Developers in Port Coquitlam need to 鈥渟harpen their pencils鈥� to create more family-friendly housing, the city鈥檚 mayor said this week while reviewing a permit for a northside property.
On July 3, Mayor Brad West took aim at an applicant for failing to follow the city鈥檚 policies to build more room for families, although the bid was already in process when the regulations passed last fall.
Under those new rules, all new multi-family housing projects need to include at least 25 per cent family-oriented units and at least five per cent three-bedroom units, as well as more family-friendly amenity space.
PoCo鈥檚 move follows those of 麻豆传媒映画and New Westminster councils, which adopted requirements for a minimum number of units in apartment buildings to be family-oriented (two- and three-bedrooms).
But the development permit proposal for 2160 Grant Ave. that went before Tuesday鈥檚 committee of council, following a public hearing, has only one three-bedroom unit and the two-bedroom suites don鈥檛 meet the city鈥檚 policy criteria as the dens are too small, staff said.
West cited another housing application that came before council last month in which the developer made modifications to his project even though it, too, was in at development permit stage.
鈥淚鈥檓 disappointed other applicants were able to meet it even though they were in the process,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hoping developers will sharpen their pencils and will meet policies in our community.鈥�
Coun. Steve Darling suggested council 鈥渢oughen up鈥� its enforcement while Coun. Darrell Penner countered that he would like to know if the family-friendly policies are working.
鈥淚 think we need to find out from the marketplace what鈥檚 happening. I want to make sure it makes sense,鈥� Penner said.
