Many of us would prefer a fee simple (i.e. non strata, outright ownership) row house, lane house or ground-accessed town house alternative to strata condos or, as we age, to a higher maintenance detached house. If that means subdividing the ubiquitous 33′ x 120′ Vancouver lot into two separate lots (one facing the lane), then get on with it.

This is not much different from the individual small lot subdivisions in Grandview Woodlands, Mount Pleasant and Riley Park that predate the zoning bylaws by four decades, and that are therefore a proven example of how to densify a city while also maintaining neighbourhood character. It is very strange that these gems were never included in either the City Plan visioning process or the more recent EcoDensity debates as a workable solution.

Eliminating a big chunk of expensive land from the purchase price is also a way to bring the square footage housing costs down and would make the West Side a little more affordable to families who need ground-accessed housing, albeit with less outdoor space.