ATTACHMENT 2 - Justification Letter

Justification Letter

Project Overview

Urban West Architecture Inc. in collaboration with ForSite Landscape Architecture and McElhaney have prepared this development permit application for a proposed market residential condominium development to be located on the consolidated lots of 167, 169, & 171 Island Highway in View Royal, BC. The site is located in the Harbour Neighbourhood on the south side of the Island highway and is situated between the Historic Four Mile House to the west and Portage Park to the east and south.

The proposed building is 5 storeys in height (w/ a setback top level) and is located over 1 level of below grade parking. A floor space ratio of 1.6 is proposed. It will contain 82 residential units comprised of a mix of studio, 1, 2 and 3 bedroom suites.

This project has been carefully designed with consideration for the surrounding context and the View Royal Official Community Plan in order to provide substantial social and environmental benefits to the community.

Project Description + Community Benefits

Parking and Traffic

Designated parking for condominium owners is provided completely underground in order to minimize unsightly surface parking and the total number of spaces meets the requirements of the zoning by-law. In addition, 9 visitor parking spaces and 1 drop off space are proposed as surface parking in the front of the building. Surface parking will be adequately screened with appropriate landscaping.

We recognize that traffic along the Island Highway is an ongoing concern in the community, and as such the developer and design team are working closely with a Traffic Engineering Consultant to ensure that impacts to the existing traffic patterns are both understood and that design strategies to mitigate any negative effects caused by the development are implemented.

Island Highway Street frontage improvements

Street frontage improvements along the Island Highway include a new sidewalk, new trees and generous amounts of plantings in order to provide an appealing pedestrian experience and to blend with the existing greenery of Portage Park.

Building Setbacks, Massing and Character

The building setbacks were carefully considered in order to minimize visual impacts to the surrounding areas. A significant 18m front yard setback along the Island highway is proposed in order to provide adequate space for visitor parking, landscaping and a ramp to the underground parkade. This generous front yard setback also preserves the existing views into the Park as pedestrians and vehicles travel west along the Island Highway and significantly contributes to a greater sense of openness around the entry and street frontage of Portage Park. (Please note that the building is situated as close to the Island Highway as possible in order to accommodate the dimensions/geometry of the surface parking and parkade ramp)

The building is positioned as far as possible from the south property line that borders Portage Park in order to minimize the visual impact of the building as viewed from the Park. In addition, 10 large deciduous trees (40-50 ft high when mature) are proposed along the property line in order to provide significant amounts of screening. (Refer to Landscape plan and rendered views)

A tall cedar hedge is proposed along the north property line shared by the 4 Mile Pub which will provide a significant buffer between the residential units and the parking lot.

The OCP supports low rise apartments up to 4 storeys however through consultation with the Planning department it was discussed that a 5 storey building with set-back upper level could potentially be supported on this site. The additional building height allows the building to have a smaller building footprint and provides increased open site area.

The character of the building is intended to have a contemporary west coast expression that fits naturally into the surrounding wooded area and site topography. The primary exterior building materials consists of a combination of tan colored cast resin brick and white board and batten siding. Cedar soffits provide additional warmth and natural color accents to the building as seen from the surrounding properties.

Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)

Principles of CPTED have been implemented through various landscape and building design strategies. Balconies will provide plenty of overlook to the Park and Four Mile House parking area which will enhance the safety in those areas by putting more “eyes on the street”. Also 2 pedestrian connections are proposed to Park and existing park trail which will provide more opportunities for social interaction and additional oversight and security. Site lighting will be thoughtfully placed to ensure proper visibility at night while maintaining a low impact to neighbouring areas.

Compliance with The Official Community Plan

View Royal Official Community Plan

The View Royal Official Community Plan (OCP) supports the development of low rise multi-family housing in this area and the property has land use designation of Multi Residential (M-R).

The site is located along the Harbour-Helmcken Community Corridor and is situated in an excellent location for convenient access to recreation, schools and shopping. The site is within a 1km walking or cycling distance to Admirals Walk Shopping Centre and steps away from several transit stops.

Market research indicates that there is demand for a variety of more compact housing types in this neighbourhood. As such the development will provide a mix of housing options that are suitable for families, seniors, downsizers, young professionals and first time home buyers. A variety of efficient and compact studio and junior 1 bedroom suite options will be available in order to provide more affordable housing options that are not currently available in this region.

Sustainability

Building systems and design principles that minimize energy usage and the carbon footprint of the development will be explored in greater detail during the building permit phase. The project will be constructed to either a Built Green Gold standard or to the current requirements of the BC Energy Step Code. Garages will be pre-wired for electric vehicle charging stations. Waste and recycling facilities will be designed to meet the highest standards for multi-unit residential design and will be located completely underground in order to eliminate unsightly site structures or unpleasant odours.

Landscape

Landscape description

The landscape design places particular importance on its sensitivity to Portage Park as well as managing rainwater and focusing on water conservation. The edges of the property bordering Portage Park will be considered carefully in order to enhance, integrate and extend native plantings into the proposed development. A buffer consisting of 10 new large deciduous trees are proposed along the property line that borders the Park to help screen the building from the Park. Additional plantings and trees will be provided on site to increase the sense of a wooded buffer between the Park and the development.

Integrated Rainwater Management

A feature rain garden located in the southeast corner of the site is designed to manage runoff from the building’s roof areas on the site. This rainwater feature will clean and slow storm water delivery to the municipal storm drain network. Runoff from decks/patios that cannot be directed to rain gardens will be managed in adjacent absorptive landscape where possible. The rain gardens will treat runoff water for quality and will provide storage to meet or exceed local requirements. Other benefits include; landscape adaptation to climate change, enhancement of biodiversity and habitat, improved aesthetics, and water conservation.

Water Conservation

Landscape plantings will include native and appropriate non-native plants that are adapted to site conditions, climate, and design intent. Native plants comprise a great deal of the shrub and perennial plantings proposed. The use of native vegetation promotes regional identity and a sense of place, supports biodiversity, reduces pesticide use, and supports water conservation by minimizing the use of potable water for irrigation. A high-efficiency irrigation system will be used to reduce water demand in the landscape.

The design enhances linkages within the community, enhances ecological values, and provides a landscape that integrates with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Conclusion

This project has been carefully designed with consideration for the OCP including specifically the design guidelines for the Mixed Residential area land use designation. It will provide community benefits such as a mix of housing options, an energy efficient building design and contributions of environmentally sensitive landscaping. The design creates a safe and appealing condominium community that enhances the neighbouring properties and fits appropriately into its context.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Justin Bennett, Architect AIBC Principal

UWA | Urban West Architecture Inc. Vancouver | Victoria