The City of Surrey has revised its development-application process to fast-track the construction of low-rise apartment, office and other commercial buildings.

City council approved changes that exempt apartment projects up to six storeys, and office projects up to three storeys, from an Advisory Design Panel review. (The city defines a low-rise as a building of six storeys or less.)

“With the housing crisis in mind, this council is taking steps to speed up our development application timelines,” said Mayor Brenda Locke in a news release. 

To receive the exemption, projects must be supported by city staff. Projects not supported by staff will undergo ADP reviews. In such cases, the ADP will function as a second opinion and form part of staff’s recommendations to council.

The changes, combined with an earlier exemption of townhouse and industrial projects from urban design review, are estimated to reduce the number of projects at the ADP by 60-70% and save several months on development application timelines, the city said in a news release.

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