The B.C. government recently passed housing legislation that brings major changes to how Coquitlam plans for and supports growth. This includes new rules for development around transit hubs—called Transit-Oriented Areas.
In Coquitlam, the new rules affect eight areas close to SkyTrain stations:
The new provincial rules require the City to:
- Designate Transit-Oriented Areas by bylaw (complete)
- Remove minimum residential parking requirements, except parking requirements for people with disabilities, inside Transit-Oriented Areas (complete)
- For properties zoned for residential uses, allow for the following minimum building heights and densities inside Transit-Oriented Areas:
Tier
| Distance from SkyTrain Station
| Minimum Allowable Density (Floor Area Ratio*)
| Minimum Allowable Height (storeys)
|
|---|
| 1 | 200 m or less
| 5.0
| Up to 20
|
| 2 | 200-400 m
| 4.0
| Up to 12
|
| 3 | 400-800 m
| 3.0
| Up to 8
|
* FAR stands for floor area ratio, and is a way to measure density using the size of a building’s floor area in relation to the size of the property it’s located on.
The legislation also includes new rules on the use of Density Bonus and new zoning tools to support the development of rental housing. Density Bonus is a zoning tool that the City uses to help provide and pay for growth-related infrastructure, amenities, and other community assets and to support the development of affordable housing.
To continue to provide and pay for community assets and rental housing, the City will be updating its current Density Bonus program and rental requirements and incentives. This includes looking at how and where these tools are used in Transit-Oriented Areas.
Please read our Planning Bulletins for more information on how the new provincial rules apply in Coquitlam:
For more information on the provincial legislation, please visit the Government of British Columbia webpage on Transit oriented development areas.
For more information on how we are addressing the new provincial rules, including timelines and how to engage with us, please visit LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca/TransitOrientedAreas
Provide Input to Help Guide Growth in Southwest Coquitlam
If you live, work, or spend time in Southwest Coquitlam, we want your input on future development in the area. The City of Coquitlam is particularly interested in hearing from residents and visitors who frequent the areas near SkyTrain stations or along the Como Lake and Austin Avenue corridors. Take our online survey at LetsTalkCoquitlam.ca/TransitOrientedAreas by Sunday, November 3, and have your say.
Background Documents
