On Tuesday, February 15th at 6pm, the District of Squamish is holding a Public Hearing to amend the Zoning Bylaw. Some of the proposed amendments, which are couched between roughly 100 technical amendments, would reduce rear setbacks in three residential zones, RM-1, RM-2, RM-3, by 35%, from 9.15m to 6.0m. This includes neighborhoods of Valleycliffe, Garibaldi Estates, Wilson Crescent, Dentville, Downtown and the Northyards.The District would also allow balconies to project 0.76m into all setbacks, reducing the actual distance between properties even further.
Although they seem insubstantial, setbacks have a major impact on our neighbourhoods in terms of lighting, privacy and a sense of space. They are designed to increase the profits of developers and they do not take in the needs of the individual.
When this bylaw was initially put on the agenda last week, the neighbourhood of Wilson Crescent took action and submitted a letter to Council and District Staff regarding their concerns. The document produced is one of high quality and a lot of effort went in to stating their case against the amendments to these bylaws.