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Making spaces

Planners working with homeowners to maintain resident population
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Not quite Trading Spaces or Extreme Makeover , Whistler has its own version of home renovation excitement as municipal planners work with homeowners interested in utilizing the equity in their houses to stem the "leakage" of residents.

About 30 homeowners showed up at the Spruce Grove Field House last Thursday to hear municipal planners explain housing initiatives that could provide more resident-restricted housing, but could also keep homeowners in Whistler when they decide it’s time to downsize.

Addressing the need, outlined in the area’s comprehensive sustainability plan Whistler 2020, to find almost 7,000 additional beds over the next 15 years, Resort Municipality of Whistler planners outlined options available to homeowners with properties that are under-developed or that could redistribute existing density to provide two residences. Through lot splits, duplexing or add-on suites, and with incentives for participating homeowners such as deferred building permit fees and work service charges and zoning regulation changes, the RMOW hopes to maintain the present standard of 75 per cent of Whistler employees living within the municipality.

"It was a very positive meeting," said Mike Kirkegaard, RMOW’s chief planner. "There was strong interest from homeowners."

Some long-time Whistler homeowners are starting to feel squeezed by the escalating value of their homes. They may not need as much space anymore but they can’t afford to sell and remain in Whistler. Particularly in the case of some older, smaller homes, property owners may be able to utilize the existing density on their property to create a second residence.

At the meeting, two planners and local architect Brent Murdoch worked with small groups of large-lot homeowners, three of who may sign on as test cases for home or lot conversions. Seven homeowners have since formally expressed interest in taking up the challenge.

Alpine Meadows resident Carson Hamm and his wife Shannon are considering the prospect of adding a suite to their 2,800 sq. ft. late 1980s chalet home and attended the meeting. The couple has a three-month-old daughter and Hamm, a mechanical engineer, says they want to stay in Whistler and help others to stay.

"We struggled as a young couple to find a decent home," he said, "and part of our reasoning is to help out. We’re losing all kinds of people our age because they can’t afford to live here."

But he says there are many challenges to the municipality’s proposition, cost being one.

"It doesn’t make sense to put out $160,000 to build a two-bedroom suite that will bring in $1,300 a month. There needs to be some property tax breaks or some other incentives on the municipality’s part to make this work."

Kirkegaard says the task force, formed in 2003 to study infill options, has considered that same conundrum.

"They confirmed certain things, that we need to recognize the different circumstances of individuals and our need to maintain flexibility."

The proposed policy direction is to have legal occupancy restrictions on the homes, with price determined by the market for employee-restricted housing.

Emerald Estates resident Roberta Horn would like to add a coach house to her uphill property, one that she and her husband could move into when they retire from the Rimrock Café, where they both work. But she says realtors discouraged her from the idea, saying they would never recoup the costs and they’d have a hard time finding a buyer for the larger house, it being so close to the coach home.

But the field house meeting with RMOW planners last week piqued her interest enough to revisit the idea. "We’re definitely watching what happens," she said, adding that it all comes down to costs. "It has to be worth someone doing it for someone to bother. Most homeowners are brick rich but can’t touch any of the money."

The opportunities presented last week are designed to help owners access that value without having to cash out and leave Whistler.

The RMOW is looking for a cross-section of properties to work with as test cases. Lots under 10,000 square feet can be candidates for adding on suites, while larger lots could be considered for duplexing a house or splitting the lot and building another dwelling.

"But we’re also looking at terrain, not just the perfect scenario flat lot that’s easy to build on, but what can be done with uphill and downhill lots," Kirkegaard said.

Architect Brent Murdoch has been hired part-time under a federal grant to assist homeowners with preliminary drawings.

"We can talk about the technical and engineering aspects of infill or non-cost housing incentives, but at the end of the day it all comes to what does it look like?" he said.

Murdoch says many of the older homes that were planned as weekend getaways need updating, like adding storage closets for toys or linens, or even an extra bedroom, to accommodate families that would like to stay.

"We need appropriate housing stock for the meat and potatoes crowd," he said. Murdoch plans to draw up several different scenarios for each case study homeowner that signs up with RMOW. "Each will be a little bit different."

Murdoch says he hopes to come up with schematic drawings – basic drawings that show rooflines, a building’s mass and placement – "that will give homeowners a sense of possibility for themselves."

He’s committed to the project that he says will contribute positively to Whistler’s health.

"An important aspect in maintaining the community, in helping it evolve, is to provide for both young and old families.

"It’s the ideas that are important for this project."