What would you think of a vision for the region which warns about the need for “transformative actions and unprecedented collaboration” and also recognizes that 20 per cent of the children in the region will grow up poor, and two million people will live in places that could be leveled by storms and flooding?
No, it’s not metropolitan Vancouver, but Metropolitan New York. Published by the Regional Planning Association (RPA) which has served New York City and the surrounding 31 counties for decades, their report Charting a New Course: A Vision for a Successful Region cites many of the same challenges as we face in Metro Vancouver. They identify the need for enhanced job creation, housing, physical infrastructure and human development strategies.
Interestingly, the report also seeks to “expand multifamily homes in affluent towns and neighbourhoods by more than 50 per cent”.
Through infill and redevelopment accommodating multifamily housing at twice the rate as currently being built, the RPA believes the inclusion of lower and moderate income units will increase accessibility to good schooling and adequate housing.
Currently the RPA estimates that 51 per cent of household income in the New York City regional area goes to housing, real estate taxes, utilities and transportation. By increasing incomes, building new housing, efficient government and reducing driving times and distances the percentage of household income devoted to “getting by” could shrink to 45 per cent.
Three-quarters of new jobs and half of population growth should go to places within walking distance of transit. Two-thirds of new housing should be built in walkable communities. One-third of all work trips should be done by transit, with increasing shares of active transportation users. Preserve open space and agricultural areas. Limit growth on the flood plain.
The Regional Planning Association website is worth taking a look at simply for the clarity of thought and organization of “big ideas” to move the New York region into the 21st century. That clarity and mindfulness highlights the similarities between the New York Region and Metropolitan Vancouver-a large metropolitan area expanding on a river delta, with similar housing, employment , environmental and transportation challenges.
What is commendable about this approach is that it addresses the interconnectivity of a region and the positive attributes of building infill housing, from repopulating currently low-enrolment schools by allowing new and existing families to expand into a neighbourhood or even into new housing on the old family property, to creating thousands of new jobs related to construction and services.
It is questionable how much (or little) effect taxing speculation will have on housing prices (the BC gov’t isn’t budging on that), but building more housing on less land and expanding the transit system to allow car-free commuting between jobs and more affordable housing are two ways to address this issue at both a regional and local scale.
Updating regional plans is an onerous task not the least because of the level of cooperation and agreement between 21 cities. But as we’ve seen with the original Livable Regions Strategic Plan and the latest Growth Strategy, it can indeed be done. However, all cities will need to have another look at their policies on residential density.
One anecdote, a family we know tried to subdivide their enormous Port Coquitlam property into two with a small, affordable adjacent house. Between the mandated DFO stream setback and the city’s RS zone setbacks, they were frustrated at every turn. The inflexibility of salmon-bearing stream setbacks are understandable, but the city’s setbacks were from the 1960s when the very generous suburban lots were first carved from the forest. They gave up and sold out and moved to Vancouver Island.
This cannot be considered part of regional planning in the 21st Century.