Coquitlam votes to limit size of 'monster homes'

Coquitlam City Council voted on Monday night to tweak zoning bylaws to limit some of the impacts of so-called monster homes.

The Metro Vancouver city started looking at the issue after some residents expressed concerns about the size of new homes.

The city's manager of building permits Jim Bontempo said staff came up with a recommendation that would mean a house would have to get smaller as it gets taller.

The changes simplified the way the size of a new home is measured and how the slope on the lot is taken into account, with the end result of reducing the maximum size of a building.

Bontempo says the changes are about striking a balance between giving builders flexibility, and respecting existing neighbourhoods.

Councillors said they expect future changes to zoning laws will add further restrictions to the size of new homes.

Last year residents of nearby Port Moody also raised concerns about the size of home being built in that city.