Wednesday, March 25, 1992 — North Shore News New bylaw takes aim at monster houses § WHILE A proposed bylaw that includes changes in the regulation of building height is intended to reduce bulk in houses, it will also make it more difficult for local residents to make alterations to their homes, West Van- couver District Planner Steve Nicholls told council March 2. Under the proposed bylaw, both maximum building heights and the formula for calculating building heights would not change. But new parameters would be set for the largest building facade to try to reduce the appearance of bulk. Ald. Rod Day introduced the height regulations amendments, which have taken a long time to formulate because of various complexities, including prob!ems in determining height in relation to topographical grade. The proposed bylaw, if adopted, will join a line-up of other bylaws that Day and Nicholls have been instrumental in developing in response to concerns over new monster houses in West Vancouver. “The problem is that it has been hard to get the bylaws writ- ten soon enough before same de- veloper finds some new and in- genious way to get around them,” said Day. As’ a result, residents are con- tinually complaining that the values of their: homes are being degraded by the construction of ’ monster ‘houses in their . neighborhoods. Hemlock faces the ‘axe after arborist warns WV of hazard A LARGE hemlock at 4225 Evergreen Ave. has lost the protection of West Van- couver District Council. By Maureen Curiis Contributing Writer The tree was one of the factors that prompted council earlier this year to allow the property’s owners to retain their present vehicular access onto Marine Drive, even though the site’s house is being replaced and even though council’s policy is to pre- vent vehicle access onto Marine Drive where alternative access ex- ists. Although backing onto Marine Drive is dangerous in many places, council was persuaded to let access continue in the 4225 Evergreen case. But on March 16, council withdrew its protection of the hemlock tree after district arborist Shirley Nicolson found it to be unhealthy and a potential hazard. By advising the property’s owner to remove the tree, the municipality relieves itself of legal responsibility should it fall down and cause damage or harm. But the property’s owners will still be permitted access onto Marine Drive. Ald. Pat Boname said there were other issues that contributed to council’s earlier decision: @ the residents have lived at the address and had access onto Marine Drive for over 40 years; @ that stretch of Marine Drive is relatively safe. Ald. Diana Hutchinson said she could not see how council could make a policy about trees on other people’s property, although they might take some action in a specific case, such as this. “You can’t make people retain trees on private ptoperty,’’ said Lionel Lewis of the Ambleside and Dundarave Ratepayers. By Maureen Curtis Contributing Writer Taking a cautionary stand, Nicholls pointed out that most people who live in what other people consider ‘‘monster houses,"’ don’t think of their own homes in that way. In general and in response to public demand, new houses have gradually become bigger, with wider driveways and garages and more storeys, he said. The appearance of a new home may irk neighbors, but Nicholls emphasized that he did not ex- pect the new height regulations to ensure design quality. 1992 Hyundai Sonata GL Standard 126 HP 2.0 litre engine or optional V6, ft steering, AM/FM cassette stereo with 4 sects Includes Hollyburn Hyundai Care 1992 Hyundai Scoupe a WEST VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL At this point, the regulations may attempt to codify quality by converting appearance into numbers and setting standards for set-backs and building envelopes, Nicholls explained. Mayor Mark Sager said it was not the intention in West Van- couver to try to institute design controls, The proposed bylaw would adhere, with some minor amend- ments, to the existing method of calculating allowable building heights from grade. The bylaw will then create an additional ‘‘envelope’’ (the imagi- nary parameters within which a building or part of a building must be placed) for the most prominent face of a home, which on a slope is the side with the lowest grade. “This highest building face would be controlled to eliminate the ‘three-storey flat facade’ look,’* Nicholls wrote. In order to reduce bulk further in houses that have two storeys plus a basement, the proposed bylaw would diminish the floor area size of the second storey rela- tive to the main floor. This would be accomplished by increasing the sideyard setback (mandatory distance from the lot line) for the setback by 50%, achieving a ‘‘terraced’’ effect. In the calculation of the floor- area ratio, the entire area of each storey would be included, even when there is no actual ‘‘fMoor’’ there. In the past, open areas, such as stairwells and two-storey entrance halls or living rooms have not been included in the ratio, but have still contributed to the ap- pearance of a house’s bulk from the outside, Eaves will be exempted from WE DO ALL THE SERVICE AND SUPPLY ALL THE PARTS ON SCHEDULED | MAINTENANCE FOR 2 YEARS 1992 Hyundai Excel 1. 3DR Manual transmission, spacious interior and cargo room, Michelin ak-season radial tires. Includes Hollyburn Hyundai Care Pack. OR 48,000 KM See us at Hollyburn Hyundai for precision built automobiles that are 1.5 litre multi-point fuel injected engine, ventilat- ed front disc brakes, 4 speaker AWFM cassette stereo, Michelin all-season radial tires, Includes Hoflybum Hyundai Care Pack. protection. Holiybum 1; Care Pack. Free with purchase. ielues custom formats and Pemaguar as the calculation of site coverage because they can be used to lower a building’s apparent mass and are often thought of as important to the ‘West Coast Style.”’ Nicholls warned council that the increased regulations will likely result in a greater volume of de- velopment variance permit ap- plications. “‘A number of people have sug- gested that strict regulations, ac- companied by specific evaluation criteria and a speedy and painless variance approval process, could help encourage people to design homes with sensitivity and fit,’ Nicholls said in his proposal. It is important for council to anticipate applications and adopt. guidelines to afford some predic- tability of approval, he added. Nicholls stressed the need for an effective new bylaw to be simple. 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