Encouraged by guidelines that will require triplex housing to provide at least two parking spots per suite, restricts their size and where they go, White Rock councillors have given preliminary approval to a new policy that would permit construction of three-unit residential housing projects in the city.
A final council vote is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Paul Stanton, the city's director of planning and development services, said last month that the triplex regulations will require owners to provide two off-street parking spots for every unit.
"What we're trying to do is not increase the on-street parking problems we already have," Stanton said.
The overall size of a triplex can't be any bigger than the duplexes already permitted under city bylaws, and the triplexes must be built in areas where multiple-family dwellings already exist.
Coun. Al Campbell said the new category of housing will encourage construction of affordable housing in White Rock.
"This is a very good thing for the city," Campbell said.
The vote endorsing the concept comes nine months after an application to get a one-off zoning amendment to build a triplex at 14968 Beachview Ave. was sunk by a split council vote.
A Jan. 4 meeting held at city hall to discuss details of the proposed city-wide policy drew a small turnout – with just two members of the public attending – and nobody addressed the issue at a Feb. 6 public hearing.
- with files from Tracy Holmes