Parallels

Over the course of May, while also working at the gallery exhibition, I'll be working on a personal project funded by the Millennium Foundation's Grants. The goal is to create links between organizations involved Urban Agriculture in Vancouver, to give the community as a whole greater strength. I've been thinking about what other groups would benefit from becoming more involved in Urban Agriculture- groups like the Tiny Home movement and what I'm going to call the human-powered movement (people who get around on their own energy.) What I'm wondering is- what are good ways to get people cross-pollinating?

Small, prefab homes out of Surrey!

We're seeing it happen more and more in Vancouver- Smallworks, Inhabit, and now this!

This is a globe and mail article reporting on an architect named Tony Robbins, who started showing his tiny prefab homes in BC recently. From the article:

"We've had over a 130 inquiries already," says the architect, who recently revealed his design for a 500-square-foot unit in a palette of steel, glass and wood to an enthusiastic audience at a B.C. home show in Vancouver.

It's a very minimalist and open design, which I think is the key to making tiny seem huge. It's also really exciting to see this movement coming to Canada. With all the  space, we have a lot of potential for urban sprawl- so I like the timing of it. 

Right now, I'm getting all amped up for Jay Shafer's workshop- it's a 2day design-your-own kinda setup. Hooray! In fact, that really needs it's own post at this point. 

When will laneway housing be allowed in your neighborhood?

I just got this email message from Joaquin:

The City has been working on amending single family zoning to allow laneway housing. This new housing form will be located in the typical garage area where it maintains backyard open space. As per past City Council direction, it will be limited to 1 ½ storeys, have at least one off-street parking space, and be rental or family only (no stratification will be allowed).

Recently, a City Council Motion directed that action relating to new affordable and rental housing, be prioritized. In explaining the motion, Council referenced laneway housing specifically as such an opportunity for prioritized action and fast-tracking. The laneway housing timeline has therefore been adjusted to provide draft zoning amendments for public comment and Council consideration at the July 21st Public Hearing.

Many homeowners have been indicating their wish to apply to build a laneway house as soon as possible. Laneway housing was also identified as having broad public support through the EcoDensity public engagement in 2007-08. Public discussion on specific issues and options then occurred in fall 2008, leading to the list of features that laneway housing zoning will incorporate.

Prior to the July public hearing, staff will again meet with stakeholder groups and provide information to the broad public. If Council approves zoning changes, development applications can start right away.

Further information is available on the City’s website at: vancouver.ca/ecodensity - under "What is Next?"

--> rachel
This is very exciting to see- the City is taking a lot of initiative to move these changes forward quickly. For our project, this may mean being able to have an influence on the building of first laneway housing.