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Original News Release |
The Ministry of Community Services introduced the Local Government (Green Communities) Statutes Amendment Act to support local governments in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and working towards creating greener, more sustainable communities.
The legislative amendments include:
Official Community Plans and Regional Growth Strategies
· To require local governments to set greenhouse gas emission targets, policies and actions in Official Community Plans and Regional Growth Strategies.
· This amendment extends to the Official Development Plan provisions in the Vancouver Charter, which governs the City of Vancouver.
· To provide an expedited process for approving minor amendments to Regional Growth Strategies.
Off-Street Parking Flexibility
· To allow local governments to reduce off-street parking requirements where developers are including green elements to help increase the attractiveness of alternative forms of transportation.
· To allow local governments to deposit off-street parking cash in-lieu into a reserve fund to provide alternative transportation infrastructure such as public transportation, pedestrian or bicycle paths.
· To produce an annual report on off-street parking reserve funds.
· These provisions also apply to the Vancouver Charter.
Development Permit Areas
· To allow local governments to establish development permit areas to reduce environmental impacts of new developments and rehabilitation projects, and promote energy conservation.
· To expand local governments’ development permit area authority to establish objectives and guidelines for energy conservation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve water within development permit areas.
Development Cost Charges (DCC)
· To exempt DCCs for small-unit housing units (29 square metres or less) and to provide local governments with broader authority to increase affordable housing, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote compact development by waiving or reducing DCCs for:
· for-profit affordable rental housing;
· a subdivision of small lots designed to result in low greenhouse gas emissions;
· development that is designed to result in low environmental impact.
· To require local governments to produce an annual DCC report, which will include information about DCCs received, expenditures, year-end balances and any waivers or reductions granted.
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contact: |
Ministry of Community Services 250 387-4089 |
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