PoCo looks to boost ‘bread and butter’ townhouse development; allow video game arcades

It was a short meeting that could have lasting impacts.

Following a public hearing at which there were no speakers, Port Coquitlam unanimously voted Tuesday to amend the city’s official community plan to add a new zoning for townhouses.

“Townhomes have been the bread and butter of Port Coquitlam housing for many, many years,” Mayor Brad West said Tuesday.

While townhouse applications have declined recently, the new rules may make townhouses successful again, West added.

The rules would allow for bigger and denser townhouse construction.

Previously, the city allowed for one unit for approximately 2,300 square feet. However, that rule: “has been in place for over 45 years and doesn’t reflect current market or development contexts,” according to a city staff report.

The new rules would allow for one townhouse unit per 1,830 square feet. Townhouse developments be capped at approximately 34 feet and maximum lot coverage would go from 40 to 45 percent.

That townhouse zone would apply on lots earmarked for small-scale residential development. A provincial zoning change allowed for four to six dwellings on one small-scale residential parcel.

That change further narrowed the: “cost-benefit margin for townhouse redevelopment,” according to a prior city staff report.

The new rules also aim to make it easier to build rowhouses, which tend to be smaller houses separated by a swath of yard with short backyard and a garage accessed off a lane. Like townhouses, rowhouses are generally seen as relatively affordable for young families.

Coun. Paige Petriw was enthusiastic about the change.

“I think this form of housing is super important for Port Coquitlam,” she said during a previous discussion. “I hope the rowhomes pick up.”

Following Tuesday’s vote, rowhouses can be built on approximately 289 lots currently designated for townhouses, potentially spurring new rowhouse construction. The 289 lots don’t have the depth for townhouses, according to a city staff report.

Hospitality rules

Council also formally adopted new hospitality rules, overturning longstanding city prohibitions on nightclubs, cabarets, pool halls, and video game arcades.

The rules also loosen restrictions around special event liquor licences, such as opening the doors early or late for a big sporting event.

The ultimate aim is to persuade businesses that Port Coquitlam is a place to: “put down roots,” West explained during a previous council discussion.

The new rules also allow for trampoline parks and escape rooms in commercial zones.

Some of the old rules seemed to originate from a time when the city was: “cracking down on unruly teenagers in the 1970s and ‘80s who were trying to use arcade games . . . or dance,” West said.

Arcades were in a class of prohibited uses alongside escort services, massage parlours, and pawnshops.

The city previously restricted the size of dance floors due to concerns regarding underground dance clubs. A recent staff report stated that underground dance clubs are: “no longer a relevant concern.”