DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT

Thetis Vale Phase 6 – Parking Space Length Variance

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Committee receive the report for information.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER'S COMMENTS

I concur with the recommendation.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES' COMMENTS

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT

The purpose of this report is to present the application for a Development Variance Permit (DVP) for 14 detached fee-simple lots under a CD-19(A) Mixed Residential Single Family zoning within Thetis Vale Phase 6: 2380, 2385, 2387, 2389, 2391, 2392, 2393, 2394, 2395, 2396, 2397, 2398, 2399 and 2401 Lund Rd. The applicant proposes substituting the required parking space for a small car parking space to maintain the requirement for two parking spaces per detached dwelling.

BACKGROUND

It has been challenging for the applicant to fit a standard 5.5m long parking space in the driveway without compromising the proposed housing layouts. The housing layouts proposed in this phase contain a single garage, and the minimum front yard setback in the zone is 4.5m. In the proposed cases, the house is to meet that minimum setback with no room for meeting the required 5.5m parking space in the driveway.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Proposal

The property is subject to the requirement to obtain a Development Variance Permit (DVP) pursuant to Section 922 of the Local Government Act. This DVP focuses on the consideration of the proposed variance impacting the use and enjoyment of the adjacent properties.

The applicant has submitted the following information in support of their application:

Applicant's Statement – Applicant – March 7, 2016
Site Plan – applicant (undated)
Proposed Foundation Plan – Island Land Surveying Ltd – February 9, 2016

The proposed Development Variance Permit addresses the following aspects:

Variance to the required parking spaces for a detached dwelling from two (2) spaces to one (1) space and one (1) small car space.

Issues and Analysis

The proposed parking space is one meter shorter than standard. The concern is that a very long vehicle such as a crew-cab long bed pickup truck can be 6.5m in length, or 2 metres longer than the proposed parking space length. The road right-of-way there is 12.5m, with a 9m road surface. This leaves 1.75m of boulevard before the road surface plus 4.5m of driveway, or a 6.25m total driveway length before road surface. This means that a long pickup would hang out into the roadway.

The applicant is willing to enter into a covenant in favour of the Town which would prevent such vehicles from being parked in these driveways. Staff is of the opinion that entering into an agreement which places the burden of enforcement on the Town is less desirable than providing a design solution which meets the Town's bylaw and avoids the requirement for constant enforcement.

Staff would prefer that the designs of the houses be amended to provide adequate parking which meets our bylaw. It should be noted that since the variance application was made, three lots which are part of this variance (2395, 2396 and 2398) had Building Permits submitted which met Town bylaw for the provision of two parking spaces, with a driveway length in excess of 5.5m.