Dan Fumano: After years of talk, Vancouver’s ready for ‘multiplex’ debate and decision

After years of debate and planning on how to add so-called “missing middle” housing to Vancouver’s low-density residential neighbourhoods, the proposal is finally set for a public hearing this week.

Beginning Thursday, council will hear from dozens of members of the public sharing their views on proposed plans for what staff call multiplexes.

The bylaw amendments up for council’s consideration this week include allowing new kinds of larger buildings in low-density neighbourhoods including side streets, with up to three storeys and between three and six strata homes per lot, depending on a property’s size, or up to eight rental units on large lots.

This kind of housing is often called “missing middle” because many North American cities, including Vancouver, allow high-density towers in certain locations and reserve most land for only low-density detached houses, while medium-density options like townhouses or multiplexes aren’t allowed in most areas.