Attachment 3 Justification Letter

Justification Letter

Project Overview

Urban West Architecture Inc. in collaboration with ForSite Landscape Architecture and McElhaney have prepared this rezoning application for a proposed multi-residential condominium development to be located on the consolidated lots of 167, 169, & 171 Island Highway in View Royal, BC. The site is located in the Harbour Neighbourhood on the south side of the Island highway and is situated between the Historic Four Mile House to the west and Portage Park to the east and south.

The proposed 3780 sq. m building ranges between 4 - 5 storeys in height and is located over 1 level of below grade parking. A floor space ratio of 1.6 is proposed. It will contain 87 residential units comprised of a mix of studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites.

This project has been carefully designed with consideration for the surrounding context and the View Royal Official Community Plan in order to provide substantial social and environmental benefits to the community. Please also refer to the Design Rationale dated June 18, 2021 for additional information and project images.

Project Description + Community Benefits

Parking and Traffic

Designated parking for condominium owners is provided completely underground in order to minimize unsightly surface parking. The no. of parking spaces proposed meets the zoning by-law requirements that are specified in the RM-3 zone. In addition, 6 visitor parking spaces and 1 drop off space are proposed as surface parking in the front of the building. Surface parking will be adequately screened with appropriate landscaping.

We recognize that traffic along the Island Highway is an ongoing concern in the community, and as such the developer and design team are working closely with a Traffic Engineering Consultant to ensure that impacts to the existing traffic patterns are both understood and that design strategies to mitigate any negative effects caused by the development are implemented.

Island Highway Street frontage improvements

Street frontage improvements along the Island Highway will include a new sidewalk and extension of the existing treed boulevard. The existing flowering trees, cedar hedge and mature existing maple tree (at NE corner) will be protected and enhanced with additional plantings.

Building Siting, Massing and Character

The building siting is carefully considered in order to minimize impacts to the surrounding areas. A significant front yard setback is proposed in order to maintain views into the Park as pedestrians and vehicles travel west along the Island Highway. This increased setback helps to open up views to the Park when walking/driving west along the Highway and significantly contributes to a greater sense of openness around the entry and street frontage of Portage Park.

The building massing was designed to minimize the sense of height from the adjacent properties. Given the natural the slope of the site the building will have the appearance of 4 storeys from the Four Mile House and 5 storeys with setback upper level from the Park and Island Highway. Furthermore all of the building elevations are highly articulated with roof overhangs, balconies and material changes in order to create a varied and interesting appearance all around.

The OCP supports low rise apartments up to 4 storeys however through consultation with the Planning department it was discussed that a 5 storey building with set-back upper level could potentially be supported on this site. The additional building height allows the building to have a smaller building footprint which provides for increased open site with a larger front yard setback off the Island Highway. This increased setback helps to open up views to park when walking/driving west along the island Highway and significantly contributes to a greater sense of openness around the entry and street frontage of Portage Park.

The character of the building is intended to have a west coast modern expression that fits naturally into the surrounding wooded area and site topography. The exterior building materials consists of a combination of light colored fiber cement cladding panels in both smooth and corrugated textures. Wood grain panels and cedar will provide warm and natural color accents to all of the building facades including the soffits of the generous overhangs under the sloped butterfly roof.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)

Principles of CPTED have been implemented through various landscape and building design strategies. Balconies will provide plenty of overlook to the Park and Four Mile House parking which will enhance the safety in those areas by putting more “eyes on the street”. Also 2 pedestrian connections are proposed to Park and existing park trail which will provide more opportunities for social interaction and additional oversight and security. Site lighting will be thoughtfully placed to ensure proper visibility at night while maintaining a low impact to neighbouring areas.

Compliance with The Official Community Plan

View Royal Official Community Plan

The View Royal Official Community Plan (OCP) supports the development of low rise multi-family housing in this area and the property has land use designation of Multi Residential (M-R).

The site is located along the Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor and is situated in an excellent location for convenient access to recreation, schools and shopping. The site is within a 1km walking or cycling distance to Admirals Walk Shopping Centre and steps away from several transit stops.

Market research indicates that there is demand for a variety of more compact housing types in this neighbourhood. As such the development will provide a mix of housing options that are suitable for families, seniors, downsizers, young professionals and first time home buyers. A variety of efficient and compact studio and junior 1 bedroom suite options will be available in order to provide more affordable housing options that are not currently available in this region.

The proposed building is not out of scale with surrounding developments located along the Harbour Helmcken Community Corridor – nearby multi residential developments and commercial buildings are of a similar scale and /or have a similar density. The project will not overly impact adjacent properties and there is ample parkland and servicing capacity in the area to support it.

Sustainability

Building systems and design principles that minimize energy usage and the carbon footprint of the development will be explored in greater detail during the Development Permit Phase. The project will be constructed to either a Built Green Gold standard or to the current requirements of the BC Energy Step Code. Garages will be pre-wired for electric vehicle charging stations. Waste and recycling facilities will be designed to meet the highest standards for multi-unit residential design and will be located completely underground in order to eliminate unsightly site structures or unpleasant odours.

Landscape

Landscape description

The landscape design places particular importance on its sensitivity to Portage Park as well as managing rainwater and focusing on water conservation. The edges of the property bordering Portage Park will be considered carefully in order to enhance, integrate and extend native plantings into the proposed development. Additional plantings and trees will be provided on site to increase the sense of wooded buffer between the Park and the development.

Integrated Rainwater Management

A feature rain garden along the west side of the building has been integrated into the landscape design to manage runoff from the building’s roof areas on the site. This rainwater feature will clean and slow storm water delivery to the municipal storm drain network. Runoff from decks/patios that cannot be directed to rain gardens will be managed in adjacent absorptive landscape where possible. The rain gardens will treat runoff water for quality and will provide storage to meet or exceed local requirements. Other benefits include; landscape adaptation to climate change, enhancement of biodiversity and habitat, improved aesthetics, and water conservation.

Water Conservation

Landscape plantings will include native and appropriate non-native plants that are adapted to site conditions, climate, and design intent. Native plants comprise a great deal of the shrub and perennial plantings proposed. The use of native vegetation promotes regional identity and a sense of place, supports biodiversity, reduces pesticide use, and supports water conservation by minimizing the use of potable water for irrigation. A high-efficiency irrigation system will be used to reduce water demand in the landscape.

The design enhances linkages within the community, enhances ecological values, and provides a landscape that integrates with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Conclusion

This project has been carefully designed with consideration for the OCP including specifically the design guidelines for the Mixed Residential area land use designation. It will provide community benefits such as a mix of housing options, an energy efficient building design and contributions of environmentally sensitive landscaping. The design creates a safe and appealing condominium community that enhances the neighbouring properties and fits appropriately into its context.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Justin Bennett, Architect AIBC Principal UWA | Urban West Architecture Inc. Vancouver | Victoria