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living below the poverty line, seniors requiring
various levels of care, people with physical
or mental disabilities, and street entrenched
individuals;
d. Support community partnerships with public
and private sectors and non-profit groups in
future social housing endeavors; and
e. Encourage private sector initiatives in afford-
able market housing and special needs/low
income housing through an expedited rezon-
ing/ approval process and flexible parking
provisions; and consider innovative proposals
that reduce building cost and housing prices/
rents.
4. Preserve existing residential stock and discour-
age their conversion to condominium units when
the rental vacancy rate is less than 2%.
5. Maintain the Building Maintenance and Occupan-
cy Standards Bylaw to ensure all rental units are
in safe and livable conditions, and not negatively
affecting tenants’ health or the appearance of the
neighbourhood concerned.
6. Address seniors housing needs, including:
a. A comprehensive assessment of the diverse
housing and care needs of the 65 and over
population with regard to their living require-
ments, lifestyles and health status, and the
ongoing aging trends;
b. Guiding principles for future seniors accom-
modation developments to ensure a network
of support from relatives and service provid-
ers;
c. Consideration of working with community
groups towards a long term strategy to help
establish a continuous, consistent and ade-
quate supply of seniors housing/care facilities;
d. Universal adaptable housing design (per BC
building code) and other practices to enable
independent living seniors to age in place, re-
duce injuries from falling, and facilitate speedy
emergency response;
e. An evaluation of senior friendliness of neigh-
bourhoods that have a large senior popula-
tion, and recommendations to improve neigh-
bourhood design, road/sidewalk/crossing/
traffic safety, signage and mobility.
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING
Neighbourhoods form part of our intimate living
environment and shape our daily life. An urban
neighbourhood is usually close to a commercial,
employment or civic centre, and encourages local
shopping and greater involvement in the local
economy and neighbourhood activities. It offers
more people-gathering places, diverse developments
and a vibrant street life. It encourages walking and
promotes healthy community development. On the
other hand, a suburban neighbourhood offers quiet
and spacious living but requires much traveling from
homes to work, schools, shopping, entertainment
and most other functions. Over the past four
decades, the two types of neighbourhoods are
converging as suburban neighbourhoods densify and
become more urbanized. They begin to retrofit with
amenities and transform toward a more complete
neighbourhood. Collectively, the densification of the
suburban neighbourhoods underscores the future
consolidation of the urban corridor as a whole,
especially south of the Trans-Canada Highway.
OBJECTIVES
1. Promote complete and healthy community
development at the neighbourhood level.
2. Establish priority areas for neighbourhood
planning.
POLICIES
1. Conduct
comprehensive
planning
for
neighbourhoods in Chilliwack proper, Sardis-
Vedder andother areasexperiencingdevelopment
pressure.
2. Establish neighbourhood planning areas that
share geographic features, a local history,
Goal 5 - Build Healthy Attractive Communities