Request for Decision – 309 View Royal Avenue Driveway Request

REQUEST FOR DECISION – 309 VIEW ROYAL AVENUE DRIVEWAY REQUEST

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT only one driveway access be permitted on the 309 View Royal Avenue property.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS:

Option #2: THAT a second driveway access be permitted from the 309 View Royal Avenue property to Bessborough Ave, if the property develops a detached garage with a suite above.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to seek a decision from Council regarding the 309 View Royal Avenue’s request for a second driveway access.

BACKGROUND:

309 View Royal Avenue is currently a single family home located on the corner of View Royal Ave and Bessborough Ave. The current driveway access is located on View Royal Avenue, at the far east end of the property. The existing driveway width ranges between 2.5-4m wide.

The 309 View Royal Avenue’s homeowner (the “homeowner”) is seeking permission to install a second driveway access for the property if they develop on the property a detached garage with a secondary suite above. The second driveway is being proposed to be accessed from Bessborough Ave. The Town has not yet received a development permit application for the detached garage with a secondary suite above.

Figure 1: Proposed Second Driveway Location For Garden Suite Parking

Town’s Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw 985, 2017 (“Bylaw 985”) provides restrictions to the number of driveways and location of driveways on corner parcels, specifically Bylaw 985’s Supplemental Guideline Section 5.14.3(a), whereby:

The Driveway Crossing on any corner Parcel must be sited on the Street having the more minor street classification.

In other words:

• Driveway crossings would not be permitted on the more major street classification, therefore meaning that two driveways would not be permitted on a corner parcel;
• As a result, parking for the detached garage and suite above would be required to connect to the existing driveway access located on the far east end of the property, located on View Royal Avenue.

Regarding the second bullet point above, there are real concerns that connecting parking to the existing driveway or widening the existing driveway to support garden suite parking, would significantly impact the frontage character of the property because there are several mature arbutus and fir trees that would likely need to be removed to complete the works. The homeowner has expressed a desire to improve accessibility to a suite above the detached garage, while maintaining as much of the frontage character of the property as possible, hence the homeowner seeking permission from Council to vary from Bylaw 985.

DISCUSSION:

A second driveway on a corner lot is generally not preferable to staff because it would require more assets to be built that will accrue additional maintenance costs (an additional driveway culvert). As a result, staff recommendation is to adhere to the Subdivision and Development Servicing Bylaw requirements of one driveway being permitted on residential lots.

In this particular case, the homeowner could still adhere to the Bylaw while installing a driveway on Bessborough Avenue by removing the existing driveway on View Royal Avenue. Staff believe this is feasible given that the existing access only leads to an exposed port. While the homeowner has agreed that this may be an option, additional hardships may occur for accessibility to the existing house that could also exacerbate on street parking in the vicinity.

Alternatively, Council can permit the homeowner to have a second driveway on the property. When reviewed on a case by case basis, a second driveway on this parcel due to development can be viewed as favourable because:

• On street parking volumes would remain at pre-existing conditions;
• Safety is preserved given the favourable road geometry and sight lines on both Bessborough Ave and View Royal Ave;
• Vehicle volumes are low (with lower volumes on Bessborough Ave than View Royal Ave). As a result, the impacts to road user safety are low;
• The frontage character is preserved including the mature trees within the frontage.

A second driveway at 309 View Royal Avenue for access to the detached garage and suite above would have a relatively low impact to the Town. As a result, staff are supportive of both the recommended option and the alternative option.

Figure 2: Widening the Driveway and/or Directing Garden Suite Park Access to the Existing Driveway would significantly impact mature, protected trees.

Figure 3: Proposed Second Driveway Access Off of Bessborough Ave

ANALYSIS:

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

ALIGNMENT:

The recommended option aligns with the Town’s following core guiding documents as follows:

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

The desired level of public participation for the recommended option is:

☐ Inform [X] Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower ☐ N/A

The property owner petitioned their neighbours regarding their request. Most of the neighbouring properties, including direct neighbours, have signed the letter of support.

TIME CRITICAL:

This staff report is not time critical.

CONCURRENCE:

REVIEWED BY:

ATTACHMENTS: N/A