The Daily Hive: Jan 19, 2025
A Metro Vancouver municipality is rolling out a new feature for residents and builders who want to build multi-unit homes on one lot.
The City of Burnaby’s Housing Design Library is an online gallery of multiplex homes, including duplexes, laneways, quads, and simplexes.
The library comes after the city announced that it would end its single-family zoning, aligning with the province’s new legislation to change zoning bylaws and encourage gentle densification on single-family lots.
Burnaby is “leading the way” for innovative housing.
The City of Burnaby’s design library contains 12 designs that have been reviewed by city staff and comply with the city’s bylaws and BC Building Code.
How does it work?
Residents or builders looking to construct one of the homes from the design library should first consider the type of lot they have and whether it meets the R1 zoning requirements. They will also need to determine the minimum lot width for the subdivision and the setbacks required for development.
They can then browse the design catalogue and apply for an engineering pre-application review to start the application process.
