Report to Council - Rezoning of Glentana Village Land Use Contract Area
A staff report recommending the first and second reading of a bylaw to transition the Glentana Village area from a Land Use Contract to standard zoning.
Report to Council
Re: Rezoning of Glentana Village Land Use Contract Area Meeting Date: May 17, 2022
This zone encompasses the Cameo Co-op property, which is comprised of two-storey townhouses, three-storey stacked townhouses, and an office. There appears to be one or two accessory buildings not shown in the original building permit plans. New accessory buildings and structures will have to comply with Zoning Bylaw requirements that are standard throughout the Town.
The property will be subject to the guidelines of Mixed Residential development permit area for things such as the alteration of land, buildings and landscaping once the land use contract terminates.
Subzone CD-27B – Recreation Centre
Addresses of properties within the proposed subzone:
- 1507 Glentana Road
This property is the Glentana Village Recreation Centre, which is owned primarily by owners of land within the land use contract area. It is like a clubhouse or other common amenity found in large strata developments, but unusual in that it is located on a fee simple property. The ownership structure is complex (involving building schemes, covenants, and fractional ownership). The proposed zone would acknowledge the use as an assembly hall and recreation center, including the outdoor sport courts. Daycare is a new use that staff considers to be appropriate to this site, should the owners wish to consider such a use in the future.
Subzone CD-27C – Detached Dwellings
Addresses of properties withing the proposed subzone:
- 1611, 1615, 1617, 1619 and 1621 Glentana Road
These are existing fee simple, detached dwelling lots.
Subzone CD-27D -
Addresses of properties withing the proposed subzone:
- 2-52 Demos Place
This is a bare land strata subdivision with lots ranging from 278m² to 830m² and an average lot size of 407m² (lot size averaging is permitted in bare land strata subdivisions). An uncommon feature of this subdivision is that some neighbouring buildings are attached at the property line, mostly carports, which can be seen in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Building Footprints for Demos Place (not survey accurate). Source: CRD
The lots are generally narrow, and buildings are sited very close to side lot lines. The proposed subzone would allow zero side lot line buildings to allow existing buildings to be rebuilt, but it would also specify a minimum 1.5m metre side yard on one side to ensure future buildings and additions will not occupy the full width of a lot and allow exterior access to rear yards.
Subzone CD-27E
Addresses of properties within the proposed subzone:
- 12-20 Amber Place
- 2-12 Ethos Place
- 2-66 Falstaff Place
- 1502, 1504A&B, 1506A&B, 1508, 1510, 1512, and 1514 Glentana Road
There are three strata plans within this zone. They are condominium stratas where strata units include ownership of yards; however, the yards are not lot lines with respect to the Zoning Bylaw and the BC Building Code. There are three duplexes. The remaining units are detached units that look like they are a bare land strata subdivision, but they are not.
The BC Financial Services Authority found a province-wide average 40% increase to strata insurance premiums in 2020. This dramatic increase has prompted several condominium strata corporations comprised of detached dwellings to make enquiries about becoming bare land stratas. This would involve the risks of dissolving a strata by merging individual ownership and mortgages into one large fee simple property before going through the bare land strata subdivision process which involves addressing requirements such as zoning (e.g., floor space ratio, setbacks), Building Code (e.g., fire separations that can limit the amount of doors and windows based on distance to lot lines), and 5% park dedication/cash-in-lieu.
In light of these challenges, staff have drafted a zone that would allow these properties to be become a bare-land strata in the future, subject to meeting all the regulatory requirements in effect at that time. In the meantime, the current uses and configuration will remain and issues such as setbacks and use are addressed in the draft zone.
The lands will be subject to the guidelines of Mixed Residential development permit area for things such as the alteration of land, buildings and landscaping once the land use contract terminates.
Subzone CD-27F - Townhouses
Addresses of properties withing the proposed subzone:
- 1-15 1500 Glentana Road
This a 15-unit townhouse complex. The property will be subject to the guidelines of Mixed Residential development permit area for things such as the alteration of land, buildings and landscaping once the land use contract terminates. The draft subzone is consistent with what is currently in existence on this site.
DISCUSSION
The Glentana Village development shows how land use contracts can create a distinct neighbourhood with character and diverse housing types, but the ownership structure of the shared amenity recreation centre also provides an example how there can be unintended consequences that create long term administrative complexities.
The proposed zone would be consistent with the Official Community Plan Mixed Residential land use designation, which supports the following:
- detached homes on small lots, townhouses and low-rise apartments
- up to three storeys and a maximum Floor Space Ratio of 1.25 for townhouses; up to four storeys and a maximum Floor Space Ratio of 1.5 for apartments.
Staff received an enquiry about whether the zoning would open the lands up to redevelopment and greater density. The proposed zoning designation was through the review of building permits and strata plans to establish regulations that acknowledge the existing land uses and buildings with minimal need for setback variances if rebuilding. The proposed zone does not include apartments as a permitted use. Such a proposal would require assent of the subject property owners for a rezoning application. Any future rezoning applications would need to be consistent with the Official Community Plan in place at the time (or also make a concurrent OCP amendment).
The zoning would apply to the lands once the land use contract terminates June 30, 2024. As with any properties that are subject to zoning, property owners in this area would have access to the development variance permit process and the Board of Variance to address any situations where complying with zoning is challenging or results in unforeseen consequences. Staff have made effort to make zoning consistent with the current uses, siting heights and more. However, there are some additional considerations that result in a few inconsistences, particularly around side lot line setbacks. Significant changes to the BC Building Code since the Glentana area was developed have resulted in stricter requirements for separations between buildings, and the connections between buildings where there are shared walls.
Owners and residents of land within the land use contract area were provided early notification by mail and a project webpage was developed to provide further information. The draft bylaw presented in this report will be present on the project web page. To date, there have not been a significant number of enquiries. A public hearing will be the formal opportunity for the public to provide comments to Council regarding the bylaw.
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1101, 2022 be given first and second reading.
AND THAT a Public Hearing for Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1101, 2022 be scheduled for June 7, 2022.
SUBMITTED BY: J. Chow, MCIP RPP, Senior Planner
REVIEWED BY: L. Chase, MCIP RPP, Director of Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
- CRD Bylaw 421 (Land Use Contract) (52 pages)
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