Over the last few years, staff at the City of Vancouver have been discussing the introduction of new regulations to promote the building of more ‘missing middle’ housing and simplifying regulations in low density neighbourhoods. In order to promote the development of multiplexes, however, the City also proposes reducing the maximum allowable size of new single-family houses from the current 0.7 allowable FSR to 0.6. This proposal raises a number of concerns including the following:

• The reduction in allowable built area to 0.6 FSR produces a smaller house compared with a multiplex at 1.0 FSR and this size discrepancy will have a negative affect on neighbourhood streetscapes
• Many households live in multi-generational and other co-living arrangements and larger homes are better equipped to support this
• Single family residences with secondary suites would now have less area to use between the 2 dwellings (0.6 FSR for both the primary dwelling and the suite)
• Reducing maximum allowable area makes the single family housing stock built under these new rules less flexible and adaptable for future living
• The reduction in allowable built area will negatively impact the flexibility and desirability of renovating older homes

The City should maintain the current buildable area for single-family homes at 0.7 FSR and allow up to 0.85 total FSR on the site if a lot includes a laneway house, with a maximum laneway FSR of 0.25.  This allows for the flexibility to allocate FSR between the principal dwelling and the laneway house to suit individual homeowner's needs. From an urban planning and long term outlook for housing perspective, there is no good reason to reduce buildable area from the current standard.