Patrick Condon: The Story of East Clayton, a Modern Streetcar Suburb in Surrey, BC
East Clayton Neighbourhood Community Plan (2000)
Compiled from Headwaters Project Website.
Design Principles
Seven Sustainability Design Principles:
- Conserve land and natural systems by designing compact communities
- Lighten the "footprint" of streets and parking to reduce imperviousness
- Build different housing types to accommodate diverse age groups and income levels
- Create a fine-grained street network that can accommodate transit and connect local destinations
- Put services, jobs, and shopping within a five-minute walk of most homes
- Improve ecological health through stormwater infiltration and biodiversity
- Incorporate natural drainage systems to manage stormwater at the source
Key Design Features:
- Traditional street grid with narrow streets and lanes
- Homes that face the street with porches and minimal setbacks
- Garages accessed from rear lanes rather than front driveways
- Integrated stormwater management through infiltration systems
- Mixed housing types within the same neighbourhood
- Innovative zoning to allow secondary suites and live-work units
Housing Innovation
Housing Diversity:
East Clayton pioneered several housing innovations that were rare in the Greater Vancouver region at the time:
1. Coach Houses
Small, detached dwelling units built above garages or at the rear of properties, providing rental housing opportunities and increasing density without changing neighbourhood character.
A coach house above a garage in East Clayton
2. Secondary Suites
Most single-family homes in East Clayton were designed to include legal secondary suites, effectively doubling the housing capacity of single-family areas while providing mortgage helpers for homeowners.
3. Live-Work Units
One of the most innovative aspects of East Clayton was the introduction of live-work units that allow ground-floor or basement-level commercial spaces in residential areas. These spaces host small businesses while the proprietor lives above or behind the shop.
Basement-level retail in a residential area of East Clayton
The East Clayton Headwaters Project
East Clayton began as a visionary planning exercise called the "Headwaters Project," led by Professor Patrick Condon through the UBC James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments. The project name referenced both the headwaters of several streams in the area and the "headwaters" of new ideas for sustainable community design.
The planning process involved extensive public consultation and a collaborative design charrette that brought together planners, engineers, developers, residents, and city officials. This participatory process helped build consensus around the innovative plans.
The East Clayton Neighbourhood Concept Plan was approved by Surrey City Council in 2003, and construction began shortly thereafter. The plan covered approximately 250 hectares and was designed to house about 13,000 people.
What made the project unique was its attempt to balance multiple objectives that had traditionally been seen as competing:
- Environmental sustainability and housing development
- Walkability and car access
- Housing affordability and market appeal
- Urban amenities and suburban living
The project has become a model studied by planners around North America for its integration of New Urbanist principles, sustainable infrastructure, and housing innovation.
About the James Taylor Chair
The James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments at the University of British Columbia is an endowed research position that focuses on sustainable urban design and planning.
Under the leadership of Professor Patrick Condon, the Chair played a pivotal role in the East Clayton project, bringing academic expertise and research to real-world planning challenges.
Visit Headwaters Project WebsiteProfessor Patrick Condon
Patrick Condon is a professor at the University of British Columbia's School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. He has over 30 years of experience in sustainable urban design and has authored numerous books including "Seven Rules for Sustainable Communities" and "Design Charrettes for Sustainable Communities."
As the James Taylor Chair, Condon led the design process for East Clayton and has continued to advocate for sustainable urban design throughout his career.
Outcomes & Lessons Learned
Successes
- Housing Diversity: Successfully integrated diverse housing types including single-family homes, townhouses, apartments, and secondary suites
- Groundbreaking Zoning: Pioneered zoning changes that allowed for coach houses and live-work units
- Walkable Design: Created a connected street grid that improved walkability
- Density Achievement: Achieved higher density than typical suburban developments while maintaining market appeal
- Stormwater Management: Implemented innovative stormwater management techniques through infiltration
- Market Success: Proved that sustainable design principles could be commercially viable
Challenges & Lessons
- Transit Integration: While designed for transit, the neighbourhood developed before adequate transit service was provided
- Commercial Development: Commercial components were slower to develop than residential areas
- Implementation Gaps: Some aspects of the original plan were compromised during implementation
- Parking Pressures: Secondary suites created parking challenges that weren't fully anticipated
- Affordability: Market forces still resulted in housing costs that challenged affordability goals
- Stormwater Performance: Some infiltration systems required modifications after implementation
Relevance to Langley
As a neighboring municipality with similar development patterns and challenges, East Clayton offers numerous lessons for Langley:
- Local Precedent: East Clayton demonstrates that innovative, sustainable development can work in our local context and market
- Secondary Suite Model: The integration of secondary suites provides a model for increasing housing options in Langley
- Lane-Oriented Development: The use of rear lanes to access parking demonstrates how to create more pedestrian-friendly streetscapes
- Live-Work Units: East Clayton's basement retail model offers inspiration for small-scale commercial in residential areas
- Stormwater Management: Lessons from East Clayton's infiltration systems can inform Langley's approach to sustainable infrastructure
- Implementation Strategy: The successes and challenges of East Clayton provide valuable insights for implementing similar plans in Langley
By studying the East Clayton experience, Langley can adopt successful elements while avoiding implementation pitfalls, helping us create more walkable, diverse, and sustainable neighbourhoods.
About Our Case Studies
These case studies were researched and compiled by Strong Towns Langley Chair, James Hansen, to identify successful implementations of people-first urban design principles that could inform development in our region.
Have a suggestion for a case study we should explore? Know of an interesting example of sustainable, financially resilient urban development?
Contact James directly at james@strongtownslangley.org, find him on our discord, or contact us with your ideas.
James Hansen
Strong Towns Langley Chair