Municipal News- Coquitlam

January 1, 2000

September 19, 2023

DCC Inflationary Increase

At Council on September 11th, the proposed amendment to the Development Cost Charges Bylaw received First, Second, and Third Reading. The proposed amendment includes a 4.5% inflationary increase to the City’s DCC rates, based on Vancouver Consumer Price Index annual inflation. The proposed DCC adjustment noted in this report and amending bylaw is consistent with the DCC Best Practices Guide, which allows the City to adjust its DCC rates by an annual inflationary index ahead of the next comprehensive review.

The DCC legislation requires that all in-stream applications (including complete submitted building permits, re-zoning applications or development permit applications at the time of the bylaw effective date) receive an automatic one-year of in-stream protection, meaning that these applications are held at the old rates for one year. This exemption would be achieved only if the related building permits are issued one year from the bylaw effective date. Staff have included a proposed bylaw effective date of October 1st, 2023, 12 months after the last DCC rate update.

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

Housing Affordability Strategy – Zoning Bylaw Amendments

At Council on September 11th, amendments to the Zoning Bylaw were adopted to amend the definition of the Below Market Rental Unit, and expand permissions for Lock-Off Units as an accessory use in RT-2, RM-2, RM-3 zones, consistent with directions in the Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS).

At the Regular Council meeting on February 8, 2021, Council endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (the “Below-Market MOU”) with BC Housing to define the terms of this partnership. The Below-Market MOU specifies the level of affordability as 25% below-market. The discrepancy between the Zoning Bylaw and Below-Market MOU definitions led to the need for a revised definition of Below-Market Rental Unit to indicate that the rent charged is at least 25% below-market rent of comparable units (instead of current 20%). This change aligns with the definition of below-market rental units utilized in the template Lease (Operating) Agreements between BC Housing and private developers, where developments include a below-market rental component. The amendment is effective immediately on all in-stream projects that have not yet advanced to a Public Hearing and/or received a Bylaw Reading.

An additional amendment has expanded the zones in which lock-off units are permitted to RT-2, RM-2, and RM-3 zones within Evergreen Line Core and Shoulder Station areas, as designated in Schedule “0” of the Zoning Bylaw. The primary objective behind this provision is to offer additional rental options in proximity to transit facilities, facilitating housing and transportation choice for residents and support housing affordability.

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

August 9, 2023

UPDATE: Development Application Process Review (DAPR) 2023

At Council-in-Committee on July 31st, a report was received for information with an update on the City’s 2023 Development Application Process Review (DAPR) initiatives. Recent process improvements made by the City include:

A Development Application Portal to be launched in August 2023. The portal will enable online application intake (including payments and document/drawing submission) to support and track application processing. The first phase of portal deployment will be focused on development applications, followed in the next phase by expanding the portal capabilities to other divisions in the City;
The pre-application process has been re-vamped to focus on key aspects of early project design prior to an applicant investing in full architectural drawings, by reducing the scope of this review to provide more relevant feedback. This has reduced the average number of weeks taken to complete a pre-application from 16 weeks to just over 6 weeks. Enquiry Meetings are also going well;
In February 2023, the City enabled automated email capabilities in AMANDA7 for the Building Inspections group, to automatically send out inspection reports to applicants/contractors once an inspection has been completed. This has reduced turnaround time for inspection reports. More opportunities to automate other communication across City and improve internal communication process are being explored.

Ongoing 2023 and 2024 DAPR initiatives include:

Reviewing existing application processes for development and building permit applications, which will include expanding discretionary authority and delegated decision-making to staff;
Examining the design review process through the upcoming Development Permit guidelines review component of the Official Community Plan review. This will provide opportunity to review and discuss the appropriate level of design quality City is aiming for, and highlight trade-offs between level of design quality, length of design review, and level of effort/resources required to deliver on requirements;
Expanding automation and use of the AMANDA7 information database, automation and workflows into other segments of the development and building review process. This will include exploring emerging AI tools to further automate and streamline the review process;
Initiating a Zoning Bylaw refresh to increase clarity and reduce ambiguity;
Increasing flexibility for Development Securities by continuing to evaluate a trial of using surety bonds for development securities to fully understand the benefits and risks. Projects in trial are still in the development and construction phase, so once those projects are complete City staff will report back to Council with the results of the trial.

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

Zoning Bylaw Amendments for Housing Affordability Strategy Implementation

At Council on July 31st, proposed Zoning Bylaw amendments to implement the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS) received First Reading, and will go to Public Hearing.

These housekeeping amendments to the Zoning Bylaw would amend the definition of Below Market Rental Unit, and expand permissions for Lock-Off Units as an accessory use in RT-2, RM-2, RM-3 zones to be consistent with directions in the HAS.

At the Regular Council meeting on February 8th, 2021, Council endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (the “Below-Market MOU”) with BC Housing to define the terms of their partnership. The Below-Market MOU specifies the level of affordability as 25% below-market. Given the number of below-market units in-stream in the development process, and the discrepancy between the Zoning Bylaw definition and the Below-Market MOU, City staff are recommending a Zoning Bylaw text amendment to align with the definition of below-market rental units utilized in the template Lease (Operating) Agreements between BC Housing and private developers, where developments include a below-market rental component. Upon adoption of the bylaw, this amendment would have an immediate effect on all in-stream projects that have not yet advanced to a Public Hearing and/or received a Bylaw Reading. An additional amendment seeks to allow lock-off units as of right in the RT-2, RM-2, and RM-3 zones, to o offer additional rental options in proximity to transit facilities, facilitating housing and transportation choice for residents and support housing affordability. Expansion of the zones in which lock-off units are permitted was identified as part of the 2023-2024 HAS work program. It is being proposed that permission of lock-off units be limited to those zones within the Evergreen Line Core and Shoulder Station areas, as designated in Schedule “0” of the Zoning Bylaw.

City staff are continuing to work on HAS initiatives as identified in the 2023-2024 work program. Other initiatives identified include simplification of the density bonus program; review of three-bedroom units as a Priority Unit Type (PUT), and providing clarity on development expectations to deliver a balanced mix of housing types; and exploration of initiatives to expand the rental incentives program and/or deepen housing affordability levels. Staff intend to report to Council in T3 2023 on these initiatives.

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

July 26, 2023

2023 Eligible School Sites Proposal

At Council on July 17th, the 2023 Eligible School Sites Proposal (ESSP) was approved, as submitted by School District No. 43. The 2023 ESSP includes the following:

Projections for the number of new housing units expected to be constructed and occupied within SD43, between 2023 to 2033;
Estimated number of students that will be generated following the construction of these new housing units;
Number, location and size of new school sites that will be required over the next 10 years (which SD43 does not yet own and will need to acquire), as a result of the anticipated student enrolment; and
Anticipated costs to acquire these school sites.

Staff have reviewed the 2023 ESSP and note that the SD43 10-year growth forecast reflects the City’s latest residential housing forecasts. Staff will continue to work with SD43 to identify school site needs in the Hazel-Coy neighbourhood, and on developing an urban school model for higher-density areas such as City Centre and Fraser Mills.

More information can be found in the full report to Council.

Review Framework for Developer Initiated Public Art on Private Property

At Council-in-Committee (CiC) on July 17th, a report was received for information on the proposed scope, process, and engagement strategy for a review framework for developer initiated public art on private property.

Since 2017, with the adoption of various plans and policies, developer initiated public art proposals on private property have grown significantly. Currently, development planning file managers are responsible for reviewing proposals, utilizing best judgement and leaning on guidelines in Part 4 of the Official Community Plan (OCP) – Urban Design and Development Permit Areas (guidelines dealing with private-public interface). The current Public Art Policy does not provide sufficiently detailed or formalized procedures to guide review, or criteria to use as a benchmark for evaluation of proposals given types of proposals received today. A review framework, including criteria, for developer initiated public art proposals on private property will bring structure and reduce risk by providing guidance and operational clarity to staff and developers. This work aligns with anticipated outcomes of Development Approval Process Review (DAPR) initiatives such as operational efficiencies, and enhanced customer service.

To develop this Review Framework, the project team will complete the following:

Establish and implement procedures for reviewing developer initiated public art proposals, including proposals with master development plans;
Establish criteria that captures the City’s goal of developing a public art collection that reflects the diversity of Coquitlam’s communities, enhances civic spaces and neighbourhoods, and makes art accessible to all to act as a benchmark for the evaluation of developer initiated public art proposals; and
Prepare amendments to Part 4 of the OCP – Urban Design+ Development Permit Areas guidelines to ensure policy consistency and cohesion.

Excluded from the project scope are developer initiated public art proposals on public property, community public art proposals, and civic art proposals. Project completion is proposed to be late 2024, with work completed in four phases. City staff will now proceed with Phase 1: Framing and Analysis, which will include initial engagement with stakeholders over summer 2023. Phase 2 will take place over fall 2023/winter 2024, and include background research and preparation of Review Framework direction, followed by a second round of engagement with stakeholders to confirm direction. Phase 3 will take place in spring 2024, and entail the preparation of formal requirements and procedures and amendments to Part 4 of OCP, presenting a draft Review Framework to stakeholders for further refinement, and presenting a draft to CiC for feedback. Finally, Phase 4 is targeted for fall 2024 when City staff will prepare the final Review Framework for Council endorsement, notify stakeholders, and if endorsed by Council roll out for staff implementation.

More information can be found in the full staff report.

Urban Forest Management Strategy

At Council-in-Committee (CiC) on July 10th, a report was received for information on the scope and process for development of an Urban Forest Management Strategy (UFMS). City staff will now work to retain a consultant to support this work over summer 2023. The proposed timeline for this work is:

Phase 2 in Fall 2023 – research and engagement
Phase 3 early 2024 – Council check-in on key findings
Phase 4 Spring 2024 – draft strategy and Council check-in
Phase 5 Summer 2024 – final strategy and Council approval

More information can be found in the full staff report.

May 16, 2023

Delegated Authority for Minor DVPs

At Council-in-Committee (CiC) on April 24th, City staff received direction from Council on the potential delegation of authority for minor Development Variance Permits (DVPs). This was follow up on a report that went to CiC in July which introduced Council to various changes made possible by the Bill 26 legislation.

Bill 26 related proposals include:

Revising Development Variance Assessment Criteria to include criteria to clarify what constitutes a minor variance. City staff are proposing that within 25% of the bylaw requirement be considered minor; and
That variances associated with Council approved Development Permit applications should not be delegated, as these variances are best considered by Council within the larger rezoning and development proposal.

The Community Charter also gives Council the authority to delegate other duties to City staff that have not yet been enacted. City staff have identified a number of other areas of the development process that may benefit from delegation:

Some application types that could be considered for delegation are Temporary Use Permits (issuance or renewal), Heritage Alteration Permits, and Liquor Licenses. In each case, Council has the authority to enact guidelines that the delegate must follow when exercising the delegated authority;
There appears to be benefit to delegating authority to vary the Supplementary Specifications and Detail Drawings associated with the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw. Currently, the General Manager of Engineering and Public Works has authority to amend from time to time, but delegating authority to vary the criteria would allow additional flexibility when an amendment is not appropriate, but specific site condition warrants modification for a particular development;
City staff believe that delegated development permits might benefit from increased scope. Currently they are limited to housing choices projects and developments with a construction value lower than $500,000. With current construction costs this is quite restrictive and results in relatively inconsequential developments and renovations requiring Council approval. City staff suggest recalibrating construction value criteria to capture a broader range of developments.

City staff will bring forward amendments to the Development Procedures Bylaw and will revise the Development Variance Assessment Criteria Policy and Procedure for Council endorsement. They will also explore additional areas of delegation noted in the staff report, and bring forward other bylaw amendments and policies as appropriate. Following consideration of the delegation of minor DVPs, City staff will report back to Council on potential implementation of remaining Bill 26 provisions.

The full staff report can be read here.

ESC and ZCSC Requirements

At Council-in-Committee (CiC) on April 24th, City staff provided an update to Council on recently adopted changes to the BC Building Code (BCBC) regarding increased requirements for energy performance of buildings through the Energy Step Code (ESC), and introduction of the opt-in Zero Carbon Step Code (ZCSC).

Staff recommendations for compliance include:

Part 9 Building Permit applications received on or after May 1st, 2023 demonstrate compliance with ESC Step 3;
Part 3 Building Permit applications for buildings of combustible construction or encapsulated mass timber construction received on or after January 1st, 2024 demonstrate compliance with ESC Step 3. The City currently requires ESC Step 2 for Part 3.

The delay in moving to Step 3 for the two construction types above recognizes that there is more lead time required in the design phase related to these structures. City staff are not recommending an increase in energy performance requirements for non-combustible (high rise) buildings at this time.

It was noted that as the City implements ESC requirements, it will be increasingly important that bylaws and guidelines support high performance design strategies. For example, Development Permit Guidelines that align with high performance design strategies, Floor Area Ratio calculations that do not discourage thicker wall assemblies or use of low carbon mechanical equipment, Building Setback requirements that do not discourage thicker wall assemblies or exterior shading devices, and building height limits that do not discourage thicker roof assemblies.

For the ZCSC, City staff are recommending waiting for outcomes and recommendations of the City’s anticipated Climate Action Plan (CAP) before considering opt-in. This will give City staff time to consider possible impacts to building design and associated costs, provide direction to appropriate step and timing of enforcement of the ZCSC in relation to adopted GHG targets, and ensure alignment with forthcoming plans. The City wants to ensure advancing the ESC and ZCSC still balances the City’s housing affordability and climate action goals in a coordinated manner. Given significant increased density and volume of development activity in some existing neighbourhoods, and other City objectives like advancing EV charging requirements, City staff want to work with BC Hydro to understand impacts the increased electrical demand would have on existing electrical infrastructure at the neighbourhood level. Following completion of modelling work for the CAP, City staff will report back with a recommended path for advancing ESC and considering ZCSC implementation levels.

The full staff report can be read here.

Climate Action Plan

At Council-in-Committee (CiC) on April 24th, Council received a report outlining the scope and progress of the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP will integrate existing corporate and community strategies to reduce GHGs (mitigation) and prepare for and protect against climate change (adaptation), through a low carbon resilience approach.

Objectives of CAP development include:

Summarize best practices from leading local governments and relevant climate action policy-makers;
Enhance Coquitlam’s existing climate-related data, modelling scenarios and analysis to support decision making;
Share Coquitlam’s climate action journey, highlighting progress to date, successes, and future opportunities;
Collaborate across departments to generate clear and measurable actions to achieve climate goals, with a focus on equity and affordability;
Ensure early and ongoing engagement with kwikw9Aem First Nation;
Engage key community stakeholders to receive feedback;
Create a final Climate Action Plan; and
Propose processes to track and report on plan implementation.

The project is divided into four phases (see below). The project team is wrapping up Phase 1 and will then move into Phase 2 to focus on technical, financial, and economic analyses needed to prioritize actions. Staff will facilitate an upcoming check-in with Council to get feedback to inform the next phase of the project.

The full staff report can be read here.

Building Child Care – Networking Event

The City will be hosting a networking event on June 8^th aimed at connecting child care providers and developers. This event will help to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing to address the opportunities and also challenges faced by the provision of child care facilities.

During the event, the City will provide valuable insights into available incentives for the provision of child care in Coquitlam, and provincial staff will be in attendance to discuss capital grant opportunities. Notably, representatives from CCRR staff and Fraser Health Licensing Officers will also be present. This networking opportunity will enable discussions, reflections, and valuable learning experiences for all participants, including developers, child care providers, and the City’s Planning and Development staff.

Event Details:

Date: June 8, 2023

Time: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Venue: Coquitlam City Centre Library Branch, Room 136/137

Kindly RSVP attendance of your organization by May 30th, 2023, through the following link: https://coquitlam-childcare.eventbrite.com.

If you have any questions, please contact the City via email at childcare@coquitlam.ca.

April 4, 2023

UPDATE: DAPR 5-Year Retrospective Report

At Council-in-Committee on March 27th, City staff provided Council with a 5-Year Retrospective Report that overviews the City’s progress on its Development Approvals Process Review (DAPR) program from 2018 to 2022, in addition to outlining future actions to continue to improve the system.

Of the 49 recommendations in the original 2017 DAPR report, 32 have been completed or operationalized, 14 are currently underway, and 3 are remaining as future work items.

Highlights of DAPR initiatives from the last year include:

Digital referrals increased consistency in review and referral process among planning file managers and internal City groups resulting in reduced review times;
Automated financial calculations for Application Fees, Development Cost Charges, and CACs were built into AMANDA 7 (A7), resulting in time savings for staff and a simplified process with fewer steps;
Digital plan review saw a continued focus on Electronic Plan submission, using Bluebeam to review digital plans to save time, paper, and improving communication with applicants;
Electronic file management means that file processing is being administered and managed electronically so that processes, correspondence, referrals, and plan submissions/review are all occurring digitally along with document management;
A new pre-application process has streamlined the process to focus only on siting and massing so applicants have the right level of information at the right time and can refine their plans prior to preparing and submitting a full application; and
A new early enquiry meeting option is available for potential applicants to meet with senior staff and discuss a potential project early at the conceptualization stage. These half hour time slots can be booked during Friday morning “office hours” to discuss preliminary concepts and ideas.

Ongoing and proposed 2023 initiatives include:

Launching the new online portal for submitting development and building permit applications, monitoring the application process, and paying fees;
Continuing expansion of A7’s information database, automation and workflows into other segments of the development and building review process;
Introducing a new project number Building Project Folder and process milestones to the Building Permit process to better track the progress of applications, mirroring the new system for development applications;
Developing the ability to send automatic digital building inspection reports directly to applicants from the field without having to print paper reports or return to City Hall;
Reviewing the existing development application review process, clarifying what is reviewed at each stage and setting expectations;
Initiating a major housekeeping clean-up of the Zoning Bylaw to increase clarity and reduce ambiguity;
Reviewing and streamlining the Official Community Plan to create a clearer and more functional document that supports Council’s vision and minimizes future amendments;
Reviewing existing data needs and establish guidelines for improved data quality across Planning and Development through Key Performance Indicators, automating data collection, and using data driven decision making;
Improving website material to clearly communicate the process stages and expectations and submission requirements for different stages in the review process, through creation of checklists for submissions, review stages, clarified requirements, and expectations at each stage;
Improving applicant communication through expanding the use of A7 to send automated emails to applicants at key points in the review process; and
Exploring the possibility of expanding the delegation of authority for variances to staff, preparing a Public Notice Bylaw to improve methods to give notice that are more effective and less resource intensive, and exploring the waiver of public hearings for OCP compliant projects.

City staff will return to Council in T2 2023 with a more detailed report that focuses on key initiatives implemented in 2022/early 2023, including a demonstration presentation of the online application portal.

March 21, 2023

UPDATE: Construction Site Water Discharge Monitoring

In June 2022, Coquitlam issued Engineering Bulletin #2, encouraging real-time construction site water discharge monitoring to reduce the risk of non-compliant discharge into sensitive waterways. Given the ongoing water quality challenges experienced in the Stoney Creek watershed, Coquitlam Council approved updates to the Stream and Drainage System Protection Bylaw effective January 2nd, 2023 requiring real-time monitoring for all new large development sites (excluding single family, duplex, triplex, fourplex, multiplex, and demolition) within the Stoney Creek Watershed and for sites with two or more incidents of non-compliant discharge.

To ensure real-time monitoring provider capability and bylaw compliance, Coquitlam issued an open call for qualified proponents on January 27th, 2023 which closed on February 24th, 2023. Three submissions were received and evaluated for corporate experience, technical capability, and financial cost, with the goal to pre-qualify one or more companies eligible to provide this service. One submission did not meet technical capability, and another submission did not have any experience with their proposed technology. Therefore, Flowlink Environmental Inc was selected as the only qualified provider at this time.

Coquitlam will issue another request for pre-qualified companies in early 2024. If you have any questions, please call or email Jenny Tough, Environmental Education and Enforcement Manager at jtough@coquitlam.ca or 604-927-3503.

March 7, 2023

Housing Affordability Strategy Implementation & Work Program

At Council-in-Committee on February 27th, Council received a report for information on the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS) implementation over the last year, and the proposed 2023-2024 Work Program. The proposed Work Program includes:

Rental Incentives Policy and Other Tools
- Review the current rental incentives program, and explore opportunities to adjust, expand or deepen the incentives program, following a workshop with Council to identify priorities; and
- Review the unit mix achieved through development to better align with findings contained within Housing Needs Report.
Zoning Bylaw Housekeeping Text Amendments and Design Guidelines
- Pursue Zoning Bylaw text amendments to reflect policy direction/work being advanced through the HAS, including but not limited to expanding permitted land uses in P-1 and P-2 Institutional Zones to permit temporary shelters, and permit lock-off suites in the RT-2 Townhouse Residential Zone.
Review of Affordable Housing Reserve Fund (AHRF)
- Review the current AHRF program, including project eligibility criteria (I.e. community fit, fund viability and sustainability) and broadening the criteria for grant amounts to recognize contributions received through Federal funding programs and equity contributions made by non-profit entities.
Process Improvements
- Standardize and improve Housing Agreements to secure affordability levels and tenancy of below and non-market housing in private developments; and
- Improve data collection and tracking processes to support monitoring and evaluation of the HAS.

UPDATE: Child Care Partnership Strategy Implementation & Work Program

At Council-in-Committee on February 27th, Council received a report for information with updates on the status of items identified for annual reporting in the Child Care Partnership Strategy (CCPS), and recommendations for the 2023-2024 Work Program. Regarding the creation of child care spaces, in 2022 there were four (high-rise) development applications that included child care facilities providing a combined estimated 405 child care spaces. Further work is proposed to identify incentives for mid-rise and townhouse forms, particularly on Burke Mountain, as a priority for 2023. Child care access rates are on track with short term targets set in the CCPR for infant/toddler spaces, with most child care spaces exceeding targets in the CCPS for the pre-school age group. The school-age group falls short of addressing need, so when reviewing development applications moving forward City staff will continue to encourage applicants to design facilities that prioritize inclusion of high-priority age groups wherever possible.

Through the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund (CCPRF), in 2022 there were 12 development applications that proposed cash-in-lieu of providing a child care facility, in the form of a Community Amenity Contribution allocated to the CCPRF. This totals an estimated amount of $1,919,150, with final amounts determined at final adoption of rezoning. City staff will continue to monitor and report on Federal and Provincial funding opportunities for child care community partners and City initiatives as they become available.

To help set consistent expectations for the design of child care facilities when proposed through development applications, City staff are preparing a brochure summarizing Child Care Incentive Policy opportunities and expectations and a detailed Child Care Procedures Manual for file managers and development applicants. These resources will be complete by summer 2023.

The next phase of implementation proposes to include:

Completion of a detailed Child Care Procedures Manual, to guide file managers and development applicants through the Child Care Incentive Policy and CCPRF requirements and Expectations;
Identification of incentives to facilitate child care spaces in areas with predominantly low and mid-rise housing types, like Burke Mountain;
Refining criteria and disbursement options for grant approvals made through the CCPRF;
Consideration of inclusion and/or co-location of licensed child care on civic lands and/or in civic facilities, when review of these spaces is undertaken, or new capital plans are being developed;
Updating the Zoning Bylaw to establish clear and consistent child care parking requirements;
Improving coordination between City departments to apply a “child care lens” to development of new and revised City bylaws, plans and policies;
Continuing data collection and reporting of neighbourhood child care access, coverage and need, including development impact on child care; and
Continuing to monitor in-coming CCPRF amounts and applications for grants from the fund and bring forward opportunities for Council to consider use of funds as per criteria in CCPS and CCPRF Policy.

UPDATE: Construction Site Water Discharge Monitoring

At Council-in-Committee on February 27th, Council received a report for information on the accomplishments and next steps planned to preserve and enhance the health of the Stoney Creek watershed. Along with coordinated installation of two live in-creek water quality monitoring stations with the City of Burnaby, Coquitlam recently completed the following additional creek water quality preservation and improvement measures:

Approved Stream and Drainage System Protection Bylaw changes to require real-time monitoring and enhanced enforcement of erosion and sediment control requirements for development sites;
Council approved an additional environmental worksite compliance specialist staff member to start in 2023 to support additional review and investigation of real-time creek and construction site water quality monitoring data and follow up;
Completed water quality sampling and analysis for a range of contaminants including oil, grease, metals, bacteria, and hydrocarbons;
Installed trail cameras that allow for remote monitoring of the creek, which supports spill investigation and response; and
Sent a letter to concrete companies communicating best management practices, which has led to an expanded relationship with Concrete BC to reinforce the message and expand the reach to support other municipalities.

In addition to the source control measured noted, City staff are evaluating drainage treatment system enhancements to provide an extra layer of protection against illicit discharges, with details discussed with Council in the future. So far, Coquitlam’s efforts have reduced inflow and infiltration within the City’s sewer system by approximately 35%. The City has also installed a new diversion sewer to provide additional conveyance capacity in the event of high sewer system flows during extreme weather events, which are coordinated and cost shared with the City of Burnaby, City of Port Moody, and Metro Vancouver.

Next steps include monitoring the new diversion sewer performance and working with Metro Vancouver to accelerate the design and construction of a northern portion of regional trunk sewer with a new preferred northern alignment identified, which would result in a new trunk main within the road right of way instead of adjacent to Stoney Creek.

Enquiry Meetings & Revised Pre-Application Process

The City’s new Enquiry Meeting and revised pre-application processes are now available online. Please find below some additional information:

Pre-Application Submission Requirements Checklist
Pre-Application Webpage: https://coquitlam.ca/253/Pre-Application
Pre-Application Guide: https://coquitlam.ca/DocumentCenter/View/9701/Pre-Application-Guide?bidId=
Enquiry Meeting Webpage: https://coquitlam.ca/1245/Enquiry-Meeting
Enquiry Meeting Brochure: https://coquitlam.ca/DocumentCenter/View/9700/Enquiry-Meeting-Guide?bidId=

January 24, 2023

Planning and Development Fee Increases

The City has shared an updated bulletin on Planning and Development (P&D) Fee Adjustments. The updated Fees and Charges Bylaw increases all P&D Fees by CPI rate of 5.4%, which is less than the 6.85% average for 2022. In addition to the CPI adjustment, the Bylaw also increases specific fees in the department as noted below:

Increase in major development planning application fees by 15%, as outlined in the P&D Fee Review completed in 2020, to recognize the amount of effort required to effectively deliver these increasingly important and complex form of development. Staff will review the capacity for raising the fees for standard development as part of the 2024 budget in hopes of having more clarity on the direction of the housing market;
Continued right-sizing of the per sq. ft. rate included in the calculation of Building Permit (BP) fees by raising the rate to reflect an increase in construction costs. Staff is taking a balanced approach to increasing this rate to ensure fees charged cover the related costs while remaining reasonable to continue to attract development;
Increase in BP fees by a further 3.5%. The City’s fees have remained largely stable for about a decade and staff believe this increase provides a sufficient balance between covering the related costs and attracting development;
The calculation of the BP application fees will now require 50% of the final BP fees paid at application (previously 25%). As an example, a building permit that costs $500K, the application fee will be calculated as 50% ($250K) of the Building Permit fee. Parts of this fee may now be refundable depending on the amount of work already done on the application. This shift will result in better alignment in the timing of the collection of BP revenues and the related costs.

The new fees were effective as of January 1st, 2023.

January 10, 2023

UPDATE: 2023 Water, Sewer, Drainage and Solid Waste Rates

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on December 12th, changes to the City’s Water, Sewer and Drainage, as well as Solid Waste fees were adopted. The full report by City staff can be read here. The changes are effective January 1st, 2023.

UPDATE: 2023 Fees and Charges

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, at Council on December 12th, changes to the Fees and Charges Bylaw were adopted. The full report by City staff can be read here. All 2023 rates are effective as of April 1st, 2023 unless otherwise noted in the staff report.

Energy Step Code Implementation

At Council-in-Committee on December 12th, Council received a staff report with information on anticipated Provincial legislation which will impact the City’s planned Energy Step Code (ESC) implementation targets. City staff intend to align with the minimum requirements contained in the anticipated Ministerial Order, and to delay the requirement for wood frame Part 3 buildings to conform to Step 3 of the ESC for several months to allow a more fulsome review and recommendations. The approach being recommended by City staff would only impact combustible (wood frame) apartment projects of 5-6 storeys, or mass timber construction to 12 storeys (Part 3 large residential combustible), which is about three projects per year at the current rate of development.

The difference between this intended approach and the schedule set out in the May 2021 report can be found in the charts below:

City staff will evaluate the proposed changes more fully, including the building carbon pollution standard, with a target to report back to Council with a recommended approach in spring 2023.

December 13, 2022

2023 Fees and Charges

At Council on December 5th, proposed changes to the Fees and Charges Bylaw received First, Second, and Third Reading. For general Planning and Development fees, there is a proposed inflationary increase of 5.4%. Major Project Fees, excluding the Public Hearing fee, would increase by 15%. Building Fees would also see a 5.4% inflationary increase, with an additional 3.5% increase for cost recovery (excluding fees within excavation and foundation permit sections). There would also be a new requirement for 50% of the building permit issuance fee to be paid up front.

The full report by City staff can be read here.

UPDATE: Construction Site Water Discharge Monitoring

As noted in previous newsletters, at Council on December 5th, changes to the Stream and Drainage System Protection Bylaw were adopted. This means that large development sites within the Stoney Creek watershed are now required to have real-time monitoring and control of stormwater.

The amended Bylaw can be read here.

2023 Water, Sewer, Drainage and Solid Waste Rate Amendments

At Council on December 5th, proposed changes to the Water, Sewer, Drainage and Solid Waste rates received First, Second, and Third Reading.

The full report by City staff can be read here. Proposed rate changes can be found in the table below:

Included in the proposed update for Water is the second of a five-year 18% metered rate increase. This is intended to balance the consumption and revenue generated between the flat and metered users. For 2023, these two metered rate factors result in a net 7% regular rate increase and a 34% summer rate increase. A 4% flat rate and overall 18% metered rate increase to Water for 2023 will accommodate the increase in costs by Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD). They will also help plan for and mitigate the impact of future MVRD rate increases on residents, as well as address increases in the City’s controlled costs such as labour and infrastructure renewal, and the recommendations outlined in the Water and Sewer Rate Review.

A 4% flat rate and 18% metered rate increase to Sewer and Drainage for 2023 will address the City’s cost pressures and maintain a contingency to address future MVRD rate increases while balancing the revenue between the flat rate and metered rate consumers. A 4% Solid Waste fee increase is intended to address the various cost pressures such as the increases to the solid waste collection and processing contracts as well as MVRD disposal fees.

November 29, 2022

Temporary Trades Parking on City-Owned Land

At Council-in-Committee on November 21st, Council approved a report identifying opportunities for short-term, temporary trades parking uses on City-owned properties to address on-street parking pressures caused by development projects in Coquitlam.

City staff will initiate communication with developers to highlight potential temporary trades parking lots in their development areas, and will use this opportunity to reinforce the City’s ‘Good Neighbour Guidelines’ to ensure cleanliness of temporary parking and surrounding areas. Potential trades parking leases/licenses will offer the City an additional temporary revenue source to provide funding for community amenities.

The full staff report can be read here.

Seasonal Metered Water Rates

At Council on November 21st, staff received direction to amend the 2023 Water Distribution Bylaw with a Seasonal Metered Water Rate Structure. This would provide financial incentive for metered customers to use less treated potable water in the summer when supply is reduced, and demand increases. The new structure will be phased in over two years to provide metered customers with time to understand their water consumption patterns and adapt if needed. The proposed phased rates can be found below:

This proposed structure is revenue neutral for the City, and final rates will be determined based on the 2023 water utility budget. The phasing of rates would be effective January 1st, 2023. Please see the full staff report for more information.

November 1, 2022

UPDATE: Development Approvals Process Review 2.0

Of the 2017 Development Approvals Process Review (DAPR) recommendations, the City has completed 32 and has 14 underway, with 3 still to begin. Successes coming out of implementing these recommendations include the launch of Amanda 7, electronic file management, refined regulatory requirements, an automated referral process, digital review with Bluebeam, and increased digitization for Building Permit issuance.

City staff have noted that there has been a 125% increase in the volume of applications with a minor increase in staff. While timelines may not yet seem faster for applicants, the DAPR improvements have helped City staff to absorb the additional volume of applicants without substantially increasing timelines.

As part of ongoing implementation work, DAPR 2.0 will see the City continuing to work on a development and building application portal, application right-sizing, improving communication and website material, reviewing a response to Bill 26 related to minor variances, public hearings and public notice requirements, increasing clarity around expectations in the Zoning Bylaw refresh and Design Guideline refinement, and automating more processes with Amanda 7.

The City’s ultimate goal is for all applications for planning and building to be done through an online portal. It expects applications to go live sometime in April 2023, beginning with development applications. The City is working on metrics to establish targets for reduced application times, and is discussing with City of Vancouver and City of Surrey staff to figure out what has allowed them to establish their processing timelines.

More information can be found in presentation slides provided by City staff.

UPDATE: 2022 Development Cost Charges Update & 2021 Annual Report

In June, the City released its 2021 Development Cost Charges (DCC) Annual Report which can be read here. It shows that the City has $35.5 million for future projects remaining that has yet to be committed. New DCC Public Guidelines are also available on the City’s website.

The City’s updated DCC Bylaw was approved in July with an effective date of October 1st, 2022. Highlights of the changes include consolidation of one rate for single-family lots, and rates for residential units now being based on dwelling units (previously GFA). The City has also changed to a new credit system, which can be found below:

The City has confirmed that applicants are not currently permitted to pay DCCs with an excavation or foundation permit. An applicant must have a full Building Permit before October 1st, 2023 in order to qualify for in-stream protection under the old rates. UDI will continue to engage with City staff regarding the interpretation of wording in the Bylaw on timing of payment when work begins next year on the 2024 DCC update.

More information can be found in presentation slides provided by City staff.

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

October 18, 2022

UPDATE: Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Bylaw

As noted in previous newsletters, at Council on October 3rd, the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund (CCPRF) Establishment Bylaw was adopted. Creation of the new CCPRF through a bylaw will allow the fund to receive contributions prior to the new Community Amenity Contribution rate coming into effect on August 1st, 2023, should builders choose to make voluntary contributions to the fund prior to that date.

Construction Site Water Discharge Monitoring

Given the intensity of development activity in Coquitlam and the sensitivity of community watersheds, the City is reviewing a tighter regime of controls to ensure accidental spills are no longer an issue. A real-time discharge water quality monitoring unit has been installed as a pilot at a development site, which also redirects non-compliant water for reprocessing if water quality parameters (e.g. pH and turbidity) are not met.

The data and lessons learned from this site, and from implementation of similar systems within neighbouring municipalities, will inform an upcoming decision to consider requiring these real-time water quality monitoring units for more development sites. The City is encouraging builders to consider implementing this real-time monitoring approach now for construction site discharge.

More details can be found in the Engineering Bulletin here.

October 4, 2022

City Centre Streetscape Guidelines and Proposed City Centre Area Plan

At Council on September 26th, refinements to the Streetscape Guidelines as well as amendments to the City Centre Area Plan (CCAP) were adopted.

Refinements to Streetscape Guidelines made since the draft was presented to Council-in-Committee on June 20th include:

Updates to illustrations and graphics to clearly identify location of pavers and approximate width of different streetscape zones (i.e. Building Frontage Zone, Buffer Zone);
Updates to guidelines to identify opportunities for applicants to explore unique designs for street furniture such as benches;
Updates to encourage landscaping in Buffer Zone where possible;
New guidelines to encourage plants that are drought-tolerant, low maintenance, and have a clean look when matured;
Refinements to Public Art guidelines to explore rotating public art pieces and encourage design elements that provide opportunities for exploration and play.

Amendments to the CCAP include updates to policies to include micromobility considerations. These changes will be used as part of the design and review of development permit applications for properties along key streets with a frontage type or Character Street designation, primarily within the Downtown Core.

For more information, please read the full report here.

Child Care Partnership Strategy Implementation

At Council on September 26th, the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund (CCPRF) Establishment Bylaw received First, Second, and Third Reading. The Child Care Incentive Policy and Child Care Partnership Reserve Policy were also both endorsed.

City staff intend to bring forward an annual report to Council on the Child Care Partnership Strategy, similarly to Housing Affordability Strategy reports. These annual reports will include:

The amount of child care demand created through development applications and what has been done to address this demand;
Tracking of incoming and outgoing funds from CCPRF;
Statistics on the number of child care spaces created and incentives used to develop spaces; and
Proposed work plan items for the upcoming year.

It should be noted that the increase in Community Amenity Contributions (CACs) from $3 to $6 per square foot that was approved through the revised CAC policy at Council on July 11th includes $1 per square foot which will go towards the CCPRF. The revised rates will come into effect on August 1st, 2023 however some developers may choose to make voluntary contributions to new CCPRF prior to this date. Creation of the new CCPRF through a bylaw will allow this fund to receive contributions prior to the new CAC rate coming into effect.

For more information, please read the full report here.

September 20, 2022

UPDATE: 2022 Density Bonus Program

As noted in previous UDI Newsletters, the City is updating its Density Bonus Program. After a workshop with UDI on June 16th, City staff brought a second report back to Council on July 11th.

On July 11th, Council granted First Reading, and the bylaw amendments went to a Public Hearing on July 25th. UDI submitted a letter to Council as part of the Public Hearing correspondence. Council voted to refer the item back to City staff for more work, to be brought back to Council for a September workshop.

Following the Summer Recess, City staff brought the Density Bonus Program Bylaws to Council on September 6th for Third Reading, along with a report on proposed next steps. Since City staff were unable to schedule a Council workshop in September 2022 as previously directed by Council following the Public Hearing in July, due to the complexity of some of the issues noted in the report, City staff presented Council with two options:

Option A: Proceed with consideration of Third Reading while resolving the related issues separately through a workshop and policy adjustments; OR
Option B: Resolve these related issues prior to further consideration of Third Reading in a workshop.

Council voted unanimously against proceeding with consideration of Third Reading for the proposed updates. This means that City staff and Council will now work to resolve the identified issues prior to further consideration of Third Reading, in a Council Workshop, before the item is likely brought back for another Public Hearing (this timing has yet to be determined, but UDI assumes this will be post-election).

UDI will meet with City staff following the municipal election, at which time we hope to get an update on timing/next steps.

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

August 9, 2022

UPDATE: 2022 Density Bonus Program

As noted in previous newsletters, on July 25th the Citywide Update to the Density Bonus Program went to Public Hearing, before being discussed at the subsequent Council meeting.

UDI submitted a letter to Council as part of the Public Hearing correspondence, with three main “asks” of Council:

Further grandfathering protection;
Exemptions for rental housing; and
Fast tracking of additional density options for RM-3 projects.

The outcome was a vote by Council to refer the item back to City staff for more work. Next steps include a September workshop to get more information, before the item is likely brought back for another Public Hearing.

Many Councillors raised concerns about having incomplete information on the proposed changes, and how the proposals may compromise the delivery of rental. During discussion at Council, City staff also noted that Coriolis has been hired to assist with the rental analysis work they are currently undertaking in relation to the proposals.

For those interested in watching the discussion at Council following the Public Hearing, the video can be viewed here.

UDI will continue to provide updates to the group once we have more information on next steps.

Bill 26 – Potential Procedure Refinements to Streamline the Development Approvals Process

On July 25th, a report went to Council for information on potential procedure refinements to streamline the Development Approvals Process in response to Bill 26. With regard to the ability to remove the default requirement to hold public hearings for Zoning Bylaw amendments in cases where they are consistent with the Official Community Plan, City staff are not intending to advance a change. Instead, they are proposing further investigation of the issue, and will report back to Council with a more detailed analysis of implementation options to that Council can give direction with a fulsome understanding of potential trade-offs.

Staff intend to bring forward options to implement delegation of Development Variance Permits for minor variance requests to City staff, for Council’s consideration. They are also proposing to bring forward information to implement amendments to the City’s public notice procedures.

City staff will incorporate these items into the Development Approvals Process Review work plan, and will report back to Council over the next year with more detailed information on bylaw and policy amendments necessary to implement these process improvements.

2022 Eligible School Sites Proposal

On July 25th, Council accepted the 2022 Eligible School Sites Proposal (ESSP), and directed City staff to relay concern to School District 43 (SD43) about estimated land costs for the City Centre school site. The ESSP has identified the need for six new school sites – five in Coquitlam, and one in Port Moody. Three of the Coquitlam school sites are in City’s Northeast Coquitlam Area Plan (Partington Creek Neighbourhood Plan area), Riverwalk, and Hazel-Coy Neighbourhoods. The final two Coquitlam sites are in Fraser Mills and City Centre. Specific details of the Coquitlam school sites listed in the 2022 ESSP can be found in the report by City staff.

City staff have noted a question regarding the estimated land costs for the City Centre site, which is lower than current estimated land values. City staff assume that this land cost may be assuming a range of density transfer options to support a reduced purchase price for SD43, similar to what has been achieved at Fraser Mills. They are comfortable with the ESSP on this basis, but will follow up with SD43 to ensure that future land values are aligned with the ESSP capital plan, and are consistent with prevailing market conditions.

The ESSP also indicates that the proposed School Site Acquisition Charge rates for adoption in 2022 SSAC are to match the current 2021 rates.

Proposed Transfer of Development Rights and Obligations Policy

On July 25th, Council approved a city-wide policy for the transfer of development rights from donor site(s) to receiver site(s), after a draft of the policy was presented to Council-in-Committee on May 16th.

Currently, the City permits the transfer of density and tenure between sites, but this is conducted on an ad-hoc basis on the understanding that all existing development expectations across both sites are met. The new policy intends to standardize the density transfer process, by ensuring that all applications for transfers of development rights are evaluated consistently, transparently, and contribute towards meeting municipal objectives.

The process remains voluntary and applicant initiated, but a Transfer of Development Rights and Obligations Policy now outlines the process to capture a portion of any uplift through the provision of a community benefit for all applications that intend to transfer density or tenure.

Refinements to the draft policy include:

City expectation that the aggregate development obligations across both donor and receiver sites are met in full;
Community benefits should be delivered in the first phase of the development unless otherwise agreed with the City. Applicants intending to deliver community benefits at any later phase would need robust evidence demonstrating that early delivery would adversely impact project viability.

In all cases, the ultimate development form on both donor and receiver sites must be in accordance with the Official Community Plan (OCP). Both ‘donor’ and ‘receiver’ sites involved in the density transfer process are subject to independent criteria that control how and where density can be transferred. Receiver sites, for example, are limited to the Core and Shoulder areas which are near SkyTrain stations, or Neighbourhood Centres where existing infrastructure and amenities can support additional density. The policy also requires receiver sites to align with the site’s current land use designation to ensure that proposed development is compatible with the surrounding development, and achieves the objectives of the OCP.

All sites involved in a transfer are required to be located within the same Area Plan for the City Centre, Northwest and Northeast areas. For Southwest, the donor and receiver sites shall be in the same Neighbourhood Plan. This ensures that the benefits accrued from the transfer of density remain within the same area.

Below is a list of benefits that the City would be willing to accept:

Additional contributions towards the Community Amenity Contributions program;
An increased provision of child care space or contributions in accordance with the City’s Child Care Partnership Strategy (CCPS);
Enabling conservation through a Heritage Revitalization Agreement;
An increased proportion of Priority Unit Types, as per the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS); and/or
An in-kind contribution of a community amenity (either within the proposal, or to be provided elsewhere).

The City will have significant discretion towards the type or combination of benefits being brought forward. The policy will also require applicants to submit a viability assessment demonstrating the financial impact of the proposed transfer. This will then be assessed against a viability assessment undertaken by the City (at the developer’s cost) to ensure that the benefits to the City are comparable to those received by the applicant.

The full report that went to Council, along with the Policy, can be read here.

July 26, 2022

Draft Child Care Incentive Policy and Draft Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Bylaw

At Council-in-Committee on July 11th, the Draft Child Care Incentive Policy and Draft Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Bylaw were received for information. The staff report can be read here.

Key terms of the incentives in the Draft Child Care Incentive Policy include:

Additional residential density proportionate to the size of the child care facility (i.e. providing additional bonus residential density 3x the size of the child care space);
Credit for the contribution towards the Child Care Reserve Fund that would otherwise be provided, if the proposal meets the child care demand created by the residential development;
Partial credit of child care floor area toward Common Amenity Area requirements; and
Prohibiting the use of the space for non-child care purposes through the appropriate legal instrument.

Attachment 1 on pg.7 of the report is the Draft Child Care Incentive Policy, which includes requirements for estimating the impact of proposed development on child care needs, provides options for mitigating that impact, and establishes incentives for including child care space in proposed development.

Highlights from the Draft Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund (CCRF) include:

Proposal that a CAC of $1 per square foot of residential floor area up to 2.5 FAR be allocated to new CCRF;
Amount allocated for this fund would be a portion of the recently proposed CAC increase (from current $3.00 psf to $6.00 psf);
Funding allocated toward child care would not be available to support other City capital priorities;
CCRF proposed to be capped at $2,000,000 and any excess funding directed toward other primary City capital priorities supported by CAC funding.

Attachment 2 on pg. 10 of the report is the Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund Criteria which establishes criteria for contributions to and expenditures from the CCRF. Attachment 3 on pg. 12 of the report is the draft Bylaw to establish a Child Care Partnership Reserve Fund. The draft CCPS will now be shared with project stakeholders, subject to refinement based on Council comments, before returning to Council for final review. Staff anticipate final policy will be ready for consideration of Council adoption later this year.

July 12, 2022

2022 Development Cost Charge Adoption

On July 4th, Council approved the 2022 Development Cost Charge (DCC) update. This includes the implementation of a single-family rate, and changing DCC rates on multi-family homes from a GFA basis to a per dwelling unit basis. The effective date for these changes is October 1st, 2022 for new rates. This means that the new DCC rates will apply to new Building Permit (BP), subdivision, and precursor apps (re-zoning and Development Permit) as of July 4th. For in-stream applications received prior to July 4th, they will have until October 1, 2023 to receive final BP in order to qualify for the old rates (as per the one year of in-stream protection afforded to applications received prior to the October 1st, 2022 effective date).

UDI will continue to work with the City on future updates.

2022 Community Amenity Contribution and Density Bonus Program Update

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, City staff have been working on revised proposals to update the 2022 Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) and Density Bonus (DB) programs.

A report will be brought forward by City staff to the next Council meeting on July 11th, accompanied by a First Reading of Zoning Bylaw amendments. If Council grants First Reading, the bylaw amendments will be advanced to a Public Hearing on July 25th.

The proposals for a CAC increase from $3/sf of residential floor area below “base density” to $6/sf will be advanced for Council approval, with $1/sf of this increase being allocated to support child care spaces. This is unchanged from the original staff report. In-stream applications would have until August 2023 to complete rezoning in order to qualify for the old ($3/sf) rates.

The proposal to combine the high-density bonus “steps” into a single step, and to set the financial contribution level at 60% of the value of the bonus as determined by the City’s Real Estate group is also unchanged from the previous staff report, with 10% of this bonus contribution earmarked for affordable housing.

Additional DB incentives for rental housing (including below-market and non-market rental) will be brought to Council at a later date – likely after the upcoming municipal election. City staff will also broach the subject of a separate “rental density bonus” rate with the next Council. Until then, the rental incentives (1.5 FAR) in high density will remain as they are.

Regarding extending DB provisions into the medium-density (RM-3) form of development, City staff are recommending extending the “grandfathering” period to allow in-stream projects a legitimate timeframe within which to attain a Building Permit, and to phase in the financial contribution for DB in two steps. A 25% DB contribution payable at Building Permit issuance would begin 24 months after Council approval for in-stream applications, which would presumably be late July 2024. The full 50% DB contribution would be phased in one year later, in July 2025. This would give in-stream projects a full 3 years to get to Building Permit before the full DB rates would be applied.

City staff will continue to investigate adding density to the RM-3 zone (potentially going from 2.3 FAR to 2.5 FAR) but are not ready to confirm this additional density at this time. They expect that this investigation of potential new density will be concluded well before the DB “effective date” of February 1, 2023.

The most recent staff report that went to Council on July 11th can be read here.

If you have and questions or comments, please email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org.

June 14, 2022

Construction Site Water Discharge Monitoring Pilot

Given the intensity of development activity in Coquitlam and the sensitivity of watersheds within the community, the City is reviewing a tighter regime of controls to ensure accidental spills/discharge from construction sites are no longer an issue. A real-time discharge water quality monitoring unit has been installed as a pilot at a development site, which also redirects non-compliant water for reprocessing if water quality parameters (e.g. pH and turbidity) are not met. The data and lessons learned from this site, and from implementation of similar systems within neighbouring municipalities, will inform an upcoming decision to consider requiring these real-time water quality monitoring units for more development sites.

There is no policy change at this time, but you can read more about the pilot in the attached bulletin.

Southwest Housing Review: Proposed BLNP Neighbourhood Pockets

At Council on May 30th, proposed updates to the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan (BLNP) were adopted. These changes incorporate the Guilby-Grayson, Miller-Grant, and Whiting-Appian neighbourhood pockets.

This includes policy refinements to help clarify the City’s expectations for the use of density transfers to deliver the Green Link in the Whiting-Appian pocket, so each development contributes proportionately to the Green Link, and zoning regulations can be adjusted to meet the unique characteristics of each site:

Establish a minimum requirement of land assembly that must be within the Austin Creek Green Link area (5% of the total land area) in order to transfer development rights to the Mixed-Density Area; and
Clarify the use of Comprehensive Development (CD) zones, for the high density option in the Mixed-Density area.

OCP Amendments:

Updates to schedules reflecting changes to land use designations, streets, greenways and cycle routes and districts;
A new Whiting-Appian district policies section;
A new Schedule “H” to identify the locations where Whiting-Appian district policies apply as well as anticipated road closures; and
Updates to the population and unit projections in the BLNP based on the proposed land use changes.

Zoning Bylaw Amendments:

Amendment to Schedule “O” to include all areas in the Miller-Grant pocket proposed to be designated Medium Density Apartment Residential and Townhouse in the ‘Shoulder’ area in order to ensure that zoning regulations are applied consistently; and
Amendment of Schedule “R” to exclude areas in the Miller-Grant pocket that will no longer be designated as Neighbourhood Attached Residential.

The Burquitlam-Lougheed Servicing Assessment is a companion document to the BLNP, which identifies and summarizes capital infrastructure improvements (transportation, utilities, and parks) to support development in Burquitlam-Lougheed, including estimated costs and funding sources (such as DCCs) to provide additional infrastructure necessary to support higher densities in the three neighbourhood pockets (new parks, pedestrian/bicycle crossing, new road configuration). DCC-eligible capital improvements to serve the neighbourhood pockets will be included as part of ongoing updates to the DCC program. Ongoing review of the City’s CAC and DB programs has proposed to increase contributions from multi-family developments, including an increase in contributions for medium-density development, which will help to fund major community amenities within Burquitlam-Lougheed and across the City.

The full report can be read here.

May 31, 2022

Proposed CAC and Bonus Density Program Changes

As noted in previous newsletters, at Council-in-Committee on April 25th, City staff brought forward a report as a check-in on the Density Bonus and Community Amenity Contribution Programs Review, with proposed program updates. The full report can be read here for more details.

At the UDI Liaison Committee meeting on May 19th, there was an initial discussion with City staff where members provided feedback on the proposals. City staff will continue discussion with the Liaison Committee on proposed changes during a separate workshop in mid-June. UDI Liaison Committee members will be meeting in advance of this workshop to brainstorm possible solutions to address industry concerns on some proposals, particularly the Density Bonus program for medium-density apartment zones (RM-3).

May 17, 2022

Enclosed Balconies Amendments

On May 2nd, a report went to Council on Proposed Development Permit Area Guidelines and Zoning Bylaw Regulations for Enclosed Balconies. The impacted bylaws received First Reading and will be going to Public Hearing. The intent is to better guide the form, location, and design of enclosed balconies in multi-residential and commercial developments.

The proposed OCP amendment would provide a number of new City-Wide DPA Guidelines that will help provide non-prescriptive and flexible direction on the future construction, design, and location of enclosed balconies in future development by:

Minimizing perceived impacts to bulk, massing, and future habitable conversion; and
Providing an “energy modelling” guideline to address the impact of enclosed balconies on building energy modelling, which may require these spaces to be airtight, and to ensure they are in compliance with BCBC’s energy efficiency requirements to net-zero energy reading buildings by 2032.

The proposed Zoning Bylaw amendments include:

Creating a new definition for “enclosed balconies”;
Amending the existing definition of “Gross Floor Area” to expressly exclude enclosed balconies from density calculations;

Granting enclosed enclosures the same siting exceptions as ‘open’ balconies; and
Creating a new General Regulations category that provides direction on what an enclosed balcony may or may not be.

Establishing non-prescriptive and flexible design guidelines that provide clear guidance on the potential location, form, and character of enclosed balconies will aim to better enable the provision of quality private amenity space in the City’s multi-family residential, commercial, and mixed-use areas.

Community Amenity Contribution and Density Bonus Review

For in-stream applications, there will be a targeted “effective date” of February 1st, 2023. This means that for the CAC program, projects will have to receive final rezoning approval within 6 months of the effective date, while the Density Bonus program will require Building Permit issuance within 12 months of the effective date, in order to qualify for the old rates. The City will be discussing these proposals with the UDI Liaison Committee on May 19th, with the aim of taking the proposed changes to Council in July. UDI will be working with City staff, and will provide feedback as part of the engagement process.

May 3, 2022

Density Bonus and Community Amenity Contribution Programs Review

At Council-in-Committee on April 25th, City staff brought forward a report as a check-in on the Density Bonus and Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) Programs Review, with proposed program updates.

The key proposed updates coming out of the review include:

Replacing the current stepped Density Bonus system with a consistent contribution of 60% of the value of the Density Bonus in high-density development to the City;
Adjusting the current Density Bonus program for the medium-density apartment zone (RM-3), whereby the base density remains at 1.85 FAR, but the City would now receive 50% of the value of the Density Bonus above that, up to another 0.55 FAR to an overall potential 2.4 FAR total, which is the current maximum density;
Increasing the CAC rate from $3.00 to $6.00 per sq. ft., of Gross Floor Area (GFA) for new multi-family residential construction below the base density (which varies by zone), where a rezoning is required;
Merging the CAC rate of $5,500 for large (more than 375 sq. m. / 4,037 sq. ft.) one-family residential lots and $4,800 for small (less than 375 sq. m.) one family residential lots created as part of subdivision Into a single $10,000 per lot CAC, consistent with the CAC increase noted above.

Please see the attached report for more details.

Regarding in-stream applications, there will be a targeted “effective date” of February 1st, 2023. This means that for the CAC program, projects will have to receive final rezoning approval within 6 months of the effective date, while the Density Bonus program will require Building Permit issuance within 12 months of the effective date, in order to qualify for the old rates. The City intends to consult with UDI sometime in May, with the aim of taking the proposed changes to Council in July. UDI will be working with City staff, and will write to Council as part of the engagement process in the next couple of months. We will continue to follow this and keep membership updated as things progress.

April 20, 2022

City-Wide Parking Review Phase 3: Curbside Management Strategy

A progress report on the City-Wide Parking Review Phase 3: Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Areas Curbside Management Strategy went to Council-in-Committee on April 11th for feedback. The full report can be read here, with the Draft CMS found in Attachment 3.

The draft includes:

Set of procedures for governing the planning, design, monitoring and evaluation of the curbside that seeks to balance competing demands in a balanced and equitable manner;
High-level policy to guide future curbside decisions;
Methodology plan that defines steps to improve and implement curbside space management.

Taking into account feedback from Council, staff will proceed with three pilot projects incorporating a draft CMS in the City Centre (i.e. Glen Drive and The High Street) and Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood (i.e. Clarke Road) areas. The pilot projects will help inform the CMS and finalize details for the strategy. The CMS will be further consulted for feedback during the Strategic Transportation Plan (STP) public process, and finalized as part of the STP updates in 2022/2023.

Development Cost Charges Update

As noted in previous UDI newsletters, the City is conducting a 2022 Development Cost Charge (DCC) update. Two key changes are the implementation of a single-family rate, and changing DCC rates on multi-family homes from a GFA basis to a per dwelling unit basis. This is meant to simplify the rate calculation, cut down administrative burden, and increase certainty when calculating DCC payment. Driving factors of increases include OCP changes (City Centre and Southwest Housing Review) offset by the removal of completed projects, land value appreciation, and construction costs inflation.

In response to the letter UDI submitted with feedback for the City on proposed DCC changes, City staff agreed to meet with UDI staff to continue the discussion. A set of presentation slides provided by staff outline in more detail the proposed changes, as well as further discussion with UDI where staff addressed UDI’s requests to consider phasing-in DCC rate increases, and re-calculation of DCC rate increase impact for apartments with current existing unit sizes (arising from the change in methodology from GFA basis to unit basis).

Next steps for the City will include:

Setting an Effective Date of October 1st, 2022 for new rates;
Continuing to phase-in capital projects;
Continuing to work with UDI on future updates.

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

April 5, 2022

Building Bulletin: Building on/Adjacent to Slopes

The City has made updates to the zoning and building bylaws regarding building on a slope or adjacent to the crest or toe of a slope or adjacent slopes. Council approved bylaw adjustments on February 28th, with adjustments being required for any applications submitted after March 1st, and optional for any in-stream applications.

Key changes include:

Simplified approval process – removal of requirement for Council variance application relative to building on slopes
Reduced maximum slope and consideration for slope height – maximum slope requiring review adjusted from 36% to 32%, with assessment requirements adjusted depending on height of slope and corresponding risk
Revised definitions – for crest, toe, and adjacent slope
Increased scope – no longer exemptions for special building types, with requirements applying to stand-alone building permits
Minor survey changes – BP application survey requires slope contours at 1m intervals to support calculation of building slope

Additional information can be found in the bulletin, as well as on the City’s webpage.

March 8, 2022

Southwest Housing Review Update

A report on the Southwest Housing Review was brought to Council-in-Committee on February 7th. The report presents an update on the neighbourhood pockets component that includes Guilby-Grayson, Miller-Grant, and Whiting-Appian. It also includes the Phase 2 consultation summary, and an update on the remaining phases.

The Corridor Development Strategy (CDS) comprehensive land use planning for Southwest corridors is being temporarily deferred so that staff can undertake a more detailed analysis, to ensure when the CDS advances it meets community needs and serves the City’s long-range growth in a balanced manner. Staff will continue to work with developers/owners of unique sites through the OCP amendment process to lay the groundwork for a future CDS.

City staff anticipate receiving First Reading in April, with a Public Hearing likely in May with adoption following shortly thereafter.

Proposed 2022 DCC Update

The City is conducting a 2022 Development Cost Charge (DCC) update. One key change is the implementation of a single-family rate, and changing DCC rates on multi-family homes from a GFA basis to a per unit basis. This is meant to simplify the rate calculation, cut down administrative burden, and increase certainty when calculating DCC payment.

Proposed rates have increased on average 33%. Driving factors of increases include OCP changes (City Centre and Southwest Housing Review), land value appreciation, and construction costs. There will continue to be a 1% municipal assist factor for all categories.

The proposed rates can be viewed below:

The City has also provided a bulletin with highlights from the discussion had at the February 22nd liaison committee meeting with UDI.

The new DCC rates will be effective at bylaw adoption, sometime in the summer. There will be a once year grace period for instream applications. After industry consultation in February, the changes will be sent to the Ministry for review and feedback in March. Staff hope to have a full report to Council, and receive First, Second, and Third Reading in March.

If you have any feedback or comments on the proposed update, please email Heather Park at hpark@udi.org by end of day March 8th, 2022.

December 14, 2021

2022 Fees & Charges Bylaw

The City of Coquitlam has adopted the 2022 Fees and Charges Bylaw. Fees related to Planning and Development have increased by 2.8% and Building Fees have increased by 2.8% with an additional 1.7% increase for cost recovery. The Bylaw includes all fee rates and exemptions.

2022 Water, Sewer, Drainage and Solid Waste Rate Amendments

Coquitlam has updated its water, sewer, drainage and solid waste rates for 2022. The updated rates will take effect January 1, 2022 as listed below:

These changes also reflect the new rate structure and payment timing that was approved earlier this year as part of the City’s water and sewer rate review.

Historically the City levied a Sewer Parcel Tax on all properties that have the ability to connect to the sewer system which is included on the Property Tax Notice due in July. The recently approved change to a Sewer Use Fee is in line with other municipalities and will result in the Sewer Use Fee being levied on residents’ utility bill which is typically due at the end of March. This consolidates more of the utility charges on one bill, reduces administration and enables increased transparency on the impact of sewer rate increases from MVRD services.

As a result of the review, changes to the Bylaws have been made to update the timing of when payment of water and sewer fees will be due as follow:

Single-family, duplex, and accessory dwelling sites: Payment of new flat water and sewer charges is based on the time of building permit issuance plus 180 days. This doubles the previous allotted time of 90 days, and more closely aligns with the observed actual duration of construction.

Multi-family sites: For multi-family sites a lump sum payment of a construction water fee and corresponding construction sewer fee will be required at building permit issuance based on the estimated duration of the construction period and calculated according to the size and number of active water services to the construction site. The flat water and sewer charges for new multi-family dwelling units will then start upon issuance of occupancy (full or partial. If applicable). The proposed construction water and sewer fees would be inflated annually as necessary, similar to other utility fees.

A bulletin with additional details on the billing changes that will be effective January 1, 2022.

UDI worked collaboratively with City staff to address the misalignment of the City’s rate structure with those of neighboring municipalities and is pleased to see these changes come into effect next year.

Child Care Partnership Strategy

On December 6th, a report presenting the City’s Child Care Partnership Strategy (CCPS) went to Council and was approved. The draft was previously shared with stakeholders and community members to collect additional feedback, which was then reviewed and incorporated into the final draft CCPS.

The CCPS has been updated to strengthen policy language to set expectations for the development community in regards to assessing and addressing child care need in four ways:

Provide additional incentives.

This approach will broaden existing interim incentives for child care, and similar to the successful program of rental incentives for housing, will leverage the expertise and capacity of the development sector to create child care spaces. The policy will clarify which incentives will be offered following further analysis, but could include additional density or potential credits.

Increased expectations for child care impact assessment.

The strategy will now require that all rezoning applicants provide an estimate of child care need generated by their proposal, based on a standardized template provided by staff.

Proposal to address impact.

This addition is the most substantive change from the July draft strategy. Following the requirement to assess Impact, all residential and mixed-use rezoning applicants will be expected to “address” the child care impact created by their development. Financial analysis and a detailed policy statement to implement this action will quickly follow approval of the Strategy.

Creation of a Child Care Reserve Fund.

New text specifies that the reserve fund’s funding mechanisms be clarified prior to its establishment. This fund, similar to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund, will receive cash contributions (defined through the policy work described above) and expenditure from the Fund will be subject to criteria based on priorities in the CCPS.

Staff will now finalize the CCPS, incorporating any changes or comments Council may have. Staff will implement the CCPS on a phased basis as per the document, and report back to Council on a regular basis on success and progress in this area. The Implementation Plan (page 24), including the staff report and final draft CCPS can be read here.

November 30, 2021

Updated Tenant Relocation Policy

On November 22 a report went to Council on the Updated Tenant Relocation Policy. You can find the full report here. There were no major changes, with two minor changes made related to early notification and communication with tenants, and non-profit applicability. The policy was passed unanimously.

Early notification and communication: Staff have created a Renter Information Package that describes the TRP in plain language and provides timelines for the City’s development review process, compensation details, and resources and support to find suitable housing. A newly required Tenant Information session is where the Package will be delivered to existing tenants, and is required to be held at the pre-application stage.

Non-profit applicability: Non-profit housing providers redeveloping non-market housing are required to propose their own financial compensation schedule and right of first refusal components as part of their Tenant Support Program. The goal is to allow non-profits to determine what is best for their tenants’ needs, utilize the non-profit’s rental portfolio and not constrain non-market redevelopment.

Tenants occupying after formal application: To address Council concerns regarding time between when the application is submitted and many original tenants vacating, and the actual demolition of buildings and redevelopment or a property, staff are proposing to monitor early outcomes and the amount of time buildings are left partially/wholly vacant and report back as necessary.

Unchanged components of the policy include:

Level of financial compensation
Assistance finding alternative housing options
Right of first refusal for eligible returning tenants

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

Development & Building Application Portal Engagement

The City has two upcoming engagement opportunities related to the Development & Building Application Portal project that received UBCM funding.

As part of the initial requirement gathering activities that will help inform the upcoming RFP process, the City would like to hold two sessions in December with a broad cross-section of UDI members in order to gather requirements with regard to:

1) What information and capabilities applicants require as part of the active application, customer-facing portal, and

2) What requirements they have for the application submission component of the portal.

For those that attend these early sessions the City will also be seeking volunteers to form an external stakeholder group to provide them with ongoing information and feedback, and help with testing the various components of the portal before they go live.

The virtual sessions are currently being proposed for Thursday, December 9 from 2:00pm-3:30pm, and Thursday, December 16 from 2:00pm-3:30pm. For anyone interested in attending, please register with Philip Pang (Project Manager) by emailing him the session that you would like to attend. Interested participants should register no later than Friday, December 3. Once registered, participants will receive a link with the relevant background information and discussion questions.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Philip Pang at ppang@coquitlam.ca, or Zoe Mlcoch at zmlcoch@coquitlam.ca.

Water and Sewer Rate Changes Bulletin

The City has provided a bulletin outlining the new approach and timing for water and sewer charges for new developments. UDI is very pleased with the outcome of this policy, as this is the result of hard work by UDI and its members on the municipal liaison committee.

The new approach and timing are as follows:

“For single-family, duplex, triplex, multiplex, and other housing choice forms, flat rate utility fees will continue to be pre-paid at time of permit issuance. However, the allowance of time has been extended from 90 days to 180 days. For larger multi-family applications like townhouses and high-rises, pre-paid flat rate utility fees for new dwelling units at the time of permit issuance are no longer required. New construction water and sewer charges will be calculated and pre-paid at time of foundation or full binding permit issuance, based on the estimated utility system use and duration of construction. Payment of flat rate water and sewer fees for the new dwelling units will be relayed, and only initiated based on partial or full occupancy.”

While the new policy was approved by Council in principle on October 4, the bylaw is anticipated to receive final approval effective January 1, 2022. However, applications approved between November 16 and December 31 will be individually reviewed, and the new policy for construction water and sewer charges during construction may be applied for these new applications.

If you have any questions, please contact Jonathan Helmus at jhelmus@coquitlam.ca.

November 16, 2021

Energy Step Code Reminder

This is a reminder that January 1st, 2022 is the upcoming deadline for Energy Step Code requirements for larger projects. As of January 1st, Part 3 buildings will be required to meet ESC Step 2.

Included below is the City’s plan to increase requirements over the next several years:

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

November 2, 2021

Good Neighbour Development Policy

As infill development becomes more active, there has been a rise in community complaints surrounding management of vacant properties. Council has indicated that if builders can demolish a building early and will not be renting the property out, their preference would be to have the building structure taken down. They would rather see a fenced off site that is flat, so there is limited opportunity for squatters, arsonists, etc. It should be noted that staff are speaking more to single family sites as opposed to multi family. With regards to hazardous materials sitting on site in adherence to WorkSafe BC requirements, the City is asking builders to rent or construct a bin to contain the materials on site in a way that does not look unsightly.

If members could please keep in mind the Good Neighbour Development Policy, and ensure the messaging gets passed down to the contractor level, the City would greatly appreciate it.

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

October 19, 2021

Water and Sewer Rate Updates

A staff report on the City’s Water and Sewer Rates went to Council on October 4th, and staff’s recommendations were carried unanimously. Staff have been directed to amend the Water Distribution Bylaw and Sewer and Drainage Bylaw, to adjust the timing of charging developers the flat water and sewer charges for new dwelling units, and to implement construction water and sewer charges as outlined in the report.

Item 4 on page 8 of the report outlines the revisions to timing for charging flat rates for new developments per the Water Distribution Bylaw and the Sewer and Drainage Bylaw. Currently, the charges are initiated and paid at the time of building permit issuance, plus an allowance of a “grace period” based on the form of development. Since many multi-family sites take 3-5 years from issuance of a BP to complete construction, many developments pay the rates for dwelling units not yet built – an issue UDI has regularly raised. The following rate structure was proposed for multi-family sites:

“…Lump sum payment of a construction water fee and corresponding construction sewer fee at building permit issuance, based on the estimated duration of the construction period, and calculated according to the size and number of active water services to the construction site. The flat water and sewer charges for new multi-family dwelling units would start upon issuance of occupancy (full or partial, if applicable), the proposed construction water and sewer fees would be escalated annually as necessary, similar to other utility fees…”

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

August 24, 2021

City-Wide Parking Review – Shared Parking Guidelines for New Developments

The City has posted its Shared Parking Guidelines for New Developments. The full Shared Parking Guidelines for New Development document can be found on the city website.

Shared parking is only permitted within the Evergreen Line Core and Shoulder station areas (refer to Zoning Bylaw Schedule “O”). The document is intended to provide guidelines on how shared parking supply must be calculated.

“The minimum shared parking supply requirement will be determined using the following steps:

Step 1: Calculate the parking requirement for each individual use being served by the shared parking pool for each parking period based on the Zoning Bylaw rates applicable to the site location, as if these uses were on single use sites.
Step 2: Multiply the minimum Bylaw parking supply (Step 1) for each use (by the “Percent of Peak” Parking Occupancy rate for each of the four time periods, for the weekday and weekend day as listed in Table 1 and Table 2.
Step 3: Calculate the total required parking supply in each of the four columns, for both weekday and weekend days (i.e. total of eight time periods).
Step 4: Establish the site parking supply to meet or exceed the highest parking requirement value for all eight time periods (Step 3).
Step 5: Confirm that all development submission meets or exceeds the requirements outlined in the Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996 Section 716.”

UDI Session – Tenant Relocation Policy

UDI will be holding a session with the City on the proposed changes to Coquitlam’s Tenant Relocation Policy on September 1^st from 10am-12pm.

A full draft of the proposed changes can be found here: https://coquitlam.ca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=935&meta_id=46964

Some key recommendations being made by staff include:

Financial compensation package based on length of tenancy (i.e. 0-5 years receives 3 months’ rent, 6-10 years receives 4 months’ rent)
Fixed amount of financial compensation for moving expenses based on unit type (i.e. $750 for studio and one bedroom units, $1000 for two bedroom and larger units)
Assistance finding alternate accommodations, namely through identification of a Tenant Relocation Coordinator
Right of First Refusal at 25% below-market rental rates (if the requirements under the Housing Assistance Strategy are exceeded, the 25% below-market rental rates would only be required for initial tenancy)

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

July 27, 2021

City-Wide Parking Review Phase 2 Approval

At the July 12^th Council meeting, the City-Wide Parking Review Phase 2 was given final reading, alongside approval of the Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Collection Procedure policy. These amendments will allow for future developments to apply for the changes that are consistent with the City’s strategic goals, and support sustainability while still ensuring accommodation of future parking needs.

Some key amendments include:

Off Street Bicycle Parking

Include updated Development Permit guidelines to specify off-street bicycle spaces location and design to ensure functionality, and creation of Bicycle Parking Design Guidelines as a reference;
Update the minimum number of off-street long-term bicycle spaces required for commercial and office uses;
Require off-street short-term bicycle spaces at all building entrances
Update off-street bicycle parking minimum design standards to address accessibility, security, safety, and location;
Require all non-residential buildings to provide End-of-Trip facilities and all buildings to provide Bicycle Maintenance facilities;

Commercial and Office Use Parking Spaces

Update the minimum number of off-street parking spaces required for commercial and office uses in the C-7 zone or a CD zone located within Schedule O;

Transportation Demand Management

Require mandatory TDM measures for all required residential, commercial and office uses to encourage the use of alternative transportation modes;
Provision of TDM travel information packages for all residential, commercial, and office use to support the community use of other modes of transportation;
Update PIL program including parking reduction requirements and the payment of each off-street parking space not provided in the development;
Introduce shared parking option for two or more land uses, which may reduce peak parking supply requirements;
Permit shared parking between the following land uses: residential visitor, commercial, office, assembly, and civic;
Restrict designated or reserved parking spaces as part of the shared parking pool for all users;
Require a shared parking strategy to demonstrate the operation and management on-site;
Allow a maximum of 25% of its individually required parking spaces to be shared. Require a restrictive covenant registered on title specifying the shared parking arrangement on-site.

The TDM document is intended to provide clarity and consistency in administration of the TDM program by providing a framework for determining and receiving financial contributions under a mandatory TDM measures and monitoring program for all residential, commercial and office use in the TOD core and shoulder areas.

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

July 13, 2021

Hazel-Coy Neighbourhood Plan Phase 2 Engagement Survey

The Hazel-Coy Neighbourhood Plan project team has started with its Phase 2 of engagement. The neighbourhood plan will build on the Northwest Burke Vision, adopted in 2017 to guide growth in the area over the next three decades. The engagement survey is now live at the project engagement website. If you would like to provide any feedback, input received will be used to help shape the draft neighbourhood plan and policies in the coming months. The survey closes on July 16^th.

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

June 1, 2021

Coquitlam adopts BC Energy Step Code

On May 17, Council approved the report and recommendations from staff to implement the BC Energy Step Code, starting this year. Building permit applications received on or after September 1, 2021, for Part 9 buildings, will be required to meet ESC Step 2, and the requirement will be extended to Part 3 buildings in January 1, 2022.

The City has also laid out a plan to increase requirements over the next several years:

If you have comments or questions, please contact Cassandra McColman.

April 20, 2021

BC Energy Step Code Report

On Monday a report was presented to Council-in-Committee on the implementation of the BC Energy Step Code. Council was generally supportive of staff’s recommendations, although there was some discussion around whether the initial steps that staff proposed were aggressive enough, and a desire for staff to return with a roadmap for future Step Code increases. This is tentatively scheduled to go back to Council in Mid-May.

As mentioned at the Liaison Committee, the intention is to implement Step 2 or the ESC for both Part 3 and Part 9 buildings. This would be effective for Part 9 BPs submitted on or after Sept. 1, 2021 and for Part 3 BPs submitted on or after Jan. 1, 2021

Oakdale Transportation Plan

On March 15^th, City staff presented a report on the Oakdale Transportation Review and Analysis, which proposed changes to the current plans for the land-use area. If you have specific comments or questions regarding these proposed changes, please contact Natasha Lock at the City.

April 6, 2021

Draft Tenant Relocation Policy

City staff are currently developing a new Tenant Relocation Policy (TRP) and have prepared a draft policy for feedback.

The draft policy includes five main components:

The proponent would need to inform existing residents on redevelopment plans and the City’s TRP requirements as early as possible, within two weeks of the submission date on a pre-application.
A Relocation Support Program must be submitted with the development application and this submission date becomes the effective date to determine financial compensation for tenants.
Financial compensation would be based on the length of tenancy (ranging from 4-10 months rent) plus moving expenses based on unit type.
Proponents would be required to assist tenants in finding alternate housing, and where possible, phase redevelopment to retain existing units as an interim housing solution.
Existing tenants will be provided Right of First Refusal to move into the new building, contacting them six months prior to occupancy to provide this opportunity.

If the proponent is utilizing the City’s Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS) incentives, and creating new rental units, they must be offered to existing tenants at 20% below CMHC market average for that unit type in the Tri-Cities.

The City has developed a comment form to receive feedback, and UDI will be providing additional comments. If you have comments or questions, please contact Cassandra McColman.

December 1, 2020

City Centre Area Plan Approved

On Monday, November 16, the updated City Centre Area Plan was presented for Public Hearing and subsequently given final approval by Council. The staff report, full plan and bylaw amendments are available here.

BC Energy Step Code Consultation

The City of Coquitlam is exploring the implementation of the BC Energy Step Code for 2021. Staff will be consulting with the building sector will take place on December 18, 2020, if you are interested in participating and have not already received an invitation, please contact Cassandra McColman.

City staff expect to report back to Council with the results of the consultation and proposed ESC requirements in Q1 of 2021.

November 17, 2020

Developer Forum – Issues Identification Survey

The City of Coquitlam is consulting with the development and construction community to learn about which rules, regulations and current practices may be outdated or costly through a housing affordability lens. This review is focused on policy, zoning rules, design guidelines, and other development regulations. Improvements to the development application review and approvals process are being undertaken through the parallel Development Application Process Review (DAPR).

In order to inform the discussion at upcoming stakeholder workshops, the city is conducting an Issues Identification Survey of developers in order to gain a deeper understanding of the range of issues and which areas of policy and regulation the discussion should focus on.

The outcome of this survey and the stakeholder workshops would be recommendations to update policy, zoning rules, design guidelines, and other regulations in an effort to remove unnecessary regulations, reduce housing costs, increase housing supply and affordability.

Survey Link: Developer Forum Questionnaire

We hope that you will participate in this survey to better define specific issues for staff to focus on. The survey will be open until Friday, November 20.

If you have any questions regarding the Developer Forum or Issues Identification Survey, please contact Cassandra McColman.

November 3, 2020

BC Energy Step Code

On October 26, Coquitlam City Council approved a report directing staff to take steps to consult with industry stakeholders on the implementation of the BC Energy Step Code (ESC) and report back in T1 of 2021 with a proposed policy for ESC requirements for new building applications. If the proposed policy in implemented in 2021, it will be prior to the new BC Building Code requirements for energy efficiency expected in 2022.

The report from staff states that introducing targets ahead of the BC Building Code requirements will increase the number of energy efficient buildings in the City and is intended to assist in preparing the building community for the BC Building Code requirements.

October 6, 2020

UPDATED: City Centre Area Plan and Upcoming DCC Review

As mentioned previously, Coquitlam is in the process of finalizing the new draft City Centre Area Plan (CCAP). As discussed in the presentation to Council-in-Committee on September 14, there will be an estimated $727 million in servicing costs ($480 million could be funded by DCC’s, $247 million are non-DCC eligible).

At the liaison committee meeting on October 2, City staff indicated that they plan on conducting a DCC program review in 2021 (2 years following the previous update). The program revisions will include DCC eligible costs stemming from the revised CCAP.

For non-DCC eligible costs, the City is exploring funding options including the 5% cash-in-lieu contribution for parkland CACs, density bonuses etc. We will continue to provide updates on this as work continues. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Cassandra McColman.

Development Application Process Review (DAPR)

The City has been undertaking a Development Application Process Review to focus on process and policy improvements for projects moving through the development approvals process. The review has focused on operational efficiencies and automation of customer service.

Staff presented an update report to Council on September 28, including processes that have already been put in place including:

The use of DocuSign technology;
An enhanced temporary permit application in the Building Permits Division;
Two-step performance securities; and
Remote video inspections.

Staff are now planning to advance other policy improvement consultations with the building sector including HAVAN and UDI and we will provide additional updates as the consultation progresses in early 2021.

Master Development Plan Rezoning Policy and Procedure

As noted previously, the City has been developing a new Master Development Plan Rezoning Policy and Procedure to provide additional options for Master Development Plan (MDP) projects. This policy consolidates the public hearing requirements for MDPs, as includes additional check-ins with Council and early public engagement.

As part of the consultation process, UDI submitted a letter to staff outlining some of our feedback on the proposal. City staff incorporated some of this feedback and provided additional clarification in the final policy and procedure, which was approved by Council on September 28.

September 22, 2020

City Centre Area Plan

On September 14, staff presented a draft City Centre Area Plan (CCAP) at the same meeting, with several adjustments made since the previous draft, including:

Clarifying the vision for City Centre
Prioritization of Parks and recreation space
Updated look and feel of the CCAP document
Highlighting the engagement program that was undertaken
Updating policy refinement
- Housing Continuum considering housing needs
- Updated transportation policies
- Reinforcing that new development should be pedestrian friendly and transit supportive
A companion CCAP Servicing Document
- Note: $727 million estimated servicing costs ($480 million could be funded by DCC’s, $247 million are non-DCC eligible)

The full report on the Draft CCAP and staff presentation are available here.

Off-Street Loading and Waste Collection

On September 14, staff also presented the report on Off-Street Loading and Waste Collection Regulation Updates to Council-in-Committee. Key changes in the report included:

Office loading requirements, separate from commercial.
The following Off-street Loading Space sizes:

Note: “Not all loading space types would be required per land use. For example, residential buildings will have either a Type A or Type B loading space (smaller building would have type A; while buildings with more than 100 units would have type B). Commercial, office and industrial land uses may have one or two loading space types, based on the gross floor area.”
Developments where units have individual driveways or an internal road can accommodate loading requirements will not need to provide dedicated off-street loading zones.
Low-rise residential developments of up to 80 units would not be required to provide off-street loading spaces unless the site does not front onto a street, of the curb lane is used for vehicles/bicycles and stopping would cause a safety concern.
Developments with 81-300 units would be required to provide 1 loading space and 1 additional loading space would be required for each additional 300 units, or portion of it.
Commercial, Office and Industrial uses would require 1 loading space for up to 2,000sqm GFA, 2,001-5,000sqm GFA would require 2 loading spaces and above 5,000sqm GFA additional spaces would be determined by the type of land use.
On-site space for waste collection, staging and operation will be required, unless a laneway exists to accommodate the operation of a waste collection truck.

Council received the report and provided feedback encouraging staff to review the size of spaces provided for residential developments and the relationship between Type A/Type B spaces and the number of units in a building.

UDI previous provided feedback on the updates including two letters in March 2019 and December 2019.

The full staff report and presentation are available here.

July 14, 2020

Commercial Zones Review bylaw amendments approved

At the July 6^th Public Hearing and following Council Meeting, the City of Coquitlam approved changes to its commercial zones to streamline and improve the zoning districts and land uses. UDI had previously provided feedback at Liaison Committee meeting and was supportive of the proposed changes.

City-Wide Parking Review Phase 1

On July 6, the recommendations as part of Phase 1 of the City-Wide Parking Review were submitted for Public Hearing (see Item 8). At the Council meeting following the Public Hearing, Council voted to refer the recommendations back to staff to provide additional options to adjust the visitor parking rates for new multi-family residential buildings in Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) areas. The bylaw amendments, including the options for visitor parking rates at either 0.1 stalls/unit, 0.15 or maintaining the current standard of 0.2 stalls/unit, are expected to be presented to Council for decision by the end of July.

June 2, 2020

City-Wide Parking Review Update

At the May 25 Council meeting, staff presented the Phase 1 report as part of the City-Wide Parking Review Update. The report proposed reductions in residential parking rates in Transit Oriented Development areas as listed in the table below.

UDI had previously discussed the changes with staff at the May 8, Liaison Committee meeting and provided a letter of support.

Coquitlam City Council approved the referral of the proposed Zoning Bylaw amendment regarding changes to residential parking rates in TOD areas to Public Hearing for July 6, 2020.

May 19, 2020

Alternative Inspection Procedures Bulletin

Coquitlam staff have developed a new bulletin from the Building Department on Alternative Inspection Procedures. This new process will allow inspectors to use technology to conduct virtual inspection in certain circumstances, reducing the need for in-person site visits. To note, these procedures are available solely at the Building Official’s discretion as the ability to utilize these procedures will vary according to site specifics.

April 7, 2020

Updated Plumbing Checklist available online

Following our last liaison committee meeting in March, we were asked to share the City’s updated plumbing checklist, which is now available on their website:
https://www.coquitlam.ca/docs/default-source/building-permits-inspections/guide-to-screening-of-plumbing-permit-applications.pdf

Commercial Zoning Changes

The City of Coquitlam is making changes to their Commercial Zones. The proposed changes are summarized in the Council Report table here.

March 10, 2020

Oakdale Land Use Designation Update

On February 24^th, Coquitlam Council approved two amending bylaws to implement the Oakdale Land Use Designation Update (OLUDU). These bylaw amendments allow for higher density land uses in Oakdale that are consistent with the Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan vision and guiding principles, including supporting the revitalization of Burquitlam Neighbourhood Centre and providing a diverse range of housing options. With the updated land uses, Oakdale will remain a predominantly residential neighbourhood and have a general transition from higher density developments nearer Burquitlam SkyTrain Station to lower density buildings in the northern portion of the neighbourhood. Our projections over the next 20 to 25 years anticipate approximately 3,300 new homes in Oakdale.

December 23, 2019

Commercial Zones Report

On the December 16 Council-in-Committee meeting was a report from staff on the Commercial Zones Review that had been conducted in 2019. You can view the full report here.

Council also approved their 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, which will prioritize initiatives for the next three years.

November 25, 2019

City Centre Area Plan (CCAP)

The City has begun the next phase of consultations on the updated City Centre Area Plan. The new direction envisions a high-density downtown core with transit-oriented development centered around the Evergreen Extension. There are two distinct business districts as well as an entertainment district between the Coquitlam Central and Lincoln stations. The full draft plan is available on the City’s website and a survey is open to provide feedback.

September 30, 2019

Reminder: New DCC Rates Effective July 2, 2020

As previously noted, increases to the City of Coquitlam DCC rates were approved earlier this year. The new rates will be effective July 2, 2020. To qualify for grandfathering of the current rates, a project must have received a full building permit by the effective date. At the UDI Liaison Committee meeting held on September 27, staff confirmed that an excavation alone would not satisfy the DCC grandfathering requirements, and that a full BP is needed. Staff encouraged any proponents currently in-stream to complete their development permit applications as soon as possible to be better positioned to qualify for grandfathering.

September 16, 2019

UPDATED: Proposed Tree Management Within and Adjacent to Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas (SPEA) Policy

As previously noted, the City of Coquitlam has proposed changes to the current Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas (SPEA) policy. On September 9, a revised policy was given first and second readings by Council and will now proceed to Public Hearing on September 30.

Staff have revised their original proposal (presented April 8, 2019), to allow for a developer to retain a SPEA or trail corridor in certain cases, “if the transfer is inconsistent with ownership of the remainder of the stream corridor, if the full transfer would create undue impacts on development potential, or due to geotechnical concerns.” The revised policy also allows for windfirm areas to remain in private ownership protected by a lower fence.

Voluntary contribution amounts will remain the same as previously proposed, at $240 per linear meter, and exemptions may be applied where the recommendation from an RPF is that the area would be windfirm without further management or maintenance.

We will continue to provide updates on this policy as they become available. If you have comments or questions please contact Cassandra McColman.

August 19, 2019

Oakdale Area Plan Consultation

The City of Coquitlam is preparing for a public consultation regarding the future of the Oakdale neighbourhood in Southwest Coquitlam. City staff have developed a land-use plan with three options containing varying amounts of residential growth for the area.

Once the formal consultation process begins this fall, we will update our members on how to get involved.

August 6, 2019

Housing Affordability Strategy Report

On Monday, July 29, City staff presented a report to Council on the current Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS) and identified next steps as part of the HAS 2020-2021 work program. The report provided an update on the ongoing work of staff to address affordability challenges in Coquitlam trough incentivizing the creation of below market and non-market homes and other priority unit types. Options we also discussed to better incentivize wood frame rental construction including a review of the density bonus program. UDI will continue to engage with the City of Coquitlam on the HAS. The full report is available on the City’s website. If you have any questions or comments please Cassandra McColman at 604-661-3032.

April 29, 2019

Housing Choices Review

On Monday, April 29, the results of Coquitlam’s Housing Choices Review will be presented to Council. The report will include a detailed summary of consultation feedback along with proposed bylaw amendments to improve the Housing Choices Program, based on the consultation feedback.

The primary goal of the Housing Choices Review is encourage new, small-scale, ground-oriented housing options (including smaller, attached projects such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes) in areas of Southwest Coquitlam designated Neighbourhood Attached Residential (NAR) in the Official Community Plan (OCP).

Child Care Policy Review

At a recent City of Coquitlam Liaison Committee, staff presented an overview of an upcoming review of existing child care policies with the goal of better defining the nature of child care spaces and enable a wider range of spaces throughout the city. Staff will be conducting research and engagement this summer and fall with a draft report expected to Council in Spring 2020.

Currently there are no mandatory requirements for the provision of child care spaces for builders, however City Council has shown that this issue is a priority through previous decisions.

UDI will be drafting a letter with recommendations for staff to consider as they undertake this review. If you have experience with the existing child care policy in Coquitlam and would like to provide your comments on these or specific practices in other municipalities, please send them directly to Cassandra McColman.

UPDATED: Proposed Tree Management Within and Adjacent to Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas (SPEA) Policy

As mentioned previously, Coquitlam city staff have proposed changes to way windfirm areas within or adjacent to SPEAs are managed. Staff’s proposal was presented to Council for first reading on April 8^th, and was referred back to staff for further consideration with the intention to explore the process for maintaining windfirm areas more broadly. We will provide more information when this policy returns to Council, likely later this spring.

April 16, 2019

Proposed Tree Management Within and Adjacent to Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas (SPEA) Policy

As noted in previous newsletters, the City of Coquitlam has been developing a Tree Management Policy for SPEA areas. The UDI Coquitlam Liaison Committee has been involved in several consultation sessions. The proposed Policy received First Reading on April 8, 2019. The Policy was developed in response to severe wind events increasing the number of trees in SPEAs falling and posing a public safety risk.

Instead of developers maintaining the trees, under the proposed policy, they would transfer SPEAs, wind-firm areas, and adjacent trail corridors (if applicable) within their sites to the City when a development application involves both a rezoning and a Watercourse Protection Development Permit. The City would then conduct all required monitoring and maintenance of those areas as part of an ongoing management program. Developers would be charged the cost of the maintenance for the first five years. The cost estimates for the five-year period would account for:

“Initial stand inventory and assessment;
Annual individual tree risk assessments;
Tree hazard mitigation and fuel (debris) management at a rate of $240.00 per linear metre for the length of new forest edge created (rate is based on the City’s recent experience managing SPEAs); and
An additional 10% to cover the administration cost of the monitoring and maintenance program by the City.”

Staff note that under the proposed policy, “Exemptions may apply to developers who can demonstrate, through recommendation from a RPF [Registered Professional Forester] that the SPEA would be windfirm without further management and maintenance.”

Affordable Housing Reserve Fund Criteria

On April 1, Council endorsed a Report with changes to the City’s Affordable Housing Reserve Fund, which will be discussed at the upcoming April 26 Coquitlam Liaison Committee. UDI received the following information regarding the recent changes from staff:

Policy Changes Promote More Housing for Those in Need in Coquitlam

COQUITLAM, BC, April 2, 2019 – Changes this week to Coquitlam’s Affordable Housing Reserve Fund criteria will make it easier to develop housing for low-to-moderate income households in the community.

Council approved a series of policy changes intended to improve the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund (AHRF) – a component of the Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS) that was introduced in 2015 to broaden the variety of housing types, sizes, prices and tenures in the City.

Recognizing that the City does not own or operate any housing, Coquitlam’s goal is to work with partners from the non-profit, private and public sectors to foster projects that ensure a wide variety of housing can be offered in Coquitlam in the years to come.

While the strategy’s overall incentives have led to nearly 4,000 new market and below-market rental units being planned or constructed, only about 120 non-market (subsidized) units for low-to-moderate income households have received AHRF funding approval to date.

Changes to Provide Clarity to Funding Criteria
As part of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the HAS, it became apparent that the original AHRF criteria presented staff and partners with very wide parameters – sometimes making it difficult to negotiate an agreement and provide certainty for these type of housing projects.

This week’s policy changes, based on a comprehensive review and feedback from housing providers, will clarify the funding criteria and streamline the application process. The changes include:

Clarification to existing criteria, including requirements for funding from other agencies and for paying back the AHRF;
New criteria to ensure AHRF funds are only used for units owned by registered non-profit societies; and
A new AHRF Funding Guide that clearly outlines the three levels of available funding and associated requirements.

These changes will allow approximately $9 million in pending AHRF requests – which would enable the construction of approximately 200 to 350 non-market rental units across seven sites over the next five years, depending on Provincial matching funds. The City of Coquitlam fund balance was $11.1 million at the end of 2018, and is continually being topped up by density bonus contributions from new development.

Housing Affordability Successes
Overall, the Housing Affordability Strategy has been a significant success story for Coquitlam, expanding both market and non-market rental housing in the community through incentives and cooperation with private, non-profit and senior government partners. Aside from about 120 AHRF-funded non-market rental units and 4,000-plus new market rental units, approximately 800 additional subsidized units are under application.

In the decade prior to the strategy’s adoption, virtually no new rental units were built in Coquitlam. Overall, the City is now creating new market and non-market rental homes at nearly ten times the rate of previous years leading to a long-term increase in housing options in our community.

Coquitlam’s Housing Affordability Strategy has also received an honourable mention in the 2017 Planning Institute of British Columbia Awards.

For more information about the Housing Affordability Strategy, visit www.coquitlam.ca/housing.

About Coquitlam’s Affordable Housing Reserve Fund

The AHRF acts as the City’s financial contribution towards increasing the supply of housing options for low and low-to-moderate income households in partnership with other parties. It is an important tool for contributing towards affordable housing solutions, a goal of Coquitlam’s Housing Affordability Strategy (HAS).

Staff is working to update the overall AHRF projections, incorporating recent increases in multi-family construction volume and rising land values, as the AHRF is primarily funded through a portion of the City’s optional, zoning-based Bonus Density Program.

The City is actively seeking applications for partnership opportunities through the fund. For more information visit www.coquitlam.ca/housing.

About Coquitlam’s Housing Affordability Strategy

Through the Housing Affordability Strategy, Coquitlam’s goal is to work with partners from the non-profit, private and public sectors to ensure that a wide variety of housing types, sizes, tenures and prices can be offered in Coquitlam in the years to come.

The Strategy also recognizes that local government’s mandate and resources to address housing affordability are limited without partnerships and funding from other levels of government.

The HAS provides a vision, objectives, policy directions and specific actions to address housing affordability.

Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable – Lunch & Learn

The Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable is holding a follow up session to a lunch discussion that was held with developers on this topic. The speaker will discuss Eco-Assets, and among other things, how green/landscape storm water treatment strategies are covered in the municipality’s DCC program and have led to savings and a number of other benefits.

This Lunch and Learn is conveniently set to start in Council Chambers following the Liaison Committee meeting at the end of the month. RSVP’s appreciated. Details as below:

The Coquitlam River Watershed Roundtable is pleased to invite you to attend a Lunch and Learn featuring Emanuel Machado, CAO of the Town of Gibsons.

Join to hear about the Town of Gibsons’ Eco-Assets Strategy on Friday, April 26, 2019, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm in the Council Chambers at Coquitlam City Hall.

Please refer to the attached invitation for more details.

There is no fee to attend, but we kindly request a pre-registration email to coordinator@coquitlamriverwatershed.ca by April 23, 2019.

April 1, 2019

Changes to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund

On Monday, April 1, Coquitlam City Council will be considering proposed changes to the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund (AHRF). These changes stem from a recent review of the AHRF and the City’s goal to support the creation of more non-market rental homes. The AHRF provides the financial basis for the City’s contribution toward increasing the supply of housing options for low and low-to-moderate income households. Use of the AHRF is guided by the Affordable Housing Reserve Fund criteria. Staff have recently completed a review of the AHRF criteria and are recommending several revisions in order to make it easier for the City to support the development of non-market units.

A copy of the report outlining this review and the associated recommendations is available here.

New combined application form and project folders

The City of Coquitlam, Planning and Development Department has implemented a new combined application form. Developments that require multiple types of applications now only need to fill out a single form, instead of one form for each application type. As a result, this will save time for applicants and streamline the intake process for our planning front counter staff. In addition, as a result of this improvement we have also implemented consolidated invoicing. Just like the application forms, instead of one invoice per application there will now be a combined invoice that captures most fees related to the applications selected in the combined application form. There will however, continue to be a few exceptions to this such as Watercourse Development Permits.

If you would like to view the form, please visit: www.coquitlam.ca/development. As part of this updated form, you will also see that staff have created a matrix to assist applicants in determining what additional documentation is required as part of their application submission. Staff have always encouraged complete submissions for both the initial application submission and detailed design reviews. Through our process improvement efforts we will be working to fully implement and reinforce this practice in the coming months. By accepting only complete submissions our goal is to speed up the review process and avoid late hits that may result from delayed submission requirements.

New project folders that have also been implemented in the City’s internal tracking software AMANDA. Like the combined application form, the PROJ folder groups all related development applications under the same number. The transition to this new structure commenced in February and staff will be working toward updating all active applications currently in-stream. Active projects are targeted to receive a project number by mid-April. These will appear in the format PROJ 19-001, and will be based on the year and the sequence in which they are submitted. The PROJ numbers will allow for simplified communication and reference to individual projects.

Coquitlam’s current development application report will be updated to reflect the new project folders so that the public will see one line per project instead of the multiple lines and multiple applications that may apply for a project. This will simplify the communication of our activities, and more clearly reflect the volume and scope of projects. Other places where the new project numbers will be reflected include on Development Application Proposal Signs and in reports to Council.

If there are questions, concerns or feedback regarding the new system, please direct comments to Cassandra McColman.

March 4, 2019

Housing Choices Review Survey

The City of Coquitlam is conducting a review of the Housing Choices Program, an infill housing program that permits up to 4 units/lot in certain areas designated “Neighbourhood-Attached Residential” (NAR) across Southwest Coquitlam. The goals of this ongoing review are to encourage more Housing Choices applications (including a wider diversity beyond more single-family homes), streamline application processing and approvals, and ensure resulting projects continue to fit into the character of existing neighbourhoods.

The City is currently undertaking consultation on potential options to improve the Housing Choices Program, and staff anticipate presenting bylaw amendments to Council for consideration by mid-2019.

There are two ways to participate in this review:

Housing Choices Review: Online Survey
1. Online link here
2. Open until March 17

Housing Choices Review: Development Industry Info Session
1. Who: all past and potential future Housing Choices applicants, designers, architects, developers, builders
2. When: Tuesday, March 12^th, 4-7pm (drop-in, no RSVP required)
3. Where: Coquitlam City Hall main lobby (3000 Guildford Way)
4. Parking: located beneath City Hall or directly south in lot on Burlington Drive

February 18, 2019

Coquitlam DCC Increases approved by Council

On February 11, Coquitlam City Council approved changes to their DCC rates with an average 42% increase. Detailed rate changes can be found on the City’s website, along with the report to Council.

These increases will be effective from July 2, 2019 and will follow the standard grandfathering process proscribed by the Local Government Act. To be charged the previous rates, projects must be in-stream on the effective date, and a Building Permit must be issued by July 2, 2020. UDI advocated for the inclusion of an effective date in these changes to add increased certainty for builders submitting applications to the City. City staff has committed to provide annual updates on the DCC program going forward, which was another request contained in UDI’s initial feedback on the changes, submitted in December 2018.

City staff look for feedback on proposed changes to Off-Street Loading bylaw

At the regular City of Coquitlam Liaison committee meeting on February 15, city staff presented on the proposed changes to Zoning Bylaw No. 3000, 1996- Part 7– updating the requirements for off-street loading zones for large trucks. The changes would include minimum requirements for TAC design vehicles and operating clearances. These requirements would fall into three new classes based on the size of the vehicles accessing the building. Minimum requirements for waste collection spaces were also proposed based on the operating space needed for vehicles. Staff expressed their desire to remain flexible in the application of new requirements based on the specific needs of each project and want to work with builders on the implementation of these requirements.

The presentation made by staff can be viewed here, and UDI is looking for your feedback on these proposed changes. To provide comments or questions, please contact Cassandra McColman by February 25, 2019.

December 10, 2018

Development Cost Charges (DCCs)

On November 23, the Coquitlam Liaison Committee met with City staff regarding upcoming increases to their DCCs. The proposed DCC increases are significant; ranging from 18% (industrial) to over 60% (single-family lots). UDI submitted a letter to City staff with several recommendations for the DCC program and how to best phase-in the proposed increases over time.

SPEA Consultation

The City of Coquitlam continued consultation with the development industry on its proposed new approach to SPEA and windfirm area management. The proposed changes would require that the City take ownership and responsibility for windfirm areas adjacent to SPEAs, with the support of a voluntary contribution from developers to support the maintenance of these areas for a period of five years. UDI is generally supportive of the proposed changes, and provided specific recommendations in a letter submitted to City staff.

Municipal News- Coquitlam

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