‘Absolute nightmare’: Pitt Meadows councillors fear parking impacts from six-unit housing project

Pitt Meadows approved a six-unit courtyard housing development, but not before councillors warned of the “nightmare” that will result from the provincial housing legislation eliminating minimum parking requirements.

On July 7, council unanimously passed the development permits authorizing construction of five detached strata homes and one adaptable secondary suite at 12024 190 St, replacing an existing single-family home.

The parking pressure on the neighbourhood dominated the council’s discussion.

Coun. Gwen O’Connell said the surrounding area is already struggling with parking demand and questioned how construction and additional residents would affect the neighbourhood.

“I think this is really going to be what we all feared about the parking situation,” O’Connell said. “For anybody that knows that street, 190A Street is a nightmare, it is an absolute nightmare to park on now.”

The province’s small-scale multi-unit housing legislation no longer allows municipalities to require off-street parking for developments in the urban residential zones, stripping municipalities of the ability to control traffic impacts and volume. Despite the rules, the developer has voluntarily proposed 10 parking spaces – two for each principal dwelling – through double garages.

Visitor parking, however, will rely on on-street spaces.

O’Connell pointed out council has already had to make extra parking accommodations for the nearby Wesbrooke Senior Centre, and residents already rely heavily on the street parking at Regency Court.

“Everyone parks along there, you can’t get a parking space at daylight, at nighttime, it’s bad,” she said. “I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like during construction time.

“I really think our staff are going to have to put on some magic hats and figure out what we’re going to do about parking on the street.”

While supporting the application, O’Connell placed the blame squarely on changes introduced by the provincial government.

Coun. Mike Hayes said he remains opposed to aspects of the provincial housing legislation but praised the design of the proposal itself.

“Despite how I feel about the provincial housing legislation, I just have to say that some very good thought has gone into this development application,” Hayes said.

He also commended the city’s Advisory Design Panel (ADP), saying the developer had addressed many of the committee’s concerns through revisions to the proposal.

Hayes said he was pleased to see each home includes double parking.

He acknowledged visitor parking would still present challenges because it would depend on street parking, but concluded that, “for putting five plus one units on a single lot, I think it’s the best that you can expect within a pleasing design.”

Coun. Bob Meachen echoed those concerns, saying the project reflected a broader pattern he has observed since the province introduced its new housing rules.

“This all goes to the new housing regulations,” Meachen said, adding that nearly every developer has voluntarily incorporated parking despite no longer being required to do so.

“It goes to show that the provincial regulations are not common sense at all,” he said.

“We live in Pitt Meadows, we do not live in Burnaby or Metrotown, right on the SkyTrain track. So people need cars here, and if you want to sell a home in Pitt Meadows, you really do need to have some parking supplied.”

He said developers appear to recognize that reality regardless of what provincial legislation requires.

“It’s already stupid around here to try and park a car any time of day. So this just adds to the confusion.”

According to the staff report, the proposal complies with the city’s urban residential zoning, which was adopted in 2024 to implement the province’s small-scale multi-unit housing legislation.

The development consists of five detached courtyard homes ranging from approximately 226 to 229 square metres, with one home containing an adaptable one-bedroom secondary suite. All five principal homes include at least three bedrooms and two-car garages.

The only variance approved by council relates to roof overhangs between several units.

The ADP reviewed the project in March and recommended several design improvements, including refinements to landscaping, architectural details, privacy between units and fence heights. The developer revised the plans in response before bringing the application to council. The panel also expressed support for the requested variance.