LANEWAY HOUSE PORT MOODY
Are you running out of space or is it hard to adjust when guests come over? Or maybe you have newcomers in the family so you need more space. A Laneway house is the perfect solution for you in Port Moody, BC
WHAT EXACTLY IS A DADU?
The Detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) or a laneway home is typically located in the backyard near the lane or alley. Laneway home is a separate structure from the main house.
IS LANEWAY HOUSE PERMITTED?
Laneway homes have been permitted in the City of Port Moody since July 2018
WHY A LANEWAY HOUSE?
These miniature homes provide multiple benefits in port moody, bc like:
- Additional rental income
- Accommodation for family
- People to age in the same place without having to leave their property
- Lesser usage of resources
- New residents maintain the existing neighborhood character
IS MY PROPERTY ELIGIBLE FOR LANEWAY HOUSE?
Some of the basic requirements to check eligibility for a laneway home on your property in the city of port moody are the following:
- The lot must be zoned RS1, RS1-S, RS2, RS3, RS5, RS6, RS7, RS9 or RT
- The lot must have secondary access to the rear of the Lot via a Street or a Lane
- The lot cannot abut Forest Park Way or North Road
- There must be available density under the existing zone, taking into consideration the total amount of floor area and lot coverage available for both the existing home and laneway home combined.
WHERE DO I START FROM?
Firstly, consult a professional to ensure that Zoning Bylaw No.2937 and Development Permit Area 7 design guidelines in the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) of Port moody can be met.
THINGS TO CONSIDER!
SITE PLANNING
Careful site planning for laneway homes is needed to ensure that the minimum parking, building setbacks, lot coverage and floor area restrictions can be met
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Make sure your laneway home is livable, attractive, maintain open space in the backyard and doesn’t leave any impact on your neighbors
APPROVEMENT METHOD
- Book a meeting with Port moody planning staff to discuss feasibility and tentative site plan before submitting a Minor Development Permit application.
- Planning Staff will review the application with other departments and provide a preliminary comments letter outlining where revisions or additional information is required.
- The applicant submits coordinated sets of development permits, building, and landscaping plans.
- The General Manager of Planning and Development, Port Moody BC may approve the application which provides for a more expedient and cost-effective process for the Applicant. Staff then notify the applicant of the outcome
SAMPLE COST
The estimated cost to construct a laneway home may range greatly. This cost is exclusive of other utilities required such as (BC Hydro, Fortius) and adjacent municipal road, water, storm water, sewer as well as a professional consultant and reports fee. The following table summarizes construction costs for a laneway home.
ZONING BY LAW REQUIREMENT
Section 5.5 of the City of Port Moody Zoning Bylaw, 2018, No. 2937 includes specific regulations and requirements for different residential zones and areas regarding density and coverage. The Table below has further summarized Zoning Bylaw requirements for Laneway House.
DESIGN GUIDELINES: FORM AND CHARACTER
Laneway House needs an application and design to make sure that it maintains the place identity and also creates appealing homey territory. The OCP of the city has an objective to fabricate the residential societies to increase the heterogeneity of dwellings across the city. During the application process, Laneway House uses Appendix 2 which includes DPA 7 to check out the suggested Laneway House’s designs. The designing key points of DPA 7 are as follows:
- Maintain the scale and form of residential properties.
- Make certain that developed urban character enacts inspiration for new developments.
- Intensify and animate the lane and streets to stimulate the pedestrian.
- Maintain the trees and landscape features.
- Engulf security and privacy to residential development.
- Embrace the designs that are site-seeing, long-lasting and efficient.
Our planning staff check out these guidelines from DPA-7 and make sure to include these guidelines in Laneway House’s proposed designs.
DADU LANEWAY HOUSE DESIGN GUIDELINES
The design guidelines for Laneway House in Port Moody contains few elements that are as follows
ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCESS
Laneway Houmes can change with the residential needs and encourage aging in place. It must also provide an emergency pathway or pedestrian access of about 1.0m that connects the sidewalk at the front side of the building and rear lane to the entrance. This access pathway must be made with permeable material and also obstructed by materials like trees and shrubs.
ARCHITECTURAL
Laneway Home designs are subordinate in nature of building, deferential and supportive. They have delicate and high-quality designs that are of a legacy nature. The architectural elements are incited to build the exterior of the building to lower the optical impact of the garage.
The building designs are uplift to sustain your privacy and promote natural light by having clerestory windows or obscured glazing and also have skylights. The entrance design of the main building has features of front porches or verandas. Laneway House design the buildings in such a way that provide weather protection and deferential roof designs to our customers.
CORNER LOTS AND SLOPING SITES
The residential building design for corner lots of Laneway House in port moody includes the features of a building like flanking street at the entrance of the building, parking at the interior side of the yard, parking in the rear yard with access to the flanking street through the driveway.
On sloping sites, Laneway House changes according to the scale, massing and location to follow the natural features of the area to maintain the privacy and view of the building as well as to have an innovative solution for the development at sloping sites.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING AND STAIRS
Laneway House uses energy-efficient, LED and downcast photocells lightning instead of motion sensor lights. We use neighbor-friendly lights which avoid glare into outdoor or indoor space of neighboring properties. The address identity is visible and embellished at night.
The staircase at the second story is built within the building and the exterior staircase is only fabricated at the facade of the building.
PRIVACY AND OVERLOOK
DADU Laneway House’s design and inclination for windows, balconies, patios, and decks provide privacy and the key panorama of the building is inclined at the lane. These designs help in lowering shadows to outdoor private space also provide the feature to maintain solar access. The DADU Laneway House’s designs increase visual interest and privacy with the assistance of height changes and massing in the design.
DADU Laneway House is very sensitive about the size, inclination of windows, buildings and landscape of adjacent buildings to guard privacy. The unification of passive and landscape designs for developing a green building.
OUTDOOR SPACE
In DADU Laneway House’s design the outdoor space is properly defined and guards your privacy with the assistance of materials like planting, trellis, low fencing and changes in elevation where it is required. There’s a space between the Detached Accessory Dwelling unit and the back property line made of high quality of permeable material. It also has screening and landscape to illustrate the street and private space and use drought plant resistant materials for side yard spaces. DADU Laneway House’s design make sure to protect and retain the existing trees
Outdoor space, balcony and decks of the building are appropriately screened and inclined towards the lane to maintain privacy and respect the neighborhood character.
PARKING
DADU Laneway House’s design make sure that driveways are built with permeable materials having a width of 4.5m. For normal lots’ parking is provided in the rear yard, while for corner lots parking is an inclined interior yard with access to an open lane. Open and uncovered parking is guarded by landscaping or fencing.
RAINWATER MANAGEMENT
DADU Laneway Homes has a rainwater filtration system with the assistance of permeable material on site. We have installed the water retention components like rain gardens to get the job done easily.
Potential Siting Scenarios:
The following siting models demonstrate the number of parking spaces required for a property.
RS1 Lot with Secondary Suite:
20×40m (66’×131’)
4 parking spaces (2 for the main house, 1 for DADU Laneway House, 1 for the secondary suite)
RS1-S (typical lot)
10×40m (33’×131’)
3 parking spaces (2 for the main house, 1 for DADU Laneway House)
FAQs:
How neighbors will provide feedback on DADU Laneway House’s proposal?
Neighbors can give feedback on the City’s established feedback process at the building permit phase.
How will DADU Laneway House fit in with the character of the neighborhood?
Under principles of the City of Port Moody, DADU Laneway House must honor the neighborhood spirit and new developments made should be according to neighborhood character.
Can both the principle dwelling and DADU Laneway House be rented?
No, the owner must reside in one of them.
Can a secondary suite and a DADU Laneway House exist on the same property?
Yes, but off-street parking requirements should be compensated.
How many parking spaces are required?
4 parking spaces are needed if there’s a secondary suite with the main house. 1 for DADU Laneway House tenants, 1 for a secondary suite, and 2 for the main house.
Is parking in the setback from the lane allowed?
That space is dedicated to upgrade the lane but you can park there.
Are basements permitted in DADU Laneway Houses?
Yes, basements are allowed in laneway homes in port moody. The below-grade floor area is exempted from the total floor area.
Are garages allowed in DADU Laneway Houses?
Garages are allowed but in DADU Laneway House maximum lot coverage area allowed is 65m2
Can I build a DADU Laneway House and keep my detachable garage simultaneously?
It is probably not possible in most cases because both are accessory buildings. If you build a DADU Laneway House at 90m2 the detachable garage should not exceed 10m2
Can detachable garage be converted into a DADU Laneway House?
There are some standards regarding this conversion. An investigation is done to determine whether the garage area meets the requirements of a DADU Laneway House, after this an approval is granted for conversion.
Does having a DADU Laneway House affect my property taxes?
Property taxes depend upon the value of the property and the value of improvements. DADU Laneway House increases the value of improvements and as a result property tax increases. British Columbia Assessment Authority is responsible for the taxing process.
Our Process
- A complete and thorough site inspection
- Extensive client consultation to craft your dream home
- Complete set of concept drawings with your review approval
- Final drawings and detailed to your exact specifications
- Budgeting along the way, so you know your options and all the related costs. Need something changed, no worries, we will let you know exactly what, if any, additional expenditures are involved
- We handle all city hall permit requirements on your behalf, to ensure smooth sailing without administrative headaches
- Construction and inspections. You project manager over see the entire process start to finish, dealing with all stages of the process and any questions you may need answered along the way
- Final walk-through to ensure your total satisfaction with the end result
COORDINATION PROCESS
Our team utilizes the latest cloud based technology for project management. Clients can easily check in to see current progress, pictures, change order requests, budget and much more. We keep on track and on budget to ensure your project is completed to your satisfaction.
COMPLETE INTERIOR HOME RENOVATION
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