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Keep North Delta small, livable

Replacing aging North Delta houses on large lots with smaller houses on smaller lots is one idea many people like.
27643surreyw-letters
Smaller house proponent Kathleen Higgins is promoting positive alternatives to new highrises

Re: “North Delta: None of the above,” Letters, The Leader, Aug. 27).

I filled out the North Delta Area Plan survey and checked “needs improvement” for most of the questions.

I also wrote comments to propose positive alternatives to highrises, townhouses, mega-houses and basement suites.

Replacing aging North Delta houses on large lots with smaller houses on smaller lots is one idea many people like.

Check out a two-minute video my husband and I developed showing how that could be done: https://vimeo.com/69449958

As “young seniors” who have lived in Delta for decades, we want to downsize, stay in our own neighbourhood, avoid strata fees, live in an accessible cottage on the ground, and sell part of our large lot to our adult children or to other first-time buyers.

I support one of the recommendations of the 2010 Delta Housing Task Force Report, which says: “As the population gets older, there will be an increased demand for smaller homes that are multi-family and ground oriented.  In most cases, those homes will be strata titled and will be bound by strata policies and a strata council.  Monthly strata fees can be very expensive especially for residents who are living on a fixed income...Further research...will be required, in addition to understanding how Delta’s bylaws can be structured to encourage different types of housing.”

North Delta needs the housing option of smaller houses (with no strata fees) on smaller lots. For every North Delta resident who did not fill out a survey, please express your views on this important issue by emailing the North Delta Area Plan Review Committee at northdelta@delta.ca

There won’t be another chance to give input on how we want North Delta to develop for at least a decade.

 

Kathleen Higgins

Smaller Houses Initiative