Municipal News- Burnaby

January 1, 2000

September 19, 2023

UPDATE: District Energy Policy

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on September 11th the City’s District Energy (DE) Policy was adopted with an effective date of January 1st, 2024.

Key aspects of the policy include:

A policy framework that will serve as a key implementation tool and establish qualifying buildings based on service areas, land use zone, and building size;
DEU compatibility requirements, which will be sought through the rezoning process, with building design based on DEU service availability; and
Process and procedures for connecting existing buildings and new buildings.

The final DE Policy can be reviewed here. More information can be found in the full report by City staff, “What We Heard” report which is inclusive of feedback provided by UDI, maps of DEU service areas, and DEU related implementation tools.

Public Notice Bylaw

At Council on September 11th, changes to the City’s Public Notice Bylaw were adopted to provide for alternative means of publishing a notice. Since the printed edition of local newspaper publication “Burnaby Now” has been cancelled, to meet statutory public notice requirements, City staff will now publish notice through the City’s website and through an eNewsletter (currently called CityConnect) that is published by the City and distributed through an electronic email subscription service. A new webpage on the City’s website will be created where all statutory notices will be published on Thursday each week.

More information can be found in the final bylaw.

UPDATE: Parking and TDM Plan for TOD Areas

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, on September 11th the Planning and Development Committee expressed support for City staff recommendations on a Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Parking and Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Policy for multi-family residential strata and purpose-built rental within 800m of a SkyTrain station.

The main recommendations include:

Updating residential parking rates in TOD Areas to adjust for dwelling unit types and/or distance from SkyTrain stations:
- Multi-Family (Strata) residential rate updated from an overall 1.0 parking stalls per dwelling unit to a rate of 0.40 or 0.45 parking stalls for studio or 1-bedroom units, and 0.90 or 0.95 parking stalls for 2+ bedroom units based on proximity to a SkyTrain station; and
- Purpose-built (market) rental updated from an overall 0.5 parking space per dwelling unit to 0.30 parking stalls for studio or 1-bedroom units, and 0.75 parking stalls for 2+ bedroom units.
Adopting TDM initiatives, and requiring mandatory TDM incentives that include transit subsidy and car share memberships/credits for all residential dwelling units in new buildings:
- Mandatory provision of TDM measures for all residential dwelling units in new TOD developments. There would be no further negotiated approach because of this new program, and through this review, a suite of TDM program measures including transit subsidy and car share membership and credits (refer to Attachment 6) would be required for all residential units.
Adopting Bicycle Infrastructure requirements in current Bylaws to encourage bicycle usage for residents:
- Requiring 2.0 long-term bike parking spaces per dwelling unit for residential land use;
- Requiring 0.2 short-term visitor bike parking spaces per dwelling unit to be located at the primary building entrance;
- Requiring provision of bicycle repair and maintenance stations on-site for all multiple residential dwelling uses;
- Requiring design criteria for accessibility to support bicycle parking access.
Requiring Wayfinding through current Bylaws in new developments to guide access to sustainable transportation.

The changes would apply to in-stream projects that have not received Second Reading. The recommendations will now go to Council on September 25th for approval, which will likely be accompanied by a motion directing City staff to report back on the associated costs relating to TDM and off-street parking management resulting from reduced parking, and to look at additional contributions to affordable housing by exploring moving cost savings from reduced parking into affordable housing initiatives.

More information can be found in the full report by City staff.

August 9, 2023

UPDATE: Certified Professional Program

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on July 24th Council adopted amendments to the Building Bylaw in relation to the City’s new Certified Professional (CP) Program.

This provides applicants with a new, voluntary option for processing Building Permits. Applicants may choose to retain a CP and to use the CP Program approach, or may choose to submit applications to the City for plan checking and inspections. The CP only performs tasks which are currently performed by the City’s plan checkers and building inspectors, as the program is only applicable to Building Code matters.

The effective date of the program is September 1st, 2023, on which the City will be able to receive applications under the CP Program.

July 26, 2023

Zero Emissions Building Retrofit Strategy

At Council on July 10th, a preliminary draft of the Zero-Emissions Building Retrofit (ZEBR) Strategy was endorsed, as a basis for further consultation and development. A final iteration will be brought to Committee and Council for review and approval in Fall 2023. Incentives being considered include:

Immediately starting work to reduce permit barriers and costs;
In the short-term, providing top-ups to existing retrofit incentive programs for electrification measures; and
In the medium-term, working with other municipalities to explore bulk purchasing options for heat pumps and other mechanical systems to bring down costs and secure availability of technology.

The City will also be looking to reduce policy and bylaw barriers that hinder retrofit adoption through:

Immediately exploring options to incorporate carbon emissions reductions for existing buildings in building bylaws, and options to amend noise bylaws and zoning bylaws to support heat pump installations; as well as
In the medium-term, exploring policy and standards on mandatory benchmarking, water and space heating efficiency and fuel switching requirements.

More information can be found in the full staff report.

UPDATE: Interim TOD Parking Strategy and Parking Study

At Planning and Development Committee (PDC) on July 12th, Council made the decision to forgo implementation of an Interim Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Parking Strategy, and instead allow City staff to complete work underway on the City’s Parking Study.

The Chair of the UDI Burnaby Liaison Committee spoke to PDC on behalf of UDI, encouraging Council to allow City staff to complete the Parking Study work underway to ensure a data-driven policy for the longer-term. Support was also expressed for the City moving to a lower parking standard, especially for transit areas.

UDI will continue to engage with the City on its Parking Strategy and looks forward to providing feedback on staff recommendations going to PDC on September 14th. The City is still collecting data to help inform its Parking Strategy work, and has requested support from UDI members with parking and travel behaviour data collection for the following neighbourhoods in TOD areas:

Metrotown Regional Town Centre
Brentwood Town Centre
Edmonds Town Centre
Lougheed Town Centre
Royal Oak Urban Village Neighbourhood
The Heights Urban Village Neighbourhood

The intent of collecting this information is to better understand the current TOD parking demand baseline, and provide a measure on how future transportation initiatives will impact City policy directions. The data collection survey includes:

Residential Parking – observation of on-site visitor and residential parking demand and supply during a weekday and Saturday;
Bicycle Parking – observation of on-site visitor and residential bicycle usage during a weekday and Saturday;
Mode Split – collection of household information on parking behaviour and vehicle usage through a questionnaire survey.

More information can be found in the attached letter from City staff. UDI would strongly encourage members to participate in this data collection to help inform Parking Study work. If this is something you would be able to provide data on, please reach out to burnabyparkingstudy@bunteng.com for information about next steps!

Burnaby Housing Authority Engagement

The City is creating its own municipal housing authority, to help facilitate the creation of new non-market housing, functioning as a “one-stop-shop” for non-market housing development, management, and administration. Proposed functions of the Burnaby Housing Authority (BHA) include:

Creating more secure, purpose-built housing within Burnaby;
Streamlining decision-making and project development processes;
Accelerating housing projects and capitalizing on opportunities;
Acting as a centralized hub to develop and manage non-market housing for public benefit;
Contributing to the larger housing ecosystem through collaboration, not competition.

The City is hosting a dedicated focus group for the development industry to be able to share feedback on the BHA’s structure, scope, mandate, as well as ways to partner and collaborate with the BHA. This will help inform the creation of the BHA, and ensure that it can work collaboratively with the housing sector to increase housing diversity and affordability in Burnaby.

Opportunities to engage include:

An in-person, two-hour focus group, facilitated by Urban Matters on Tuesday, August 1st, 2023 from 2:00pm-4:00pm (Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Ave, Room 102);
An open virtual, two-hour session, for all interested parties on Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 from 9:00am-11:00am (Zoom link provided upon registration).

If you are interested in participating, please email admin@urbanmatters.ca and indicate what session you would like to attend. A calendar invitation will then be forwarded to you. Additional information can be found in the attached summary. You can also visit www.burnaby.ca/housingauthority or contact housingauthority@burnaby.ca for more information.

UPDATE: Official Community Plan Review

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, the City is creating a new Official Community Plan (OCP) for Burnaby to set the long-term vision for managing growth. Engagement with the community and relevant stakeholders took place throughout June and July to establish the vision, values, and goals that will inform a range of scenarios for growth. Consideration of the various growth scenarios from Phase 2 will be part of a subsequent engagement process in early 2024.

More information can be found in the engagement session presentation slides.

June 27, 2023

Proposed Interim Transit Oriented Development Parking Policy

At Council on June 19th, a report was received by Council on a Proposed Interim Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Parking Policy. Proposals included in this interim policy included parking requirements for multiple-family (strata) within 800m of a SkyTrain Station throughout the City at a ratio of 0.6 spaces per unit (inclusive of 0.1 spaces for visitors), as well as payment in-lieu of reduced parking (from the current 1.1 spaces per unit) in the amount of $40,000 per stall with proceeds going towards active transportation initiatives. More details on the proposals can be read in the full report by City staff. UDI submitted a letter to Mayor and Council with feedback on the proposals, which encompassed feedback received by UDI members.

The report has been deferred to Planning and Development Committee (PDC) for the July 12th meeting, to allow for additional Council discussion in order to bring other elements into the policy before it goes back to Council for consideration. Based on PDC discussions and resulting direction from Council, City staff would then go back and make any necessary adjustments. The earliest projected timeline (based on Council discussion at the meeting) for City staff to bring this item back to Council for consideration was expressed as the end of August.

UDI will continue its ongoing discussions with City staff on the interim policy, as well as the Parking Strategy work underway.

Certified Professional Program

At Council on June 19th, Council approved the City’s Certified Professional (CP) Program, which will provide applicants with a new, voluntary option for processing Building Permits. Applicants may choose to retain a CP and to use the CP Program approach, or may choose to submit applications to the City for plan checking and inspections. The CP only performs tasks which are currently performed by the City’s plan checkers and building inspectors, as the program is only applicable to Building Code matters.

The effective date of the program is September 1st, 2023, on which the City will be able to receive applications under the CP Program. This will allow time to recruit new staff (three positions were previously authorized by Council to support the program), develop practices and procedures specific to Burnaby, and prepare an information bulletin for the development community.

More information can be found in the full report by City staff, which includes additional details on the typical process for a CP Building Permit in Section 3.4.

June 13, 2023

UPDATE: Edmonds, Cascade, and Royal Oak Neighbourhood Plans

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, on June 5th Council endorsed the preliminary visioning, goals, and plan directions for the Edmonds, Cascade, and Royal Oak Neighbourhood Plans. City staff will now initiate Phase 1 of the consultation process.

For Edmonds and Royal Oak, preliminary work will take place over the spring/summer 2023, with drafting of plan directions in fall 2023/winter 2024, and a detailed drafting of the plan over summer 2024. The goal is to have a finalized plan for fall 2024. The Cascade process could follow the same timeline noted above in three phases, or an alternative two-phase option that would see a drafting of the plan over fall 2023/winter 2024, with the goal of a finalized plan for summer 2024.

UPDATE: Official Community Plan Project

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, the City is creating a new Official Community Plan (OCP) for Burnaby to set the long-term vision for managing the city’s growth. Throughout June and July, there are several opportunities to get involved and share your vision for Burnaby’s future:

Attend one of four Burnaby 2050: Visioning Dialogue sessions. Learn more and register for your free ticket by Friday June 9 here;
Drop by a pop-up event;
Participate in the online survey.

This engagement period will take place between June 1st and July 17th.

UPDATE: Rental Use Zoning Policy Review

At Planning and Development Committee on June 14th, a report is coming forward with recommendations to adopt an updated Rental Use Zoning Policy (RUZP), and to seek authority for City staff to prepare amendments to the Zoning Bylaw in support of the policy updates.

The proposed policy amendments provide greater clarity on the policy’s requirements as originally adopted by Council. The proposed amendments to the Zoning Bylaw increase the density available to offset the higher costs of non-market housing units constructed in concrete or mass timber buildings. Additionally, Zoning Bylaw amendments are proposed to change the minimum unit sizes for residential unit types, which would improve the livability of rental units and better align with BC Housing’s Design Guidelines which set minimum unit sizes for BC Housing projects.

Based on the findings of the financial analysis, City staff are recommending updates to the Zoning Bylaw to provide additional Offset Density to cover the costs of Inclusionary Units in a non-combustible concrete or mass timber building. The amendments propose to increase Offset Density for concrete or mass timber construction, which property owners and prospective development applicants may consider as they determine the preferred type of construction to meet the RUZP obligations. This approach allows the Zoning Bylaw, along with the RUZP and adopted Community Plans, to support a more accurate two-tiered offset of costs for the future development of non-market Inclusionary Units that vary in construction methods and costs.

Using a percentage to calculate Offset Density ensures that the Offset Density is able to increase or decrease proportionally with the Base and Bonus Density and nonmarket requirements being pursued for a development site. For wood frame construction in Town Centres, the proposed Offset Density percentages are generally consistent with the existing proportion of Offset Density for RM3s, RM4s, and RM5s Districts that utilize maximum density. For concrete or mass timber construction, the higher percentage of Offset Density was informed through financial analysis to determine the additional market density needed to help offset the delivery of concrete Inclusionary Units required under the RUZP.

If the proposed policy amendments are adopted by Council, the new policy would apply to new applicable rezoning applications under the RUZP Policy, and for active rezoning applications that have not yet achieved Second Reading. If authorized, the proposed Zoning Bylaw amendments would be brought forward in future reports in Fall 2023, including details on how the amended zoning regulations may apply to instream rezoning applications. Staff will monitor input on the proposed changes to the RUZP and summarize findings in a future report.

More information can be read in the full staff report.

May 16, 2023

Edmonds, Cascade, and Royal Oak Neighbourhood Plans

At Planning and Development Committee on May 10th, Council endorsed the preliminary visioning, goals, and plan directions for the Edmonds Town Centre, Cascade Heights Urban Village, and Royal Oak Urban Village Community Plans (CPs).

For the Edmonds Town Centre CP, preliminary work will take place over the spring/summer 2023, with drafting of plan directions in fall 2023/winter 2024, and a detailed drafting of the plan over summer 2024. The goal is to have a finalized plan for fall 2024. Preliminary goals include:

Providing a diverse range of Town Centre housing types, forms and tenures with a focus on high density residential and mixed-use forms around Edmonds SkyTrain station and the intersection of Kingsway and Edmonds Street and Southgate Village;
Developing usable, comfortable, accessible urban public spaces and streets;
Preserving, enhancing, and expanding community’s parks and green space;
Establishing Mixed-Use Nodes that offer a range of employment opportunities to enhance Edmond’s position as a regional Town Centre; and
Advancing the City’s goals and targets for climate action.

The report includes additional detail on Mixed-Use Node concepts (Town Centre Node, Station Area Node, Southgate Village Node) as part of the land-use framework.

The full staff report can be read here.

For the Cascade Heights Urban Village CP preliminary work will take place over the spring/summer 2023, with two options for additional phases that include two or three phases. The two-phase option would see a drafting of the plan over fall 2023/winter 2024, with the goal of a finalized plan for summer 2024. The three-phase option would see drafting of plan directions in fall 2023/winter 2024, and a detailed drafting of the plan over summer 2024. The goal would be to have a finalized plan for fall 2024. Preliminary goals include:

Flexibility in housing options, including infill and missing middle housing that may be integrated within single and two-family dwelling neighbourhoods;
Establishing Sunset Street as the main commercial and mixed-use strip in Cascade Heights, and continuing to facilitate and expand upon commercial and local employment opportunities along this street, including those that may create synergies with Burnaby Hospital;
Improving accessibility, walkability, public transit access, and preservation of environmental assets, while maintaining Cascade Heights as a quieter, more locally focused Urban Village; and
Advancing the City’s goals and targets for climate action.

The report includes additional detail on a potential amended plan area boundary westward to Boundary Road, eastward to Carleton Avenue, northward to Avondale Street, and southward to Spruce Street.

The full staff report can be read here.

For the Royal Oak Urban Village CP, like Edmonds, preliminary work will take place over the spring/summer 2023, with drafting of plan directions in fall 2023/winter 2024, and a detailed drafting of the plan over summer 2024. The goal is to have a finalized plan for fall 2024. Preliminary goals include:

Providing diverse and unique Urban Village housing options, including focusing higher residential densities and mixed-use forms around the Royal Oak SkyTrain station (Station Area Node) and along the Kingsway corridor leading from Metrotown (Village Centre Node) to create a bi-nodal transit-oriented gateway;
Applying Streetscape and Urban Village Design Guidelines that were established through the Bainbridge and Lochdale Community Plan processes to ensure that new and existing streetscapes within Royal Oak meet the needs of all users through convenient and sustainable mobility options, a high quality public realm, and enhanced connections to parks and green spaces;
Enhancing the local economy to better serve existing and future residents, and to establish Royal Oak as a complete Urban Village with a mix of locally-serving retail, services, social infrastructure, and other commercial and employment uses;
Establishing Royal Oak as a unique, transit-oriented Urban Village Community and a distinct place to live, work and visit, in between the more intensive Metrotown and Edmonds communities; and
Establishing Royal Oak as a unique, transit-oriented Urban Village Community and a distinct place to live, work and visit, in between the more intensive Metrotown and Edmonds communities.

The report includes additional detail outlining preliminary directions on plan boundaries and a land use framework.

The full staff report can be read here.

ESC and ZCSC Requirements

At Council on May 8th, Council received a report for information on regulatory amendments to the BC Building Code for energy efficiency (Energy Step Code) and carbon pollution (Zero Carbon Step Code) in relation to green building policy and bylaws. The May 1st, 2023 effective date for ESC regulatory amendments requires a minimum of Step 2 for Part 3 (up from Step 1), and a minimum of Step 3 for Part 9 (up from Step 1).

To date, Part 9 buildings in Burnaby have not been subject to carbon emissions regulation. The ZCSC provides a regulatory tool for the City to begin regulating carbon emissions from Part 9 residential buildings. For Part 3 buildings, the City already regulates an upper limit of carbon emissions through its Part 3 Green Building Rezoning Policy, Step 2/low carbon compliance pathway, which requires builders to demonstrate through energy modeling that their building(s) will meet or perform better than a specified upper limit of greenhouse gas emissions. For the most common type of low carbon energy system, Burnaby’s current upper limit is 4 GHGi.

Council have authorized City staff to engage with interested parties on implementing a strategy for adopting ZCSC and new carbon pollution standards for Part 9 buildings, beginning with an amendment directing City staff to discuss requiring strong Carbon Performance (instead of moderate) by January 1st, 2024 and zero carbon performance by January 1st, 2025. For Part 3 buildings, staff will discuss with stakeholders a requirement of zero carbon performance by January 1st, 2024.

The full staff report can be read here.

UPDATE: Official Community Plan Project

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on May 8th, a report was received with more information on Phase 2 of the Official Community Plan (OCP) project. It included a summary of public engagement that took place over summer 2022 for Phase 1, and an overview of what work will take place as part of Phase 2. This second phase will focus on working with the community, First Nations, urban indigenous and interested parties to establish the vision, values, and goals that will inform a range of scenarios illustrating how the city may grow over the next 25 years. The City is planning to launch the next phase of public engagement at the beginning of June 2023. Consideration of the various growth scenarios from Phase 2 will be part of a subsequent engagement process in early 2024.

The full staff report can be read here.

April 18, 2023

Community Benefit Expansion of Eligible Amenities

At Planning and Development Committee on April 12th, City staff brought forward a report with proposed bylaw amendments which would allow for additional amenities in exchange for added residential density in developments. Additions would include:

Major public open space or plaza;
Public facilities, including libraries, community or recreation centres, arts facilities, youth centres;
Space for community or non-profit groups that serve the community;
Public art;
Extraordinary public realm improvements including landscaping treatment and special street furniture;
Improvements to park land or other public facilities;
Extraordinary environmental enhancements;
Child care facilities;
Public safety facilities including fire stations and RCMP/police detachments;
Active transportation infrastructure including cycling corridors, paths and lanes, multi-use pathways, trails, sidewalks, transit shelters, and bike racks or storage lockers;
Composting and organic processing facilities including biofuel and organic diversion facilities;
Public EV charging stations; and
Extreme weather shelters.

These changes would result in the expansion of amenities, and an expanded use of the Community Benefit Bonus reserve. If approved, City staff will bring forward the necessary bylaw amendments for the Zoning Bylaw for advancement to Public Hearing.

More information can be found in the full staff report here.

April 4, 2023

UPDATE: Bainbridge and Lochdale OCP and Zoning Bylaw Amendments

As noted in previous newsletters, at Council on March 27th amendments to the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) and Zoning Bylaw were adopted. Amendments to the OCP include sections on the Residential Framework, Commercial Framework, Industrial Directions and Framework, and Neighbourhood & District Parks to achieve consistency between the OCP and Bainbridge and Lochdale Urban Village Community Plans. Amendments to the Zoning Bylaw define the Bainbridge and Lochdale Urban Village Community Plan areas, and add sub-districts to the RM-2, RM-3, RM-4, and RM-5 Districts to accommodate residential land uses and building forms supported in the Community Plans.

March 7, 2023

UPDATE: Development Variance Permit Amendments

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on February 27th, amendments to the Development Procedures Bylaw and Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw were adopted. These changes will enable the implementation of procedures and application fees for the review and issuance of development variance permits (DVPs). This includes delegation of authority to the General Manager of Planning & Development to approve minor variances and application fees for minor DVP applications.

Official Community Plan Project

On February 27th, Council received a report for information on the City’s “Phase 1: Surfacing” engagement for its Official Community Plan (OCP) Project. The report summarizes engagement with the community over summer 2022, and notes that the City has secured an engagement consultant to support remaining phases of the OCP Project. Next steps include updating the OCP Engagement Strategy and developing a Strategic Plan for Indigenous Engagement before launching “Phase 2: Visioning” in spring 2023. This next phase will establish the community’s vision and values, which will be used to draft a series of growth scenario options for review in late 2023.

February 21, 2023

HOME: Housing and Homelessness Strategy Implementation Plan

At Planning and Development Committee on February 8th, Council received the proposed implementation plan for the City’s Housing and Homelessness Strategy. Implementation progress would be tracked and summarized on an annual basis, to allow for ongoing plan evaluation.

Phase 1 actions that are underway/completed included:

Review of regulatory requirements to consider ways to streamline the approval process for housing applications (underway, anticipated completion by Q3 2023);
Promote and consider incentives for retention and retrofitting of older residential buildings to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs, in conjunction with the Clean BC program and other initiatives (underway, staff anticipate reporting back to Council later this year on Zero-Emissions Building Retrofit Strategy);

Create housing agreement templates to standardize expectations for management and operation of new non-market rental units, while preserving some flexibility to address unique circumstances (underway – one created for use with RUZP developments, additional work needed to create for non-profit led housing developments and lease templates for different funding programs for non-market housing on City-owned lands);
Explore costs and benefits of a density transfer program, to allow greater flexibility in implementing RUZP (completed, adopted Density Transfer Policy for RUZP projects in May 2021);
Develop a coordinated program for non-market housing partnerships, with dedicated staff resources (initiated – researching most efficient and effective approach to develop program);
Review Community Benefit Bonus Affordable Housing Reserve program to maximize the number of units supported and clarify eligibility and allocation policies/procedures (underway – staff initiated review of use in 2021, anticipated completion in Q3 2023).

Progress on ongoing actions include:

Review existing Urban Village community plans to identify more opportunities for housing, including a range of housing types (Bainbridge and Lochdale amended to include more land designated for townhouses in formerly single-family areas. Edmonds, Royal Oak, and Sunset reviews have been initiated);
Achieve a mix of market, below-market, and non-market rental housing in transit-friendly locations, through tools such as the Rental Use Zoning Policy (many new non-market and market rental housing units under construction in City’s Town Centres, and in some Urban Villages);
Monitor and evaluate the success of the RUZP in achieving market, low-end-of-market and non-market rental units (two-year review of RUZP is underway, report to Council on findings is anticipated in Q3 2023);
Monitor and evaluate TAP operations (two-year review of TAP completed 2022, adopted amendments in effect for new rezoning apps Jan 1, 2023);
Develop priorities for new non-market housing partnerships based on findings of Housing Needs Report (priorities for new non-market housing being incorporated into review and use of Community Benefit Bonus Affordable Housing Reserve Fund).

The full staff report can be read here.

February 7, 2023

Development Variance Permit Amendments

On January 23rd, Council directed City staff to bring forward amendments to the Development Procedures Bylaw and Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw to implement procedures and application fees for review and issuance of development variance permits (DVPs).

In July 2022, Council adopted the recommendations of Planning & Development Committee to establish a framework for DVP applications and establish procedures for the review and issuance of DVPs. This included the delegation of authority to the GM of Planning & Development to approve minor variances and application fees for DVP applications.

DVP applications, including applications for minor variances, will be subject to the same submission requirements as Temporary Use Permits (TUPs). Applicants will also be required to complete the DVP process (including approval or refusal of an application in respect to minor variances) within one year after the application is made. For minor variances, the GM of Planning & Development may issue a DVP, or amend an issued DVP if the combined variances do not exceed 25% of applicable requirements of Zoning Bylaw. They can also impose terms and conditions on a DVP to ensure public safety, improve livability, maintain neighbourhood character, preserve the natural environment, retain heritage character, and/or enhance sustainability in accordance with applicable City policies.

It is being recommended that the application fees of $1,800 and $1,200 be applied to DVP applications in respect to minor variances. An additional fee of $1,000 will be applied if the owner of a site requests Council to reconsider the decision of the GM of Planning & Development for minor variances. Changes to public notice requirements in the Development Procedures Bylaw would expand the public notification area to 50m (164 ft.).

More information can be found in the report by City staff.

January 24, 2023

Bainbridge and Lochdale OCP and Zoning Bylaw Amendments

At Planning and Development Committee on January 11th, City staff sought Council authorization to advance proposed Official Community Plan (OCP) bylaw amendments to implement the Bainbridge and Lochdale Community Plans. The proposed amendments are scheduled to go to Council for First Reading on February 6th, with a Public Hearing on February 28th. These proposals will also be discussed at the upcoming UDI Liaison Committee meeting with City staff on February 7th.

Proposed amendments include:

Residential framework:
- Identify where Urban Village residential uses are supported in the Bainbridge and Lochdale areas, and where existing or future park or school lands are excluded from being considered for residential uses;
- Remove typical density for multi-family housing opportunities in the Residential Framework which do not acknowledge the range of densities that may be possible under various Multiple Family Residential Districts;
Commercial framework:
- Provide greater clarity on the location of future mixed-use Village Centres;
Industrial framework:
- Remove areas within the Lochdale Plan north of Hastings Street from consideration for future petro chemical uses under the OCP Industrial Framework. These areas would be designated for Village-Centre mixed-use, Commercial/Employment, Medium-Density Residential, and Proposed Park Space.

If approved, these amendments would serve as interim measures until the current OCP is superseded through Council adoption of a new OCP. The full staff report can be read here.

Another report brought forward by City staff sought authorization to prepare a bylaw to make the necessary amendments to the Zoning Bylaw for implementation of the Bainbridge and Lochdale Community Plans, for advancement to a future Public Hearing.

Proposed amendments include:

Creation of sub-districts for Urban Village deployment forms within existing Multi Family (RM) Residential Districts in the Zoning Bylaw, to allow the Zoning Bylaw and adopted Plans to guide future development of mixed-use and multi-family residential buildings of various scales through the development application process;
Zoning Bylaw amendments are not required to facilitate future commercial/employment uses as there are sufficient existing Zoning Districts to accommodate such uses;
The Residential Districts establish density provisions specific to Urban Villages land use designations, to provide clarity for supportable development forms and implementation of the RUZP within the Plans;
Within proposed sub-districts, provisions identify density categories and how density (measured in FAR) would be allocated in a new Urban Village development;
In addition to density, new development proposals seeking rezoning in the Urban Villages must abide by the relevant height, building separation and other development directions outlined in the adopted Plans and the Burnaby Urban Village Design Guidelines;
Applicants may work with the City to achieve development proposals that meet or exceed Community Plan policy directions for new development through a CD District rezoning application, with the Community Plan and the Zoning District guiding land use, height and density.

The tables below summarize how the proposed Zoning Bylaw amendments would create pools of Base, Rental, and Offset Density within the total density permitted for each Urban Village designation in the Plans. The tables summarize densities based on the maximum total density available under the various Plan designations. Maximum densities may not be achievable for all development sites, particularly where challenging site configurations or environmental constraints exist, or where development proposals do not utilize the full building heights permitted. The Offset Density provision for Urban Village developments, where eligible, is based on 36% (rounded to the two nearest decimal places) of the base density FAR for a development. In this way, the Offset Density is always calculated proportionally to the amount of Base Density that a development proposal is utilizing. Further information on the consultant findings and determination of appropriate Offset Density will be provided as part of the RUZP Review, to be further outlined in a separate report to Council in 2023.

The full staff report can be read here.

January 10, 2023

Royal Oak, Cascade Heights, and Edmonds Area Plans

At the Planning and Development Committee on December 13th, a report on the Edmonds, Royal Oak, and Cascade Heights Community Plans was received for information. Council authorized the proposed project budget to support these new Community Plans. Individual reports specific to each area plan will follow in Winter/Spring 2023. These will include proposed plan boundaries, preliminary policy directions, and land use concepts. At that time, City staff will seek Council authorization to proceed with initial public consultation phases for each community plan. More information can be found in the staff report here.

UPDATE: 2023 Fees and Charges

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on December 12th, changes to the City’s fees and charges in the Solid Waste and Recycling, Consolidated Fees and Charges, Sewer Charge, Sewer Parcel Tax, Waterworks Regulation bylaws were adopted. The new rates are effective January 1st, 2023.

December 13, 2022

2023 Traffic Control Permit Fee Structure

On October 3rd, the City approved changes to its Traffic Control Permit Fee structure for 2023. The new structure aims to better assist the City and development projects in minimizing impacts to all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and vehicle drivers. These changes will be effective January 1st, 2023.

The 2023 Traffic Control Permit fee structure includes a one-time application fee and an occupancy permit fee that is based on the extent of impacted transportation infrastructure and duration. The fees are summarized below:

All applicants are required to conduct a Project Category Determination analysis based on the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure’s 2020 Traffic Management Manual for Work on Roadways to determine the Project Category for each project prior to applying for a traffic control permit. The City anticipates that as the majority of the Traffic Control Permits are in Category 1, this more streamlined process will result in more speedy review and processing most permits.

Current applications with 2022 application fees already paid will not be required to pay a new application fee; however, the new 2023 Occupancy Permit Fee will be effective for all permits issued on and after January 1st, 2023.

November 29, 2022

2023 Fees and Charges

At Council on November 21st, changes to the 2023 Solid Waste and Recycling Fees were approved for implementation. This means the previously approved phased increases to pick-up fees for multi-family co-ops and strata titled properties (from November 2021) will be effective January 1st, 2023, and the associated fee schedule will be moved under the Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw. The changes will be implemented over a four-year period, using a discounting process starting January 1st, 2023 and completing January 1st, 2026. Once phasing is complete, all pick-ups will be charged regular pick-up fees based on receptacle size and type without discount. The discounted 2023 first weekly pick-up fee will be implemented January 1st, 2023 and will be reflected in the 2023 Utility Notices which are due on March 15th, 2023. The phasing schedule can be viewed below:

The full staff report can be read here.

Council also authorized bylaw amendments to be brought forward to update the rates, and move associated rate schedules to the Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw, for the 2023 Sanitary Sewer Rates and 2023 Waterworks Utility Rates. Both include a proposed 2% increase in fees. The staff report on Sanitary Sewer Rates can be read here, and the staff report on 2023 Waterworks Utility Rates can be read here.

Zero-Emissions Building Retrofit Task Force Recommendations

At Council on November 21st, Council received a report on the Zero-Emissions Building Retrofit Taskforce for information, which was approved to be forwarded to the Environment Committee. The report presented 20 recommendations to inform the City’s Zero-Emission Building Retrofit Strategy. Some high priority recommendations include:

Retrofit subsidies and incentives that increase affordability for residents living in energy poverty and/or reduce impacts of climate change for vulnerable residents (i.e. seniors and people with disabilities during heat waves);
Create a concierge service for different building (and ownership) types to navigate the retrofit process (this includes planning, applying for financing and grants, paperwork, inspections, and contractor management);
Optimize the permitting process for all building types in ways that incentivize climate-friendly retrofit options such as heat pumps (i.e. fast-track permitting, streamlined processes) and discourage the use of fossil fuel gas;
Review City bylaws and clarify/adapt/simplify them to facilitate retrofits;
Accelerate the adoption of higher standards for the BC Energy Step Code (and the upcoming carbon pollution standard) to increase emission performance of new buildings and reduce the need for future retrofits.

The full staff report can be read here, with a summary of recommendations found on page 6. The Strategy is estimated to be ready in Spring 2023, when the Task Force will reconvene to review the draft and provide feedback on the extent to which it satisfactorily implements the recommendations made.

November 1, 2022

UPDATE: Tenant Assistance Policy Two Year Review

As noted in previous newsletters, at Council on October 24th amendments to the Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP) were approved. The changes will have a delayed effective date of January 1st, 2023. Amendments include:

Application of the TAP to purpose-built and secondary market rental buildings with less than 5 units;
Clarification of who can be appointed as a Tenant Relocation Coordinator;
Option for a lump sum payment being made available to any eligible tenant of new rezoning applications submitted on or after January 1st, 2023.

Any changes to the provisions of the RUZP (density offsets, financial compensation, right of first refusal, and applicability) that impact the TAP will need to be captured in the RUZP review currently taking place. A future report to Council will be brought forward to Council to ensure consistency between the two policies.

October 4, 2022

Tenant Assistance Policy Two Year Review

At Planning and Development Committee on September 7th, amendments to the Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP) were approved. The amendments are intended to enhance the implementation process, and deliver greater transparency and clarity to tenants and the development industry. There will be a delayed effective date for the amendments of January 1st, 2023.

Amendments include:

Expanding application of the TAP to apply to purpose built and secondary market rental buildings with less than 5 units, which are being consolidated into larger redevelopment projects for purposes of building purpose built rental housing;
Caretakers living in building caretaker units who are paying a reduced rent as a condition of employment will be granted moving compensation and a replacement unit in accordance with the Rental Use Zoning Policy (RUZP). Rent for the replacement unit will be based on the average rent that tenants with a similar unit type were paying at move-out;
A clause to clarify that a caretaker, property manager, building manger, or superintendent cannot be appointed as a Tenant Relocation Coordinator, in addition to stating City preference for a Tenant Relocation Coordinator to be an independent third-party consultant when feasible;
The lump sum option being made available to any eligible tenant of new rezoning applications submitted on or after January 1st, 2023. This will also be an option for tenants who wish to opt out of the TAP. This amendment will also be made available to eligible tenants of in-stream rezoning projects, who have previously requested a lump sum payment but did not meet the exception criteria.

Any changes to the provisions of the RUZP (density offsets, financial compensation, right of first refusal, and applicability) that impact the TAP will need to be captured in the RUZP review currently taking place. A future report to Council would then be brought forward to ensure consistency between the two policies.

For more information, please read the full report here.

September 6, 2022

Development Approval Review Process Recommendations

On August 29th, Council received a report detailing 18 recommendations from KPMG, resulting from its review of the City’s Development Approval Review Process. This included approving the advancement of three regular full-time positions and one regular part-time position at the City, in order to staff up and ensure long-term success of the recommendations proposed.

KPMG’s recommendations are summarized below:

Optimize, Organize and Resourcing

Establish a formalized single point of contact, and establish and formalize an internal owner/project coordinator;
Establish a team-based model/multi-disciplinary team;
Define and document development review related roles and responsibilities, and include delegated authorities;
Undertake a detailed staff resourcing assessment, and develop and implement a staffing plan;
Establish a formal weekly departmental resourcing meeting;
Implement a Certified Professionals program for Building Permit reviews and approvals;

Drive Consistency and Performance

Create and document standard operating procedures, establish a service level framework that defines service timelines for different application types, and integrate the service level expectations into a formal customer experience charter;
Establish a formal staff onboarding program;
Establish a Performance Management Framework for the Development Approvals Process with clear Key Performance Indicators and accountability;
Develop and refresh external documents;
Develop and implement a plan to update key policies and bylaws;
Mandate the use of EnerGov by all departments involved in the Development Approvals Process, and digitize all documents pertaining to the Development Approval Process;
Establish the business requirements for inputting and managing digital records in the Development Approval Process, and develop and implement a plan identifying an owner of digital records within the Development Approval Process
Undertake a continuous improvement review to identify opportunities to further streamline the Development Approvals Process, and develop and implement a plan to manage the review;

Improve Predictability and Transparency

Implement an application completeness check;
Introduce a formal tier based application review, based on application type and complexity, and formalize an application intake meeting process;
Introduce time tracking;
Implement an external facing web-based portal and dashboard to consolidate all application and Development Approval related information.

City staff have already initiated 8 of the 18 recommendations:

Establishing a single point of contact and formalized owner/project coordinator;
Establishing a team-based model/multi-disciplinary team;
Implementing a CP program for building permit reviews and approvals;
Establishing a Performance Management Framework for the Development Approvals Process with clearly linked KPIs and accountabilities that include interdepartmental stakeholders;
Developing and actioning a prioritized plan to update key policies and bylaws;
Mandating the use of EnerGov, and digitizing all documents pertaining to the Development Approval Process;
Undertaking a continuous improvement review to identify opportunities for streamlining the Development Approvals Process, and developing and implementing a plan for future reviews;
Implementing an external-facing web-based portal and dashboard to consolidate all application and Development Approvals Process related information.

City staff are working toward implementation of all 18 recommendations by fall 2023. For more information, please read the staff report here.

Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw

On August 29th, Council gave First, Second, and Third Reading to the Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw. The purpose of this Bylaw is to consolidate the City’s fees and charges into one bylaw, as a measure to improve transparency and establish more efficient means of reviewing and updating City fees and charges across various departments. This first phase of work has incorporated fees and charges under bylaws administered by the Community Safety, Corporate Services, Engineering (except water and sewer utilities fees), Finance and Planning and Development Departments.

Phase two will take place during November and December of this year, with amendments planned to be brought forward to incorporate utilities fees (i.e. water, sewer and solid waste). The final phase will take place in summer 2023 with amendments planned to be brought forward to incorporate Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services.

For more information on City staff’s approach, you can read the staff report that went to Council for endorsement in May.

July 26, 2022

Finalized Bainbridge and Lochdale Plans

On July 25th, both the finalized Bainbridge and Lochdale Plans were adopted. The finalized Bainbridge Plan can be read here. The finalized Lochdale Plan can be read here.

This includes the the Burnaby Village Design Guidelines which were also adopted as guidance for applicable development in the City’s Urban Villages. This document is not prescriptive like zoning regulations, and the guidance may be implemented with some flexibility to respond to the specific needs of future development. It is anticipated that these guidelines could be further refined and updated as part of any future urban design process, including updates to other Urban Village Community Plans.

The List of Revisions to the Phase 3 Draft Bainbridge Plan and List of Revisions to the Phase 3 Draft Bainbridge Plan provide a comprehensive list of all land use designation or character area changes that have been incorporated as part of the finalized Plans.

City staff will now proceed with the initial implementation of the Plans. As stated in Part 7 of the finalized Plans, this work will include the preparation of “amendments to the Zoning Bylaw for Council’s consideration to ensure there are districts and development regulations in place to achieve the distinct Urban Village housing forms outlined” in the Plans. Staff would aim to have these Zoning Bylaw amendments to Council for consideration in Fall 2022.

June 28, 2022

Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Bylaw

As referenced in previous UDI newsletters, on June 20th Council adopted changes to the Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Bylaw. These include two changes to the refundable Waste Diversion Deposit structure:

Change of the calculation of the refundable deposit from a flat-rate based on building type to a rate based on building square footage;
Increase in maximum allowable refundable deposit required by bylaw to incentivize compliance.

The changes will be implemented in two stages. For demolition of multi-family and non-residential (commercial, industrial) they will be effective October 1st, 2022, with single-family and two-family effective March 1st, 2023.

Child Care Action Plan

At Council on May 30th, the Child Care Action Plan – Implementation Plan was endorsed. Proposed priority actions the City can take to advance it’s child care targets includes amending the Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) Policy and Official Community Plan (OCP) to include more specific provisions for securing child care through the rezoning process. This work will align with the work underway for updating the OCP.

The full report can be read here.

June 14, 2022

Rental Use Zoning Policy Review

At Council on May 30th, a report on the Rental Use Zoning Policy (RUZP) Review was brought forward and endorsed. It outlines the scope of work for staff undertaking the review of the policy, which is intended for completion in fall 2022. This work will include analyzing achievements of policy, identifying proposed changes to the implementation process and/or policy itself, identifying ways policy can better align with implementation of TAP and clarifying long-term ownership and operational goals for non-market rental units being achieved through the policy. This will also include undertaking stakeholder consultation with the development community to discuss implementation of the policy.

City staff will undertake (with help of consultant) financial analysis, including review of value of density offset towards provision of required inclusionary units. They will also analyze economics of providing optional inclusionary units, the market value of different types of non-market rental units created under policy, and value of floor space (commercial vs. voluntary market rental) in relevant commercial zoning districts.

The full report can be read here.

Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Bylaw

On May 30th, Council gave First, Second, and Third Reading to the Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Bylaw. These include two changes to the refundable Waste Diversion Deposit structure:

Change of the calculation of the refundable deposit from a flat-rate based on building type to a rate based on building square footage;
Increase in maximum allowable refundable deposit required by bylaw to incentivize compliance.

At the time a Building Permit is submitted for demolition work, an applicant will be required to submit an application to the City for the approval of a Waste Diversion Plan, and not commence demolition work without the City’s approval of a Waste Diversion Plan. In addition, they must provide information on square footage of the building being demolished.

Other changes include:

A refundable Waste Diversion Deposit based on rate of $2.25 per square foot of building being demolished, with a maximum deposit of $50,000;
Payment of a $250 non-refundable Demolition Waste Permit application fee;
If 70% or more of materials are diverted and recycled the full deposit will be refunded. The refund amount is reduced proportionately if waste diversion less than 70% ([Diversion rate 70] x [Deposit] = Refund).

City staff will now launch a communication plan to inform the industry of new requirements for handling demolition waste and recycling materials for all buildings being demolished.

The full report can be read here.

May 17, 2022

Bill 26 – Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act

At Council on May 9th, City staff were authorized to consider the use of delegated decision making by staff for the issuance of Development Variance Permits (DVPs). This work will seek to increase opportunities for the City to delegate approval decisions to staff in order to reduce application processing time, and make the approvals process more efficient.

Proposed Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion Bylaw

At Council on May 9th, staff received approval to bring forward bylaws that regulate the disposal of construction and demolition waste. This includes the introduction of an alternate Waste Diversion Deposit structure, with the refundable deposit changing from a flat-rate to a rate based on building square footage, and an increase in the maximum allowable refundable deposit. For the demolition of multi-family and non-residential (commercial, industrial) this would be effective October 1st, 2022. This would require the applicant to submit an application to the City for approval of a Waste Diversion Plan at the time a Building Permit is submitted for demolition work, along with providing information on the square footage of the building being demolished. Staff are proposing a refundable Waste Diversion Deposit based on rate of $2.25 per square foot of building being demolished with a maximum deposit of $50,000, and a $250 non-refundable Demolition Waste Permit application fee. The diversion target being recommended by staff is 70%, meaning that if 70% or more of materials are diverted and recycled the full deposit will be refunded. The amount of refund would be reduced proportionately if waste diversion was less than 70% ([Diversion rate 70] x [Deposit] = Refund).

The full report can be read here.

Housing Agreement Bylaws for Developments with Rental Use Zoning Policy Requirements

At Council on May 9th, staff received approval to propose a streamlined process and bring forward Housing Agreement bylaws for developments with Rental Use Zoning Policy (RUZP) requirements. The key terms being proposed include:

Housing Agreements apply in perpetuity;
Non-Market Rental Units shall not be stratified;
Replacement Rental Units must be rented to returning tenants who are eligible for a replacement unit under the Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP) and RUZP. They must be rented at returning tenants’ rents at move-out from the building to which the TAP was applied plus any annual increases allowed by the Residential Tenancy Branch between move-out and occupancy. After the returning tenant’s tenancy in Replacement Rental Unit ends, the unit becomes a Required Inclusionary Unit;

Required Inclusionary Units must be rented to households with incomes at or below BC Housing’s Housing Income Limits (HILs). They must be rented at 20% below CMHC market median rent for appropriate location and building type. The owner/operator is encouraged to offer Required Inclusionary Units to tenants who are ineligible under the TAP but meet applicable income eligibility requirements;
Optional Inclusionary Units must be rented to households with incomes below HILs + 20%. Units must be rented at CMHC market median rent for appropriate location and building type. The owner/operator is encouraged to offer Optional Inclusionary Units to tenants who are ineligible under TAP but meet applicable income eligibility requirements;
During tenancy rent increases can be made in accordance with Residential Tenancy Branch limits. When tenancy ends, new rent can be calculated using most recent CMHC market median rent data available at the time;
Non-market units must be operated by an entity that is 1) licensed for Rental Property Management by BC Financial Services Authority 2) exempt from licensing requirements but with requisite experience managing rental housing 3) an experienced non-profit housing provider;
Upon request from the City, the owner/operator is required to provide a declaration and supporting documentation confirming compliance with terms of the Housing Agreement.

Staff are recommending that the above key terms be applied to the Housing Agreements for the developments listed in Appendices A, B, and C (of the report), if those listed in Appendix C receive Second Reading, as well as future developments with Rental Use Zoning Policy requirements. The full report can be read here.

Rental Use Zoning Policy Review

At Planning and Development Committee on May 11th, City staff received approval from Council on a two-year review of the Rental Use Zoning Policy (RUZP). Staff intend to complete this work by Fall 2022. The review proposes to analyze the policy’s achievements and identify proposed changes to the implementation process and/or policy itself. This will include identifying ways in which the policy can better align with implementation of the Tenant Assistance Policy, and clarify long-term ownership and operational goals for non-market rental units being achieved through the policy. Financial analysis will be also conducted by a consultant working with City staff. This will include reviewing the value of the density offset available towards the provision of required inclusionary units, analyzing the economics of providing optional inclusionary units, the market value of different types of non-market rental units created under policy, and the value of floor space (commercial vs. voluntary market rental) in relevant commercial zoning districts.

City staff propose to discuss implementation of the policy with UDI, and provide the opportunity for feedback. The full report can be read here.

April 5, 2022

Bainbridge and Lochdale Community Plans Consultation

On March 7th the City released both the Draft Bainbridge Community Plan and Draft Lochdale Community Plan, commencing Phase 3 for both projects. Council endorsed both reports, authorizing staff to undertake Phase 3 public consultation. The report that went to Council on Bainbridge can be viewed here. The report that went to Council on Lochdale can be viewed here.

If you have any feedback on the Drafts, please email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org by end of day April 15th.

March 22, 2022

Bainbridge and Lochdale Draft Plans

Bainbridge Plan

Some of the big moves described in more detail in the draft include:

Designating a transit-oriented primary hub close to the SkyTrain, complete with commercial and employment uses, community services, and lively public spaces;
Encouraging creative employment opportunities that reflect the area’s industrial past;
Re-introducing nature and green space to redeveloped industrial lands;
Facilitating ample multi-family housing options, including non-market housing requirements in line with Burnaby’s Rental Use Zone Policy; and
Providing additional ground-oriented housing choices in lower-density areas.

Parts 3-6 establish policies and guidance on key topic areas including land use and development, housing, and community amenities. Part 7 provides guidance for future development applications, and strategies and actions to successfully implement the Plan in the future.

The report that went to Council can be viewed here.

Lochdale Plan

Some of the big moves described in more detail in the draft include:

Establishing a vibrant and transit-accessible mixed-use Village Centre;
Providing diverse homeownership and rental options for everyone; and
Establishing a strong commercial base with employment opportunities in various sectors such as retail, office, and live-work.

The report that went to Council can be viewed here.

If you have any questions, please email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org.

December 14, 2021

Solid Waste and Recycling Bylaw

The City of Burnaby has enacted a bylaw amendment to the Solid Waste and Recycling Bylaw 2010 based on the November report to council. The bylaw amendment includes the repealing of the 2010 rates, charges and schedules table and has been replaced with the table below.

HOME Strategy Approved

As noted previously, the City of Burnaby has been developing a housing and homelessness strategy, “HOME,” that charts the course for future work on housing policy and planning. On December 6, City Council voted to implement the 10-year strategy and move ahead with implementation in the new year. Staff are expected to present an initial implementation plan to Council in early 2022.

November 16, 2021

OCP Amendment – Institutional Sites for Affordable Housing Projects

On November 8, 2021 Council gave Second, Third, Reconsideration and Final Adoption to amendments to the Official Community Plan related to institutional zoned sites.

The amendments to the Residential Framework of the Official Community Plan (OCP) will allow consideration of multiple-family residential uses, including affordable housing, on institutional zoned sites that are currently designated for lower density residential uses. The changes are intended to facilitate redevelopment of low-density institutional properties for housing, including affordable housing, consistent with the recommendations of the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing.

The amendments add a notation that permits multi-family residential development in Suburban Single Family and Urban Single and Two Family Neighbourhoods, only on sites that currently have Pl, P2, or PS District zoning. The types of residential development permitted include:

Two family residential development, consistent with Rl2 District densities;
Low-density multi-family development, consistent with R6, RS, RM 1, RM6, and RM7 District densities;
Medium density multi-family development, consistent with RM2 and RM3 District densities.

More information and the full report can be found here. If you have any questions, email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org.

November 2, 2021

Institutional Sites for Affordable Housing Projects

The amendments to the Institutional Sites for Affordable Housing Projects bylaw was carried on October 4 by Council, and went to Public Hearing on October 26. The amendment adds a notation that permits multi-family residential development on sites that currently have P1, P2, or P5 District zoning. This will permit low density multi-family development that is consistent with R6, R8, RM1, RM6, and RM7 District densities, as well as medium density multi-family development that is consistent with RM2 and RM3 District densities. Each site will still have to go through the rezoning process.

The full staff report that went to Council can be read on page 32 here.

October 5, 2021

2022 Planning and Building Fees & Engineering Fees Adjustments

The City has updated its Planning and Building Fees Bylaw, and Engineering Fees Bylaw. A report went to Council on September 20th, and staff recommendations to approve the proposed fee adjustments, in addition to authorizing the City Solicitor to bring forward the necessary bylaw amendments to implement the proposed adjustments, were adopted unanimously.

Effective January 1, 2022 there will be a 3% increase to Planning and Building Fees. This includes:

Rezoning Application Fees (Schedule A)
Preliminary Plan Approval Application Fees (Schedule B)
Subdivision Application Fees (Schedule C)
Payment-in-Lieu of Parking (Schedule C-1)
Liquor License Application Fees (Schedule D)
Environmental Review Application Fees (Schedule E)

A more detailed breakdown of Planning and Building fee increases can be found on page 133 of the report that went to Council here.

Similar to Planning and Building fees, the Engineering Department fees are increasing by approximately 3% to ensure cost recovery based on the City’s projected operating costs and Consumer Price Index (CPI). The exception is the increase for the Traffic Control permit fees, which will be increased by greater than 3%, to align with other municipalities in the Lower Mainland. A full review of the fee increases for each Schedule can be found in the report that went to Council here on page 124.

September 21, 2021

Phase 3 Transportation Plan Engagement

The City is now entering Phase 3 of its Draft Transportation Plan. The Plan was developed over 3 phases, with Phase 1 setting the direction of the new Plan, and Phase 2 developing proposals that included Targets, Big Moves, policies and networks. The draft Plan was endorsed by council on July 26th. The full draft of the Plan can be viewed here.

In a presentation to UDI, staff shared Phase 3 focuses on two key policy areas: Foundations and Modes. The Foundational policies, which are a new section in the Draft, relate to planning areas that influence transportation spanning multiple notes that aren’t necessarily modal based. The Modality policies are specific to walking and rolling, cycling, public transit, goods movement and driving.

The Draft identifies 6 key vision goals: access to transport options and choice, safe and secure mobility, support healthy community, green mobility, prosperous community, and connected community. Targets have also been set around achieving a mode split of three quarters of all trips being by public transit and active transport, as well as achieving zero emissions, by 2050.

Engagement on Phase 3 will take place through a virtual open house Tuesday, September 28th from 5:30pm-7pm which you are able to register for here. An online survey will also be available until October 1st.

If you have any questions, please email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org.

August 24, 2021

Draft Transportation Plan

Over the past few years, the UDI Burnaby Liaison Committee has engaged with City staff as they developed a new Transportation Plan. The City has completed two phases and just released the draft Connecting Burnaby: Burnaby Transportation Plan (BTP), which is a work plan for future policy goals to:

“enable access to transport options, and more importantly choice for all Burnaby citizens;
emphasize sustainable modes – walking, cycling and transit, as safe, comfortable and easy ways of travelling to meet daily needs;
create opportunities for participation in city life through the design of streets for people first;
support the local economy through efficient and reliable movement of goods and services;
encourage health and well-being; and,
support the City’s climate action initiatives.”

Through the BTP, staff have also set a Vision Zero target of “No deaths or serious injuries on Burnaby’s Transportation Network.” They also want to reduce the use of cars by having 50% of all trips be by transit or active transportation by 2030, and this would increase to 75% by 2050. In addition, the City has a target to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 45% by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The draft BTP includes seven “Big Moves” to achieve these goals and targets:

“By 2030, 80% of the Burnaby pedestrian network will be completed to provide an accessible, safe, and comfortable walking and rolling environment;
By 2030, the Phase 1 cycle network will be completed, providing clear consistent and continuous connections between town centres, major destinations and to neighbouring municipalities;
By 2030, the City will install 371 additional bus shelters or bus benches to increase transit passenger comfort;
By 2025, the City in partnership with TransLink will complete feasibility studies for future rapid transit corridors to inform the upcoming OCP review, and identify necessary land investments to protect specific corridors;
By 2023, the City will establish policies to require all multi-family developments to provide secured storage amenities for oversized deliveries and goods requiring cold storage;
By 2023, the City will establish policies to require the provision of EV charging infrastructure for fleet vehicles across businesses, industries and institutions; and
By 2026, develop and implement a Smart City Plan for Burnaby comprising of sensor technology, real-time data transmission and analytics to improve safety and optimize network performance.”

UDI is pleased that in the draft BTP, staff clearly recognize the need to link transportation/transit investments with land use planning that includes compact/complete communities to achieve the City’s goals and targets. In fact, one of the Policy Directions is to “Support the region’s goal of directing growth and development within Urban Centres and Frequent Transit Development Areas (FTDAs) by continuing to direct a dense and diverse mix of housing types, jobs, services and amenities within Burnaby’s four Town Centres, Community Plan areas and Urban Villages, all of which are supported by TransLink’s

Frequent Transit Network (FTN).” This includes supporting affordable residential development near the FTN.

Other important proposed Policy Directions include:

Expanding the use of public realm design guidelines beyond the Town Centres and ensuring that it public realm is of high quality through the Community Plan and Master Plan processes;
Providing high-quality pedestrian amenities (e.g. “… lighting, weather protections, public washrooms, public art, drinking fountains, waste and recycling receptacles, and opportunities for social gathering at appropriate locations throughout the City…”);.
Ensuring “… new developments provide sufficient internal and external pedestrian connections to promote walking;”
Developing a curbside management policy;
Developing a citywide Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Strategy that includes a communications package to recipients and annual reporting;
Supporting mobility pricing;
Mandating better off-street loading spaces; and
Conducting a Comprehensive Parking Framework, which could include reducing/removing parking minimums, allowing shared parking and/or establishing parking maximums.

The City will be consulting with stakeholders, including UDI, about the draft BTP in September to refine the Plan. If you have any comments or questions regarding it, please contact Heather Park at (604) 661-3034.

July 13, 2021

Bainbridge & Lochdale Urban Village Plans Phase 2 Consultation

The City of Burnaby is launching phase 2 of the consultation on its Bainbridge and Lochdale Urban Village Plans. The City is seeking input on the draft vision, land use concepts, policy directions, and proposed plan area boundaries for the Plan. The Phase 2 Consultation Guide and other supporting material and updates on consultation opportunities are available at the links below:

If you have comment son these materials please send them directly to Heather Park at hpark@udi.org by August 6^th.

There will also be two virtual open houses for each plan with dates and registration details listed below:

Bainbridge

July 22 or August 3

bainbridgeplan@burnaby.ca

Lochdale

July 28 or August 12

lochdaleplan@burnaby.ca

May 4, 2021

Draft HOME Strategy Survey

Further to the previous update, the City of Burnaby has launched a survey to get feedback from stakeholders and the public on the draft HOME Strategy.

The City’s webpage provides an overview of the project timeline and supporting documents. The survey is also hosted online and will be open until June 21, 2021.

April 20, 2021

Draft HOME Strategy

On April 12^th, a draft of the City’s HOME Strategy was presented to Council for endorsement. The Strategy is broad and covers a number of themes including increasing housing near transit, affordable housing, environmentally sustainable and accessibility building among others. A number of the actions centre around monitoring policies in place (Rental Use Zoning and TAP), and encouraging types of the development that the City wants to see (below market/non market housing, rental, family-friendly housing and mixed use in low density areas). Several also reference the City’s upcoming OCP review.

Several proposed actions of note include:

Exploring parking reductions for rental located near transit;
Using the Rental Use Zoning Policies to secure a mix of market, below market and non-market rental housing in transit-oriented areas;
Development of a policy to require universal access to children’s play areas in mixed-tenure, mixed-income, developments;
Development of guidelines or regulations for family-friendly housing including zoning requirements and/or incentives;
Development of formal design guidelines as a resource for builders;
Permitting co-op housing in RM and RMr zones;
Allowing non-profit/co-op housing in-lieu of rental to satisfy Rental Use Zoning Policies;
Development of standardized Housing Agreement templates;
Exploring a density transfer program to provider greater flexibility under the Rental Use Zoning Policies;
Consideration of a maintenance standards bylaw for rental;
Supporting the conversion of existing PBR to non-market housing; and
Encouraging projects with a non-market rental component to install communications infrastructure equipment to allow residents to access City of Burnaby Wifi as a condition of rezoning.

Consultation on the strategy is scheduled to begin later this month, and UDI will update its members on how they can provide feedback.

February 23, 2021

Transportation Plan – Phase 2 Consultation Summary and Peer Review

At the Planning and Development Committee on February 23, Planning staff will present a report on the consultation from Phase 2 of the City’s Transportation Plan. Phase 2 consultation sought feedback from both the public and stakeholders (internal and external) on the proposed Targets, Big Moves, Policies and Networks for the new Plan. The preliminary consultation feedback, which was presented in October 2020, was generally positive regarding the draft proposals. This new report provides a comprehensive summary of all feedback received through Phase 2 consultations along with a peer review of the proposal content by Urban Systems.

The next steps will be to bring forward a complete draft Plan that incorporates the responses to feedback received from Phase 2, for a final round of consultation and consideration and progress into Phase 3 of the Transportation Plan this year.

January 26, 2021

Housing Needs Report

In the Spring of 2019, the Province mandated that local governments complete housing needs reports by April 2022. Burnaby has finalized its Housing Needs Report (see Section 4.3 starting on page 28) and it is going to Council on January 26, 2021. It “… provides key insights into housing needs in the community, and projects the number and type of units which will be needed to meet housing demand over the next 5 to 10 years.” The information from the Report will assist the City in its upcoming Official Community Plan update and the 10-year HOME: Burnaby’s Housing + Homelessness Strategy. UDI’s Burnaby Liaison Committee participated in the consultations for the Housing Needs Report – including a review of a preliminary draft of the Report late last year.

The Report includes several dozen data points, and the key findings include:

20% of the households in the City are in core housing need, and this includes 9,780 renters and 6,870 owners;
8% of households are in extreme core housing need;
Over 1,800 people in the City are on the BC Housing waitlist and this has grown by 50% over the last five years; and
Burnaby will grow by over 27,000 people over the next decade, and “… will need approximately 15,000 units over that time period” (please see the breakdown in the table below).

Staff identify several key areas of local need in the Report, including:

Affordable Housing;
Non-market Housing;
Rental Housing
Special Needs Housing
Seniors’ Housing;
Family Housing;
Shelters and Housing for People at Risk of Homelessness; and
Housing for indigenous households, refugees and women/children fleeing violence.

Several obstacles to providing housing (especially affordable housing) are identified in the Housing Needs Report from surveys and meetings with stakeholders. This includes the high cost of land and construction, but also issues under the purview of the City such as “… excessive design guidelines and requirements for affordable housing projects (e.g. LEED Gold or Step Code 4).” In addition, stakeholders were concerned that “There are onerous municipal zoning and permitting processes.”

Recommended Actions include:

“Increase the supply of affordable rental, non-market rental housing, and co-operative housing across unit sizes;”
“Increase the supply of accessible housing and require all new housing to be visitable and wheelchair accessible on the ground floor;”
“Reduce costly design requirements for rental and non-market housing;” and
“Increase income diversity in buildings and neighbourhoods.”

UDI will keep members informed of the progress of the HOME: Burnaby’s Housing + Homelessness Strategy as it is developed. It will be discussed at future meetings of the Burnaby Liaison Committee and the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing (which includes representatives from UDI).

December 1, 2020

Bainbridge Lochdale Urban Village Plans

On November 10, the UDI/Burnaby Liaison Committee held a special meeting on two Area Plans that the City is developing over the next year – the Bainbridge and Lochdale Urban Village Plans – both of which are in Northeast Burnaby. Bainbridge would be served by the Sperling SkyTrain Station, and Lochdale is “… primarily located along Hastings Street between Hammarskjold Drive and Duthie Avenue.” According to staff, “… Urban Villages fall in between a Town Centre and a local convenience centre. They typically offer more amenities and retail spaces than a local convenience centre, with less density and action compared to a major Town Centre …”.

Burnaby staff are now completing the first phase (Goals + Land Use Framework) of the two Urban Village Plans. UDI provided a letter to the City, recommending that the boundaries of the Plans be expanded; parking reductions; and new townhouse zones for the Urban Villages. UDI also noted that there may be policy conflicts between Burnaby’s green building and urban design objectives for the areas. Phase 2 (Policy Directions) for both Plans will start in Winter 2021. Staff are hoping that final drafts of the Plans can be presented to Council in mid-2021. UDI will keep members updated as the Urban Village Plans move forward next year. Please see below several key documents for the Bainbridge and Lochdale Urban Villages:

November 3, 2020

Lochdale and Bainbridge Urban Village Community Plan Consultations

The City of Burnaby is launching the first public consultation phases for a new Lochdale Urban Village Community Plan and Bainbridge Urban Village Community Plan. See here for the Lochdale and Bainbridge consultation request letters. Please contact Marissa Chan-Kent as soon as possible if you would like to participate in these consultations, and if so, please specify. An update on the meeting dates will be provided in future newsletters.

September 22, 2020

Transportation Plan – Phase 2 Consultation

UDI recently met with city staff to receive an update and provide feedback on the City’s Phase 2 of their Transportation Plan. See here for the presentation that was provided. This Phase (Building the Proposals) will decide the Big Moves, set targets (Vision Zero, Mode Split and Zero Emissions) and establish the policies and networks needed to shape the city over the next 30 years. The Burnaby Transportation Plan is a quick start action identified in Burnaby’s Climate Action Framework, which moves the City closer to achieving accelerated mode shift. Transitioning to carbon neutrality by 2050 will require action across all sectors in Burnaby — learn more about the plan to deliver on the city’s climate commitment by visiting Burnaby Climate Action page. See here for further information on the Burnaby Transportation Plan. Phase 3 is slated to begin in 2021 and will include actions and implementation strategies.

To participate in the Phase 2 consultation – please fill out the survey here.

September 8, 2020

UPDATED: HOME: Burnaby’s Housing and Homelessness Strategy Stakeholder Session

As mentioned in previous newsletters, the City of Burnaby will be holding an online focus group consultation session for the HOME: Burnaby’s Homelessness and Housing Strategy on Tuesday, September 22 from 9:00 am – 11:30 am. This work includes an in-depth housing needs report and the development of goals and strategies to guide the City in addressing housing gaps in the community. It builds on the engagement completed as part of the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing in 2019. See here for more information about this project.

As part of this process, staff are engaging a wide range of housing stakeholders to better understand housing needs in the community and barriers to addressing housing challenges. The online focus group consultations are part of a series of workshops to inform Burnaby’s HOME initiative. Other sessions will engage service providers, homelessness stakeholders, non-profit housing providers, community associations, Indigenous housing stakeholders, institutions and employers, and other local organizations.

Please RSVP to here by Tuesday, September 15, 2020. If you are unable to attend the session, but would still like to be involved, please get in touch here and staff will find an alternative way to collect your input.

August 11, 2020

HOME: Burnaby’s Housing and Homelessness Strategy Survey & Stakeholder Session

Burnaby has recently launched HOME: Burnaby’s Homelessness and Housing Strategy. This work includes an in-depth housing needs report and the development of goals and strategies to guide the City in addressing housing gaps in the community. It builds on the engagement completed as part of the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing in 2019. See here for more information about this project.

As part of this process, staff are engaging a wide range of housing stakeholders to better understand housing needs in the community and barriers to addressing housing challenges. They have asked UDI’s members to complete this survey on housing needs on behalf of your organization. Alongside completion of the survey, staff are planning to hold online focus groups in September. We will provide additional details once the session has been scheduled. As well, please complete the housing needs survey by August 23.

June 30, 2020

Transportation Plan Phase 2 Consultation

The City of Burnaby is updating its Transportation Plan and is currently in Phase 2: Building the Proposals stage. Staff have created draft targets, established Big Moves, Policies and Networks that were previously adopted by Council in February 2020 as a basis for stakeholder and public engagement. The city is seeking UDI’s input for Phase 2 and 3 of the Plan. The Burnaby liaison committee will be striking a subcommittee to engage with the city. See here for the letter outlining the Phase 2 engagement plan.

May 1, 2020

See here for City of Burnaby updates on COVID 19

April 9^th the City of Burnaby welcomes your thoughts on the 2019 Annual Municipal Report https://www.burnaby.ca/About-Burnaby/News-and-Media/Newsroom/We-welcome-your-thoughts-on-the-2019-Annual-Municipal-Report_s2_p7332.html

March 23^rd Metro Mayors ask Province to provide urgent COVID-19 fiscal support to cities, relief for renters and landlords https://www.burnaby.ca/About-Burnaby/News-and-Media/Newsroom/Metro-Mayors-ask-Province-to-provide-urgent-COVID-19-fiscal-support-to-cities–relief-for-renters-and-landlords_s2_p7283.html

March 20^th Limited Public Access to Burnaby City Hall Beginning Monday, March 23 https://www.burnaby.ca/About-Burnaby/News-and-Media/Newsroom/Limited-Public-Access-to-Burnaby-City-Hall-Beginning-Monday–March-23_s2_p7281.html

March 13^th City of Burnaby actions on COVID-19 guided by Health Authorities https://www.burnaby.ca/About-Burnaby/News-and-Media/Newsroom/City-of-Burnaby-actions-on-COVID-19-guided-by-Health-Authorities_s2_p7278.html

March 10, 2020

UPDATED: Rental Use Zoning Policy and Revised Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP)

Burnaby’s updated Rental Use Zoning Policy was approved by the Planning and Development Committee on February 25^th, and was presented to Council on March 9^th. UDI President & CEO, Anne McMullin, communicated UDI members’ concerns with the revised policy directly to Mayor Hurley and Council, including that the incentives proposed in the finalized policy do not go far enough to encourage the construction of affordable rental units beyond the 20% inclusionary requirement. These changes may even discourage builders from constructing additional market rental housing in their projects. Further concerns were raised at the UDI Liaison Committee meeting with City of Burnaby Staff on March 3^rd.

The final policy can be viewed here.

The Tenant Assistant Policy was also presented to Burnaby Council on March 9^th. UDI previously submitted a letter to Staff regarding this policy.

Density Bonus Value Negotiations

Following a meeting with City Staff in January, UDI submitted a letter providing recommendations regarding the density bonus value negotiation process. UDI also recommended that a bulletin be produced by the City to clarify various stages of the negotiation process and how they intersect with the rest of the development review steps. At the Liaison Committee meeting on March 3^rd, Staff indicated that they are open to producing a bulletin and are currently exploring options.

January 28, 2020

UPDATED: Revised Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP)

On December 2, City Council approved in principle the City’s Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP). See here for the report. Although this report stemmed from the recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing, a task force which UDI and select builders participated in, the policy deviated significantly from the original recommendations and much clarity is required on the implementation of the policy. Following a committee liaison meeting on December 11 where this policy was first brought forward for discussion with UDI, we wrote a letter outlining our concern with the TAP and how it departed from the Mayor’s Task Force recommendations. UDI also included a list of technical questions for city staff regarding the implementation of the TAP. The city plans to continuing consulting with UDI to receive input on the policy. A report summarizing the results and recommendation to adopt the revised policy will then be presented to council. If you have any questions, contact Marissa Chan-Kent.

December 9, 2019

Revised Tenant Assistance Policy (TAP)

On December 2, City Council approved in principle a revised Tenant Assistance Policy. Staff were directed to begin public and stakeholder consultations on the revised Policy. However, it is now in place for any applications that proceed to Council while the consultation process occurs. The UDI Liaison Committee is meeting with Burnaby staff regarding the TAP on December 11, 2019.

The new Policy includes a number of new elements and it applies to:

“Tenants resident at the time of rezoning application submittal;
Tenants eligible under the existing policy, if the rezoning application has not had Second Reading;
Tenants who received buy-outs prior to rezoning application submittal; and
Primary tenants only, unless transferred by tenant to a sub-lessee, roommate, or other occupant not on the tenancy agreement.”

There are now three key parts of the compensation package:

“Monetary compensation, either as a rent “top-up” on temporary accommodation [the tenant can to find the housing themselves or rely on the proponent] or, in exceptional cases, as a lump sum cash payment;
Moving expenses [both for moving into and out of the temporary accommodation], either in-kind or as a cash payment; and
Right of first refusal on a replacement unit, at the same rent as their current unit, adjusted for permitted allowable rent increases as per the RTA” [Residential Tenancy Act].

The TAP has broad application and limited instream protection. It applies to:

“Purpose-built market rental buildings with >5 units;
Rezoning applications for redevelopment or renovation; and
Applications that have not received Second Reading as of effective date of the policy.”

Staff will also be developing an Implementation Guide which will include details on how to fulfill the requirements of the Policy for proponents, and a Tenant Assistance Policy brochure for tenants. UDI will update members throughout the consultation process of the TAP.

October 29, 2019

Changes to Rental Use Zoning Implementation Policy
On September 17^th, the Planning and Development Committee discussed the letter that UDI submitted regarding the Rental Use Zoning Policy and Initial Implementation Framework. Subsequently, the committee brought forward a motion to explore changes to the Rental Use Zoning Implementation Policy as it pertains to the affordable rental housing component and vacancy control. The motion states:

THAT staff amend the conditions of the Rental Use Zoning Implementation Policy to require that the equivalent of 20% of the proposed units under RM, or RMs Districts be provided as affordable rental housing at or below Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation market averages and that additional RMr Density for rental uses not be subject to vacancy control. CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY -4- 2.A)

The Committee advised that clarification regarding the Rental Use Zoning Implementation Policy is required in reference to the 20% rental housing component. The proposed amendment is intended to stipulate that the 20% rental component must be provided as affordable rental housing at or below Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) market averages. Staff advised that the proposed amendment to the Stream 2 component of the Rental Use Zoning Implementation Policy is to clarify that the units not be subject to vacancy control.

The proposed amendment would require that the 20% inclusionary component must be 100% affordable, at or below CMHC market average rents.

This motion was referred to staff for report back. UDI discussed this topic at a recent Burnaby Liaison Committee meeting and as such, has struck a small subcommittee to coordinate a letter submission to outline alternatives to vacancy control. If there are any suggestions or challenges, please get in touch with Marissa Chan-Kent.

August 6, 2019

Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing Report

On July 29, the final report of the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing was adopted by Council alongside the City Manager’s council report. See here for reports. The final report included 18 policy directions and 10 Quick Starts that were previously released with the interim report. Staff will begin to work on the policy recommendations in the context of a Housing Strategy, new Official Community Plan and look to integrate with the current work underway with the Transit Plan.

Rental-Tenure Zoning Policy Update

UDI recently met with city staff to seek clarity on the implementation and interpretation of the Rental Tenure Zoning Policy that was adopted by Council on May 27, 2019. The city will be issuing a bulletin imminently to provide further information on the application and timing of the policies.

July 8, 2019

UPDATED: Residential Rental Tenure Zoning Policy

Further to the June 24 update, the Proposed Zoning Bylaw Text Amendment – Affordability Offset Density report went to Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 25 and was passed. UDI continues to communicate with city staff on outstanding inquiries regarding the Residential Rental Tenure Zoning Policy. UDI hopes to schedule a meeting with city staff to address questions from the development community before the end of July.

June 24, 2019

UPDATED: Residential Rental Tenure Zoning Policy

As noted below, the City of Burnaby has established a new rental policy that addresses rental replacement, inclusionary zoning and allows rental in commercial zones. While UDI appreciates and supports Council’s efforts to protect displaced tenants and increase the number of rental and affordable housing units throughout the City of Burnaby, many builders are finding it difficult to move forward with their projects due to some of the provisions in the new Policy (e.g. the vacancy control of units). UDI wrote a letter to Council regarding our members’ concerns about the Policy and recommendations to improve it. In addition, a builder representative of the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing will be presenting industry concerns to members of Council on June 25.

New Energy Step Code Requirements for Part 9 Buildings

At the Council meeting on June 24, there is a proposed Building Bylaw Amendment to incorporate ESC requirements into the building code for Part 9 residential buildings. If the bylaw is given final approval, as of September 1, 2019, Step 1 of the Energy Step Code will be required for all residential Part 9 Building Permit applications for new construction. Additional proposed administrative requirements include an extra mid-stage air tightness (blower door) test, building energy labeling, and a requirement to engage an energy advisor or registered professional. After approximately one year, Step 3 of Energy Step Code is proposed to be required, pending reporting back to Council based on findings and feedback of Step 1 implementation. The full staff report is available here.

May 27, 2019

Community Housing Task Force releases Interim Report

Formed in January 2019, The Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing is an initiative to explore strategies to improve housing affordability. Among the Task Force members, UDI and the development industry occupy four positions. As a part of the Task Force mandate, they have released an interim report for information to council. Included in the report are 10 recommended “Quick Starts” that were created in response to the issues raised by residents during the public consultation process and in collaboration with the Task Force. The Recommended Quick Starts cover rental and ownership housing, a range of housing forms, the roles of the private and non-profit sector, and the needs of people in various ages of a typical housing lifecycle.

Framework proposed for Rental Tenure Zoning

Since last summer, projects have been frozen in Burnaby as the City develops policies to protect and enhance rental units in the City. On May 27, Council will be considering a Report from staff with several proposals to address these issues, which will allow projects to proceed. The Report includes four proposed policies:

Rental Replacement;
Inclusionary Rental;
Allowing Rental housing within Commercial Districts; and
Protection of Existing Rental Sites.

Under the Rental Replacement policy, units lost to redevelopment would have to be replaced at a ratio of 1:1 or 20% of the proposed units (which ever is higher). Affected tenants would be given first right of refusal, and rent levels must be similar to the rents lost to redevelopment. Staff are also proposing density offsets to address the costs associated with the policy.

Under the Inclusionary rental housing policy, developers will be required to provide 20% of the units they build in projects as rental housing. Again, there would be some density offsets – especially if the units provided are affordable (20% below the CMHC market average).

The City is also rezoning purpose built rental buildings to prevent them from being redeveloped under the prevailing zoning to non-rental buildings. However, proponents would still be able to seek rezonings, but would have to follow the Rental Replacement Policy.

The Burnaby Liaison Committee will be meeting on May 29 to discuss the four proposed policies. In addition, UDI sits on the Mayors Task Force on Community Housing, which is also meeting on May 29. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Marissa Chan-Kent at 604.661.3033.

April 16, 2019

Energy Step Code Consultation for Part 9 Buildings

The City of Burnaby is consulting on a proposed approach for Energy Step Code for Part 9 Buildings. Please provide comments on the proposed approached, as summarized in the attachment on their website here: www.burnaby.ca/greenbuildings

Please also complete the online questionnaire and consider attending their information session – details as below.

Council Report: Proposed Approach for Part 9 Buildings

One-page summary of Part 9 proposed approach and timeline

Attend the in-person information session:

Wednesday, May 1, 2019
7:30-9:30 AM, with a hot breakfast served at 7:00 AM
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Room 103, 6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby

The session is free but space is limited; please register by April 24 at www.burnaby.ca/ess-rsvp

If you have questions – please contact ecoplanning@burnaby.ca.

February 5, 2019

Mayor’s Housing Task Force

On January 28, City Council approved of the members to participate in the Mayor’s Task Force on Community Housing. UDI’s CEO and select members were approved to participate in the Task Force, alongside housing advocates, local unions, co-operative housing organizations and other builders. This Task Force will seek to advance Burnaby’s response widespread affordability issues by providing advice and information to Council on innovative policies, directions, and specific initiatives within City’s jurisdiction, to increase the supply and diversity of affordable housing. The Task Force will begin meeting mid-February 2019 and will convene bi-weekly until July 2019. They will deliver an interim report at three months and a final report to Council at the end of the six months. See here for the Task Force’s terms of reference.

January 8, 2019

Groundwater Investigation Update

City staff plan to bring this presentation on groundwater investigations to Council for final endorsement in March 2019. The purposes of the requirements outlined in this presentation are to protect groundwater as a potential potable resource and to limit the impact on downstream infrastructure. These requirements will be requested early in the development application process to ensure enough time for proponents to catch appropriate seasons for measurement and testing. Please contact James Lota or Simone Rousseau if you have an application in process and need to discuss the guidelines as stipulated in the presentation.

Municipal News- Burnaby

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