Public comment requested on residences in the ALR

Jun 6, 2011 by RFSS

(This is an important topic for Richmond. Farmland is regularly touted by real estate agents as places to build luxury homes. Some of the homes have indoor swimming pools,large outdoor tennis courts, and lawns stretching to the horizon. ALR parcels sell for millions of dollars and not for the growth potential of the soil. Working farms and extended working farm families need space to live and work on the land. I doubt the sprawling mansions on many of the parcels have tractor parking in the 4+ car garages. Please take the time to read the discussion paper and then take the survey. Pass it on!

From the discussion paper: “The size of a farm residence can have a relatively small impact on the land available for farming. However, permitting unlimited house sizes has a significant indirect impact by attracting residential uses to the farming area and increasing the capital value of the total land and residential package for future farmers.

Without reasonable limits on house size, the farming area becomes the default zone for people who wish to build a larger home than is permitted in urban areas.”)

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2011AGRI0018-000623
May 31, 2011

Ministry of Agriculture

VICTORIA – The Ministry of Agriculture is inviting British Columbians to comment on possible guidelines for residence size and location on properties in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).

The call for public comments follows the distribution of the ministry’s discussion paper on the same topic to local governments and stakeholders and is part of the process to help develop standards that could be applied by local governments across the province. The consultation includes a survey seeking opinions on:

Whether size and location limits should be applied to residences and their amenities in the ALR. The process in which the standards could be introduced. Feedback on the discussion paper.

The ALR is a provincial zone in which agriculture is the priority use. Although local governments regulate residence size and location limits within their boundaries, not many have specified size and placement requirements for residences specifically within the ALR. As a result of local governments concerns over differences in regulations among municipalities, Metro Vancouver (formerly the GVRD) asked the Minister of Agriculture to develop a provincial standard that local governments could use.

The survey is open to all British Columbians. Respondents are advised to familiarize themselves with the discussion paper prior to participating in the survey. To read the discussion paper and participate in the survey, visit: www.agf.gov.bc.ca

The survey will be open until July 14, 2011. All comments will be included in the ministry’s consideration of Metro Vancouver’s request for a provincial standard.