and subdivision of a detached suite will not be allowed. Furthermore, single-family residences can have a conventional secondary suite or a detached suite, but not both.
Coun. Chad Eliason, a longtime advocate of coach houses, noted the opportunity to build detached suites would provide not only an affordable housing option, but could potentially benefit “empty nesters” not yet ready to leave their property.
“We’re not only providing affordable housing for maybe a new family or new couple, but also for the retiring baby boomers who maybe want to stay on their property… so I’m happy to see this brought forward,” said Eliason.
Coun Alan Harrison said it is important the public know these new bylaws would only apply to the urban containment boundary. He also commented that his support for any applications to build a detached suite would depend on input from neighbours.
“If variances come forward, I follow what I’ve always followed, if it doesn’t impact neighbours… I won’t be supportive if the neighbours don’t want the variances,” said Harrison.
Development services director Kevin Pearson explained development cost charges would be collected on the development of detached suites, which would be around $6,200 per unit, two-thirds the rate for single-family dwellings. Regarding utilities, home owners with a detached suite can expect to be charged an additional annual fee of $237. As for the curbside garbage program, staff is currently considering bag tags to cover the additional waste.
Coun. Debbie Cannon asked what options might be available for single-family dwellings owners in the Agricultural Land Reserve. Pearson said he’d heard that in most cases, applications to the Agricultural Land Commision for the construction of non-farm use coach houses are turned down. He suggested the city see if the commission might accept a policy to support coach houses. Coun. Marg Kentel suggested council pursue this, but after the bylaws are passed for the urban containment area.