Are homes in the Tri-Cities getting too big?
That is the question Coquitlam council is grappling with after city staff put together a Large Homes Review. The issue: Mega homes are popping up across the city and dramatically changing the character of some neighbourhoods.
And Coquitlam is not alone.
Port Moody will hold public consultations on the mega homes issue later this month, following outrage from some residents earlier this year.
Still, regulating new residential construction is more complicated than simply capping building heights and floor space. Council has to balance the rights of property owners with the desires of residents who have already established themselves in a neighbourhood.
In some areas, like Westwood Plateau and Heritage Mountain, mega homes are the norm. In older communities, like southwest Coquitlam, some longtime residents are resistant to change.
Cities also need to consider the fact that they cannot regulate against bad taste - one person's view-blocking eyesore is another person's dream home.
