This summer an average of two houses per day were demolished in Richmond, and, without a change in city planning, there appears to be no end in sight.
“There are a lot of houses yet to come down,” said Henry Blankers, owner of Inner-City Demolition of Richmond, who has been tearing down houses for 35 years. Blankers said much of the recent Richmond action is in the historic Steveston area “from No. 1 [Road] right through to the water.”
Most of the demolitions are of older houses on lots large enough to accommodate huge new houses.
July was a record-breaking month for single-family home demolitions in Richmond, as 65 houses came down, followed by 45 in August.
Richmond Coun. Carol Day links the spike in demolitions to a delay in a decision to amend residential zoning bylaws, as well as the lengthy process to terminate land-use contracts.
“I knew this was going to happen. Everyone said, ‘Oh no, we won’t see a spike.’ So this next six months is critical,” said Day, referring to the early termination process for the old, provincial land-use contracts that allow larger homes on smaller lots relative to what the city’s residential zoning bylaws allow.
Provincial laws allowed the land use contracts between 1973 and 1979, but contracts remain in place until they are discharged, according to the City of Richmond. Municipal zoning bylaws don't apply to those properties, meaning larger homes than city zoning would otherwise allow can be built on the properties.
So far this year, 332 houses have been demolished in Richmond. If the trend continues, at least 500 will be torn down by January. The annual average in the city since 2009 is 351. In 2011, 473 homes were demolished.
The process to fully extinguish land-use contracts on 4,000-plus homes could take one to two years, according to deputy city manager Joe Erceg.
However, a decision to amend the city’s residential zoning bylaws might be completed in late September following a September 8 public hearing at Richmond City Hall on tentatively approved changes to residential setbacks (the space between homes and property lines). •
