City of North Vancouver council supported Councillor Tony Valente’s motion to remove barriers in the bylaw so balconies and other outdoor spaces can be utilized by citizens.
His motion was supported unanimously, although it could take up to a year for staff to work the change in local bylaws.
Valente said he brought the motion because many citizens in North Vancouver live in apartments, where space is limited, and creating extra space would be beneficial.
“The space is limited and at a premium, and with COVID-19 we would all benefit from a bit of space,” he told the North Shore Daily Post.
He said the council has provided businesses with space on local streets and done the same for residents, making parks and public spaces available to them to have a drink.
However, as the weather turns, people will still want that space, and balconies can provide that.
Many balconies are underutilized, as they are not sheltered from the weather and don’t protect from street noise.
“We want to make it easier for people to get better use a space they already own. This could be a safer place for kids to play with no risk of falling, to workout, or to read a book,” he said.
Anyone who wants that now will need to apply for rezoning, and work with the staff on other issues such as setbacks and floor space ration depending on the building.
With this motion, Valente says it would be easy to enable the installation of glass that can be folded back to partially enclose the balcony and make a more useful space.
There are some examples of this in North Vancouver already at 5th and Lonsdale, on Esplanade and Lonsdale, and on Victoria Park.
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