After two days of marathon council hearings, Victoria will have to wait another week to learn the fate of a controversial plan that would pre-zone much of the city of multiplex housing.
At issue is the Missing Middle Housing Initiative, a plan that would supplant single-family zoning and allow the construction of six-unit homes on mid-block lots and up to 12-unit townhouses on some corner lots, aligning with the city’s Official Community Plan.
The ‘missing middle’ concept is meant to make room for housing options that fit between the extremes of single detached homes and condo towers.
The proposal has proved highly divisive, with scores of Victorians coming out to speak for or against it.
Luke Mari, principal at Arise Developments, was among those who turned out to speak in favour of the proposal at Thursday’s 11-hour hearing.
He said if the city hopes to keep vibrant communities with young families who simply can’t afford a multi-million dollar home, more houseplexes and townhomes are essential.
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“We’re losing families, the generational income divide is getting larger — at the end of the day we have to look at the status quo as not really producing the kind of city we need,” he said.
“I’m hoping for an approval because it’s the right thing for the city, but I don’t believe this is going to result kind he rapid change that people fear.”
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Currently, medium-density housing makes up just five per cent of new home construction in Victoria.
But opponents say the blanket zoning change could prompt a rush to demolish detached homes, leading to a range of unintended consequences ranging from decreased property values to tenants being evicted.
The hearing also heard concerns about parking, and the loss of neighbourhood character.
“The proposal to put in 35-foot high six-plexes on a standard lot is too much. It’s not gentle. It’s not something that can easily blend into the existing streetscape,” Fairfield resident Ken Rouche, who spoke against the proposal Thursday, told Global News.
“There is a need for more housing, the issue is to find the sweet spot, and the sweet spot as far as I’m concerned, personally, is four-plexes within the allowable 25-foot zoning that currently exists. Let’s try that, see how it works.”
Rouche said he thinks the plan should be put on pause until after the October 15 election, to be decided by Victoria’s next council.
The plan is shaping up to be a key election issue, with both proponents and opponents among those running for council.
Two-term Victoria mayor Lisa Helps, who has been a strong proponent of the plan, is not seeking re-election.
In the meantime, hearings on the plan have been adjourned, and are set to resume on Sept. 8, when council is expected to make its decision.
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