If the roughly 25 Sechelt homeowners who took part in a secondary suites meeting on Tuesday night are any indication, there's a healthy interest in providing a legal form of the rental spaces within the District of Sechelt.
Community planner Andre Boel ran through a brief presentation in the community use room, one that highlighted the secondary suite policies of the City of Coquitlam and Town of Gibsons, that adopted a secondary suites policy less than two weeks ago. Many Sechelt residents then indicated their willingness to add or upgrade suites that meet B.C. Building Code requirements in their homes - as long as that task isn't too onerous.
"I would like to see this done as painlessly as possible," said resident Lorna Klein. "I'd urge you not to put too stringent rules on people who are trying to help."
The District is now looking into legalizing secondary suites to follow up on recommendations stemming from the affordable housing and community amenities policy adopted in March. Although B.C. Assessment records show only 200 secondary suites in Sechelt, the District may contain between 375 and 750, Boel estimated. With up to 150 new homes being built in Sechelt each year, Boel said it's the right time to look into legalization of the units.
The District's zoning bylaw 25, 1987 designates a single-family dwelling as one that accommodates one family and has its own entrance and only one set of cooking facilities - thus rendering all existing secondary suites technically illegal.
With a secondary suite bylaw in place, Boel noted Sechelt residents could benefit from an increased affordable housing stock, more ground-level housing, safety benefits for seniors who might otherwise live alone and help on mortgage payments for homeowners. Boel noted the District also stands to benefit by adding housing units without building new infrastructure.
Making secondary suites legal could also bring to light more accurate population counts, by removing tenants' need to go underground with respect to census data, Boel said. This could result in a higher official population count in Sechelt, leading to greater federal transfer payments, though Boel couldn't quantify how much the District stands to gain financially.
Concerns raised in other municipalities attempting to legalize the suites include parking pressures, administrative costs to the municipality, community acceptance of the concept and fire safety risks secondary suites can pose to homes and neighbourhoods, through illegal drug labs or sub-standard upgrades.
Asked whether there would likely be any control on the rents charged from secondary suite landlords, Boel replied it's unlikely. "Affordability-wise, the main thing is to allow for these suites and encourage them," he said. While adding secondary suites to buildings under construction is not difficult, Boel outlined several requirements involved in upgrading existing suites to meet building code requirements. Separate entrances, interconnected fire alarms (between the main and secondary living spaces), adequate drywall thickness (for fireproofing) and adequate ventilation are some of the features a safe secondary suite requires. Asked whether the District would consider offering homeowners no-penalty assessments on upgrading the suites, Boel said the District will consider it.
Legal secondary suites have been possible in some parts of the province since the B.C. building code was amended in 1998, said District building inspector John Mercer.
