The City of Vancouver has backpedalled on an idea it said would help preserve character homes by providing an incentive for preservation and discouraging demolition. On Tuesday, city planner Gil Kelley told council that staff would not be "carrying forward" the proposed concept of "downzoning," which stemmed from Vancouver's Character Home Zoning Review. The idea would have given homeowners incentive to preserve character homes — defined as a house built before 1940 with recognized historical features — by "punishing" those who opt for the wrecking ball. Gil Kelley, Vancouver's chief city planner, says the character home review has proven more controversial than anticipated. The city has considered, for instance, allowing those who preserve older homes to put additions on the main building and build secondary units on their property.

Source: CBC News March 08, 2017 22:56 UTC