BLDG blog has a cool post about a book by two architects about “minor development,” or small construction projects that don’t require planning permission – things like sheds, garages, and extensions. It talks about recent legal changes in Europe that have encouraged this sort of development, and has some neat pictures of the sort of small changes that can add a room or just extra space to existing houses.
The article doesn’t mention it, but this immediately brings to mind laneway housing – basically converting garages into inhabitable buildings and sometimes building in existing parking spaces. Vancouver legalized laneway housing last year, and though you still need a $899 permit, you don’t have to file for a variance and the process seems streamlined (although curiously, the article says the units can “only [be] used as rental units”…does that mean you’re not allowed to tear down your garage and build extra space for yourself?).
These are small sorts of infill allowances that aren’t going to radically alter a city like parking, zoning, or road reform could. But although we’d prefer complete property rights with the ability to build on (or not build on, or sell) as much of your land as you’d like, this is at least a step in the right direction.
David Sucher says
September 24, 2010 at 10:00 pmSeattle also allows detached accessory dwelling units, as of right.
Ray Mond Irv Vine says
September 28, 2010 at 3:01 amThey are almost all built from scratch after demo of the existing garage. It is rarely possible to build on the garage slab as they are rarely to code. Also the hassle of connecting services and drainage to an existing pad is higher than building new. Although you cannot strata title them yet it seems like they are preparing for that eventually. Once built you can rent it or move in yourself. They cost from $125k to $300k depending on the size, quality and margins of the particular builder.
Ray Irvine
Affordable Laneway Builders