Construction Impact Assessment and Tree Management Plan for 167, 169 & 171 Island Hwy
A technical arborist report prepared for GTMann Contracting Ltd detailing strategies for the retention and removal of trees impacted by construction.
OBJECTIVE LU2
Preserve the valued ambiance, scale, and character of established residential neighbourhoods while enhancing connections between neighbourhoods and to mixed-use centres.
POLICIES
LU 2.1 Residential Character Protect the character of established residential areas located outside the mixed-use centres by maintaining development standards through Form and Character Development Permit Areas (See Part 3).
LU 2.2 Connected Neighbourhoods Strengthen connections between existing residential neighbourhoods and the mixed-use centres through urban design, public space improvements, pedestrian, bike, and transit supportive facilities.
LU 2.3 Targeted Residential Infill Encourage residential infill as a means of providing greater housing options and addressing the demand for ground-oriented family housing.
Infill should be designed to integrate into the existing neighbourhood and should adhere to Infill Guidelines to be developed by the Town following the adoption of this plan.
LU 2.4 Garden Suites and Detached Secondary Suites Consider allowing garden suites and detached secondary suites on residential properties that are greater than 350m² in size.
LU 2.5 Water and Shoreline Recognize View Royal’s watercourses and marine waterfronts as character-defining elements of the community. Work to increase public access to the water at road ends and parks, and to protect waterfront habitat and ecosystems. Encourage landowners to naturalize and restore the ecological function of disturbed shorelines.
OBJECTIVE LU3
Support the development of a new community-serving Town Centre as the economic, cultural, and civic heart of View Royal.
POLICIES
LU 3.1 Town Centre Site Recognize the Fort Victoria RV Park site as the community’s preferred location for a new Town Centre.
LU 3.2 Town Centre Vision Explore options for realizing the Town Centre vision if-and-when the preferred site becomes available for this use. Any options considered for the site should be consistent with the Community Vision and include the following elements:
- Compact, medium to high density, transit-oriented development that capitalizes on its proximity to regional transportation infrastructure, including the E&N Trail, Galloping Goose Trail, Trans-Canada Highway, and bus rapid transit route.
- A central public gathering place.
- A mix of residential, commercial, and civic/public uses, including a range of attached housing forms and shops and services.
- Strong connections to View Royal Park and the north and south neighbourhoods.
- A potential transit station.
LU 3.3 Town Centre Master Plan and Community Consultation Ensure a Town Centre master plan is developed in consultation with the community in advance of any rezoning of the preferred site. The master plan should specify the use, density, form and character of development, and address infrastructure, servicing, and phasing issues.
OBJECTIVE LU4
Support high-quality development and design that creates safe, dynamic, and sustainable places for people to meet their daily needs and enjoy life, providing a strong sense of place and identity for View Royal.
POLICIES
LU 4.1 Form and Character Development Permit Areas Establish Form and Character Development Permit Areas for areas designated as Residential, Mixed Residential, Neighbourhood Mixed-use, Intensive Mixed-use, and Commercial (See Part 3).
LU 4.2 Support Walking, Cycling, and Transit Encourage higher density and mixed-use development at neighbourhood centres and along major transit corridors to promote walkability, cycling and transit use. Support higher residential density, commercial intensity and reduced parking requirements in areas well served by transit.
LU 4.3 Complete Streets Promote “complete streets” that provide safe and attractive pedestrian and cycling amenities and are well connected to adjacent areas. Examples of pedestrian and cycling amenities include street trees and landscaping; wide sidewalks with comfortable building enclosure; street furnishings and pedestrian scale lighting; fenestration with transparent glazing; bike racks; and weather protection.
LU 4.4 Connected Community Invest in complete streets with highest priority community connections to public facilities, including regional trails, the E&N trail and Galloping Goose, schools, community halls, municipal buildings, and the hospital.
LU 4.5 High-quality Development Promote high-quality design, planning, construction and maintenance of public and private development and infrastructure projects.
LU 4.6 Street-oriented Buildings Encourage street-oriented buildings where practical in terms of physical terrain and street configuration.
LU 4.7 Place-based Community Development Apply a place-based approach to community development that responds to the unique social, cultural, and environmental characteristics of each area of the Town. This applies particularly to development in the mixed-use areas. Land use and urban design decisions in these areas should build on the existing characteristics of the neighbourhoods and address the needs of current and future area residents.
LU 4.8 Public Gathering Places and Outdoor Markets Support public and outdoor markets in the Eastern Gateway Community Corridor, the Northern Gateway Community Corridor and the future Town Centre site through streamlined permitting and reduced parking requirements.
LU 4.9 Community-wide Standards Encourage the development of public gathering places such as parks, plazas and landscaped seating areas near activity-generating uses and mixed-use centres.
LU 4.10 Universal Design Apply universal design principles and guidelines to public space design and improvements.
LU 4.11 Reuse of Historic Buildings, Structures and Sites Support reuses and retrofitting of historically significant buildings, structures, and sites.
LU 4.12 Nuisance Require light and noise mitigation to be incorporated into the design of new buildings to prevent conflicts, discomfort, and nuisance, especially along major transportation routes.
LU 4.13 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Integrate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles and best practices into all design guidelines.
LU 4.14 Sustainable Structures and Buildings Encourage the design and construction of sustainable and environmentally responsible structures and buildings that reduce demand for services, create less waste, make efficient use of resources, and create healthier living environments.
OBJECTIVE LU5
Protect and enhance natural features and resources and parks.
POLICIES
LU 5.1 Conservation Designations Maintain all protected natural areas through existing conservation and park designations and the establishment and enforcement of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Development Permit Areas (See Part 3).
LU 5.2 Sustainable Development Patterns Direct new growth away from environmentally sensitive areas and promote sustainable development patterns and building forms that result in more efficient use of limited land.
LU 5.3 Green Infrastructure Promote “green” infrastructure and building systems to create a more sustainable built environment and reduce adverse impacts on natural systems and resources. Plan for adaptability by ensuring new buildings and infrastructure can be easily retrofitted over time.
LU 5.4 Urban Containment Boundary Maintain the Urban Containment Boundary (UCB) and continue to direct urban development and improvements to occur within the boundary.
LU 5.5 Subdivision of Waterfront Property Closely regulate the subdivision of waterfront lots to protect the integrity of the shoreline, aquatic environments, and ecologically sensitive areas.
NEIGHBOURHOOD OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
The following are the neighbourhood-specific land use and urban design objectives and policies.
ATKINS NEIGHBOURHOOD
OBJECTIVE LU6
Support the Atkins Neighbourhood in becoming a complete and inclusive neighbourhood with a wide range of complementary uses and amenities, and dynamic mixed-use centres.
POLICIES
LU 6.1 Mill Hill Residential Area Continue to support the completion of developments planned for the Mill Hill Residential Area. New development proposals should be consistent with the land use designations for the area and connect with the 6 Mile neighbourhood node.
HARBOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD
OBJECTIVE LU7
Preserve the residential scale and character of the Harbour Neighbourhood while accommodating new housing options, shops, and amenities closer to where people live.
POLICIES
LU 7.1 Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor Support the development of the Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor along the portion of the Island Highway located between Burnett Road and Beaumont Avenue.
The Community Corridor area includes lots fronting the Island Highway and some adjoining lots on the north and south side of the Island Highway. Limited mixed-use intensification and public space improvement should be concentrated at the Helmcken Intersection, with residential uses occupying the other portions of the corridor.
Development in the Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor should be carefully reviewed to consider the following:
- Mixed-use intensities appropriate for the corridor’s lot sizes and adjacent residential areas. Commercial uses should be neighbourhood-serving and limited to properties located near the Helmcken Intersection.
- Circulation, access, and parking.
- Right-of-way conditions and pedestrian safety, including connections across the Island Highway and Helmcken Road.
- Placemaking and the quality of the built environment.
- Strong and safe connections to surrounding residential areas, the waterfront, Helmcken Road, View Royal Elementary School, and the planned Town Centre.
- Opportunities to consolidate and rezone lots fronting the Island Highway to higher residential densities.
- The Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor should be planned to complement and not compete with the future Town Centre. Planning decisions in the Harbour and Helmcken neighbourhoods should recognize the community’s aspiration for the development of the Town Centre and ensure that land use planning in other areas does not inhibit the eventual development of the Fort Victoria site. Development outside the Community Corridor shall be discouraged.
HELMCKEN NEIGHBOURHOOD
OBJECTIVE LU8
Support the revitalization of the Helmcken Neighbourhood through the creation of vibrant mixed-use areas and improved community connections and amenities, while preserving the scale and character of existing residential areas.
POLICIES
LU 8.1 Integrated Planning Approach Encourage an integrated approach to planning in the Helmcken Neighbourhood that recognizes and relates the significant opportunities planned for the neighbourhood, including:
- Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor mixed-use area.
- View Royal Town Centre.
- View Royal Park improvements.
- E&N Rail Trail and the possibility of commuter rail on this corridor.
- Stronger pedestrian and cycling connections across the Trans-Canada Highway.
- New initiatives in the Helmcken Neighbourhood should be planned to connect and interrelate with the neighbourhood’s residential areas, View Royal School, Centennial Park, and other adjacent neighbourhoods.
LU 8.2 View Royal Park Recognize View Royal Park as an important community-gathering place, and support ongoing implementation of the View Royal Park Master Plan and connections to this public amenity.
LU 8.3 Portage Inlet Continue to pursue improved public access to Portage Inlet.
HOSPITAL NEIGHBOURHOOD
OBJECTIVE LU9
Support the revitalization of the Hospital Neighbourhood through the development of vibrant mixed-use areas, and improved community connections and amenities.
POLICIES
LU 9.1 Northern Gateway Community Corridor Support developing the Northern Gateway Community Corridor mixed-use area along Helmcken Road south of Burnside Road.
The Community Corridor will be predominantly mixed residential with ancillary commercial permitted near, and south of, Watkiss Way. New development will be focused on lots fronting Helmcken Road. Infill development on adjacent lots in the transition area will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Development in the Northern Gateway Community Corridor should be carefully reviewed to consider the following:
- Uses and densities that benefit from the Corridor’s proximity to the Victoria General Hospital and the planned regional rapid transit stop. Attached housing, including townhomes and apartments, should be encouraged throughout the Corridor. Ground level commercial uses should be encouraged on the large parcel at the northwest corner of Helmcken Road and Watkiss Way and the southeast corner of Helmcken Road and Chancellor Avenue. Acceptable commercial uses include medical offices and related facilities, small format retail, restaurants, food stores, and accommodations. Unacceptable uses include big box retail and wholesale outlets.
- Access and circulation.
- Quality of the built environment.
- Wayfinding and placemaking elements that reinforce the Hospital Neighbourhood as the northern gateway to View Royal and create a strong sense of place in the area surrounding the hospital and leading into the southern areas of the Town.
- Connections to the planned hospital rapid transit stop, Galloping Goose Regional Trail, Trans-Canada Highway and established residential area east of Helmcken Road.
LU 9.2 Hospital Neighbourhood Centre Explore possibilities for developing a transit-oriented Hospital Neighbourhood Centre on the land immediately west of the Victoria General Hospital and abutting the planned regional rapid transit stop.
Development in the Hospital Neighbourhood Centre should be carefully reviewed to consider the following:
- Uses and development forms that benefit from and support the Victoria General Hospital.
- Potential economic development opportunities that exist in proximity to the hospital.
- Appropriate land uses and densities for supporting transit use.
- Location and design of parking facilities to minimize surface parking and promote a safe and enjoyable pedestrian environment.
- Access and circulation.
- Logistical and engineering issues related to the transit stop and right-of-way.
- Quality of the built environment.
- Connections to planned hospital rapid transit stop, Galloping Goose Regional Trail, Trans-Canada Highway and established residential area east of Helmcken Road.
- Potential noise, light, smell, and nuisance issues related to the site’s proximity to VGH, the laundry facility and the Trans-Canada Highway.