Email dated March 10, 2020 from S. & S. Henry, 3906 Holland Avenue, Re: Proposed Eagles Nest Development
Residents oppose the development's density and height, stating it violates the Official Community Plan and will worsen local traffic.
From: SUE HENRY
Sent: Tuesday, March 10, 2020 9:21 AM
To: Mayor And Council Email mayorandcouncil@viewroyal.ca
Subject: Input on Committee of the Whole agenda item for Tuesday March 10, 2020 presented by D. Foord, Invictus Commercial Investment Corp.,for Re: Rezoning of Eagle's Nest - 3 and 5 Helmcken Road and 1447 and 1449 Burnside Road West, Victoria BC
To View Royal Mayor and Council
We are writing to express our concern about the agenda item being presented at the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday March 10, 2020 by D. Foord, Invictus Commercial Investment Corp., Re: Rezoning of Eagle's Nest - 3 and 5 Helmcken Road and 1447 and 1449 Burnside Road West, Victoria, BC. We are opposed to the development proposal and rezoning application for 3 and 5 Helmcken Road and 1447 and 1449 Burnside Road West. The density of the development design does not lend itself to a welcoming and attractive gateway corridor to View Royal. The three-building development design which includes 5 and 6 story buildings on the east, west and north sides of the development adjacent to Saanich ALR farmland is not appropriate as a rural/urban interface. This over height 5 and 6 story building design, is not conducive with the rural area, and would have a negative, imposing impact on the neighbouring Saanich and the Hidden Oaks residents.
The density of this development including this 5 and 6 story building would require an OCP amendment because in as much as the 1.5 FSR density is not quite the maximum density of 1.6 FSR for the Northern Gateway Community Corridor, the number of floors of this proposed development exceeds the OCP Land Use Designation for mixed residential as stated on page 48 of the OCP https://www.viewroyal.ca/assets/Town~Hall/Bylaws/811%20Offfical%20Community%20Plan.pdf. If floors 5 and 6 were eliminated from the development it would bring the development into compliance with the OCP Land Use designation for the mixed residential which states: allows small lot detached houses, townhouses and low-rise apartments up to 3 storeys and 1.25 FSR, and up to 4 storeys and 1.6 FSR for apartment dwellings. Eliminating floor 5 (with a total number of 25 suites) and 6 (with a total number 8 suites) would reduce the number of suites from 247 to 214 a much more reasonable number of suites for the development and surrounding area. Reducing the number of suites to 214 would also reduce the number of parking stalls required to approximately 294, and would decrease the number of cars that this development would bring to an already excessive traffic challenge. The View Royal OCP was developed with much forethought and vision; therefore, to open the OCP up for amendment in order to provide for a higher density, not in compliance with the OCP, to allow the developer to increase his profits does not seem like the correct thing for the Mayor and Council to do. Allowing this OCP amendment would then open the doors to other higher density development applications wanting to increase density in mixed residential designations, including adding additional floors and height to their proposed developments. When the OCP was developed it considered the designated density and Official Community Plan land use designations as appropriate for this area.
Adding 247 units to the area has the potential for increasing the number of cars living in and moving throughout the neighbourhood by 340 cars. Even though the developer may try to limit the number of cars allowed per suite, there will be overflow into the neighbourhood whose streets are already congested with recent increase in density resulting from the Eagle Creek development. The surrounding streets have very limited street parking. In the 30 years we have lived near this corner we have seen a massive increase in commuter traffic due to west shore development and the resulting flow of traffic to and from the Western communities to Camosun College and the Saanich Pennisula. Adding at least 340 more cars to our neighbourhood, would be irresponsible before a regional traffic plan is developed. The View Royal Planning staff report indicates it appears that waiting to see how Mackenzie interchange impacts traffic flow would be prudent, and noted the Town is doing the same for several other traffic issues.
We urge you to reject this development proposal because as much as the developer has reduced the FSR density, the small percentage reduction from 262 suites to 247 is negligible, and is still excessive density and the development site plan with its five and six floor plan is not in compliance with the OCP Land Use designation for the mixed residential and is not keeping with the rural nature of the area, and would have a negative impact on the neighbourhood. The additional traffic challenges due to the over 340 cars this development would bring also should not be supported.
Thank you for your careful and thoughtful consideration of our input on this development application.
Sue and Steve Henry
3906 Holland Avenue, Victoria, BC