BC's shift away from local control was designed to expedite housing amid an affordable housing crisis and responds to the argument that public hearings are inefficient, time-consuming and unproductive.Under the new sweeping reforms, municipalities cannot hold public hearings if the request for a zoning change is in keeping with the existing community plan, and if the development area is at least 50% residential.
It’s a major change to the established standard for local land-use bylaws in BC. The shift away from local control was designed to expedite housing amid an affordable housing crisis and responds to the argument that public hearings are inefficient, time-consuming and unproductive. The idea is that more supply is needed immediately, and local authorities are thwarting the process with public hearing requirements to pass rezonings.
Murray said that people seem to be misunderstanding the role of planning, and zoning. As well, there is a misunderstanding about the business of development, particularly by proponents of the Yes-In-My-Backyard movement that calls for more supply to reduce prices. The movement has become more popular in Australia in the last year, said Murray, but it’s been a West Coast phenomenon for several years.
“So now, for some reason, because of the politics of it, we have sort of forgotten that,” says Murray. “And now it’s about nasty old people in their houses.”