Garden Suites in Victoria


 
Many homeowners in the City of Victoria are now eligible to create garden suites on their property.  These are small, detached dwelling units that are located in the rear yard of a single family home.  The City of Victoria has created guidelines for the construction of these suites, including zone requirements, height and setbacks, site coverage, access and parking. Here is a simple guide that offers additional information to demystify the process.

Potential Sites
There are approximately 7500 properties in Victoria that are appropriately zoned (shaded yellow on this map) and could theoretically support garden suites.

 

If you do not already have a secondary suite in your home, meet the basic lot criteria and live in one of the following zones, you may want to consider this housing option.

Eligible single-family zones:
R1-A Rockland Single Family Dwelling
R1-B, Single Family Dwelling
R1-G Single Family Dwelling (Gonzales)
R-2 Two Family Dwelling
R-J Low Density Attached Dwelling
R-K Medium Density Attached Dwelling

Why Do It?
The addition of a garden suite to your residential property brings many potential benefits.  It can be an income-generating rental suite; it can provide independent accommodation for an aging parent or adult offspring, a guest space, or an extra room for a growing family; it can be an art studio or a home office. You might even use it to “radically downsize” whether to simplify your life, free yourself to travel or make your current home available for other family members – without having to leave your neighbourhood.

Size and Location
Garden suites must be located in the rear yard, away from trees and with consideration for the impacts of shading on adjacent property. The footprint is limited to 25% of the rear yard area – to a maximum of 400 SF - and the height to 3.5m. However, in certain circumstances where lots exceed 6000 SF, are located on a street corner or have secondary access from a rear lane or flanking street, increases in both building height (up to 1½ storeys) and floor area (up to 600 SF) may be considered.

Design Guidelines
The policy states that the “Garden Suite should relate to the principal building on site in terms of materials, roof form, and general architectural expression”. However, within this requirement there is considerable latitude for architectural creativity. The emphasis should be on quality of design and materials to create a structure that will be durable and add to the overall visual quality of the neighbourhood. Here are just a few of the many styles possible:

 

Approval Process
Garden suites are a new land use that is not covered by existing City of Victoria zoning bylaws. Until this changes, property owners are therefore required to successfully complete a rezoning application prior to applying for a building permit. There is no guarantee that any specific proposal will be approved. However, there are many things applicants can do to greatly enhance their chances. The following are the principal steps involved in getting a garden suite built:

• Initial Feasibility Assessment:  Is a garden suite possible, or even desirable, on your property? How large can it be? Where located? What upgrades to services (water/hydro/sewer) might be required? Such questions can be answered by referring to the City of Victoria policy and asking contractors, or through Gower Design Group’s one-stop, fixed-fee “Garden Suite Feasibility Assessment” service.
• Preliminary design: You hire a designer to develop design options and prepare sketches of the proposed suite, based on the optimal footprint and position on the lot and your personal needs and aesthetic preferences. This person will also act on your behalf in public hearings and presentations.
• Planning department review: In an informal review, planning department personnel are consulted to ensure the proposal conforms to the policy guidelines and identify any concerns. The design is amended, if necessary.
• CALUC presentation: The final design is presented to local Community Association Land Use Committee to gauge local support and again may be revised based on the response.
• Rezoning application: Application is made to City staff and makes its way through the various departments. A sign is erected on your lawn advertising your intention to develop a suite.
• Planning and Land Use Standing Committee: City Councilors and staff meet to determine if the project warrants going to a public hearing.
• Public hearing: Your neighbours and other interested citizens have an opportunity to contribute their perspectives on your project in a public meeting. City Council decides, based on community and staff input, whether to approve the project.
• Construction drawings:  “Blueprints” adequate for obtaining permits, quotes and guiding construction are prepared from the approved final design.
• Building permit application
• Construction
  

Costs
On a cost per square foot basis, Garden Suite construction is expected to be comparable to standard residential construction in the region. There are potential cost savings due to the possibility of using your home’s existing power, water and sewer connections. However, these may be offset by the challenges of accessing the building site in the rear of your home. Prefab construction – where building components are pre-assembled off-site and then placed on the foundation with a crane – may significantly reduce both costs and building times.

Timeframe
Even though garden suites are modest in size and relatively simple to build, since the current Policy requires a rezoning, the entire process can take longer than building a garage or renovation. Based on our experiences, you might expect each component to take roughly the following:

• Feasibility (GDG): 2-3 days
• Survey: 1-2 weeks
• Design: 2-3 weeks
• CALUC: 4 weeks
• Rezoning: 4-6 months
• Final drawings: 1-2 weeks
• Building permit: 3-4 weeks
• Construction: 3-4 months

     Total: 10 to 13 months from beginning to end

How To Begin
To help you determine whether a Garden Suite would be a beneficial addition to your home, the Gower Design Group offers a feasibility assessment service.  John will visit you in your home to determine whether your property qualifies for such a unit.  He will also determine the allowable size, location and configuration for the suite and what upgrades, such as water, sewer, and electrical, will be necessary.  He can identify potential areas of conflict with neighboring properties and fill you in on the process for proceeding further.  There are also grants to assist with the cost of building that can be applied for.  A detailed written report (see attached examples) will be provided.  Each new unit must go through a rezoning process at Victoria City Hall – determining the feasibility is an important first step toward the ultimate success of the application.

For property owners in other jurisdictions, we can provide design services, and assistance with discovering and understanding the process in your area.

Links
City of Victoria: "The Garden Suite Policy"
Gower Design Group: Garden Suite Feasibility Assessment