REZONING APPLICATION REZ2025-01 258 Helmcken Road Presentation

BACKGROUND:

• Rezoned in 2021
• Construction of a six-storey, mixed-used building (the Royalle) was recently completed
  • 55 condominium apartment units
  • ~583m² of Neighbourhood Grocery on the ground floor

“Neighbourhood Grocery” means a grocery with a leasable floor area of less than 700m². Neighbourhood Grocery may include, as accessory uses only: bakery, café, and delicatessen.”

Zoning condition - may only be located on the ground floor and operate between 6:00am - 10:00pm.

Issue:

• The commercial unit is still vacant.
• Applicant advises:
  • Since 2022 no viable tenancy has been found
  • The economic landscape has changed
  • Feedback that the current unit size is too large for most market/grocery users:
    • most are not currently looking to expand with new locations at this time
  • Commercial tenants are seeking smaller units ranging between 1,000 to 1,500 square feet
  • Dividing the ground floor into smaller units would be more desirable for medical-related professionals, retail businesses, café users

Proposal:

Add the following uses as commercial uses (on the ground floor)

• Café
• Medical Clinic*
• Office
• Retail

“Medical Clinic” means the use of a building where one or more members of the medical profession, including physicians, dentists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, naturopaths, registered massage therapists, acupuncturists and veterinarians, provide diagnosis and treatment to the general public or household pets without overnight accommodation, and may include such accessory uses as reception areas, offices consultation rooms, coffee shops and pharmaceutical dispensary, providing that all such accessory uses have access only from the interior of the clinic building.

Rationale:

• The commercial unit is vacant
• Applicant advises:
  • Since 2022 no viable tenancy has been found
  • The economic landscape has changed
  • Feedback that the current unit size is too large for most market/grocery users:
    • most are not currently looking to expand with new locations at this time
  • Commercial tenants are seeking smaller units ranging between 1,000 to 1,500 square feet
  • Demising the commercial premises on the ground floor into smaller units would be highly desirable for medical-related professionals, retail businesses, café users

ANALYSIS:

The proposal can be supported for the following reasons:

1. Consistent with the OCP “Neighborhood Centre” designation
2. Location is not viable for neighbourhood grocery.
   • Neighbourhood grocery would still be a permitted use (smaller scale)
   • Demising the space could allow complementary uses
3. The proposed uses are commonly in commercial residential mixed-use buildings that can add vibrancy to the streetscape and create community gathering places.

Staff recommends adding a condition that the additional proposed uses, with exception of parking, may only be located on the ground floor. This is an existing condition for the neighbourhood grocery use.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the Committee recommend to Council to instruct staff to prepare the necessary Zoning Bylaw amendments to amend the CD-26: Island Highway/Helmcken Comprehensive Development Zone as follows:

a. Add Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail as permitted uses b. Add a condition that Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail uses, with the exception of parking, are only permitted on the ground floor of a building.

AND THAT after publication of notification in accordance with section 467 of the Local Government Act, first, second and third reading of the Zoning Bylaw amendments be considered by Council.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

Option 2 (Proceed with a public hearing)

THAT the Committee recommend to Council to instruct staff to prepare the necessary Zoning Bylaw amendments to amend the CD-26: Island Highway/Helmcken Comprehensive Development Zone as follows:

• Add Café, Medical Clinic, Office, and Retail as permitted uses
• Add a condition that Café, Medical Clinic, Office and Retail uses, with the exception of parking, are only permitted on the ground floor of a building.

AND THAT first and second reading of the Zoning Bylaw amendment be considered by Council and a public hearing date be set.

Option 3 (Decline Application)

That the application be declined.