ZONING BYLAW NO. 900, 2014, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 1160, 2025 TO AMEND THE CD-26 ZONE FOR 258 HELMCKEN ROAD - COVENANT FOR MEDICAL CLINIC USE

ZONING BYLAW NO. 900, 2014, AMENDMENT BYLAW NO. 1160, 2025 TO AMEND THE CD-26 ZONE FOR 258 HELMCKEN ROAD - COVENANT FOR MEDICAL CLINIC USE

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT a covenant be registered on the title of 258 Helmcken Road prior to adoption of Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 to require medical clinic use (i.e., family physician, nurse practitioner and/or medical specialist office) in a portion of the ground floor commercial unit in the mixed-use building for a minimum of ten years.

AND THAT a public hearing be scheduled for Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 for January 20, 2026.

PURPOSE:

The purposes of this report are to:

• present the agreed conditions for a covenant to secure medical clinic use on the ground floor of the mixed-use building at 258 Helmcken Road; and
• schedule a public hearing for Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 to permit additional non-residential uses on the ground floor of the building.

BACKGROUND:

Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 received first and second reading at the November 4, 2025, Council meeting. The bylaw (see Attachment B) proposes to amend the Island Highway / Helmcken Comprehensive Development Zone (CD-26) to permit additional non-residential uses on the ground floor of the mixed-use building at 258 Helmcken Road. The staff report can be found in Attachment A.

At this meeting, Council passed the following motion:

THAT Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 be given first and second reading;

AND THAT staff work with the owner to establish agreed conditions for a covenant on title to secure a medical clinic on the ground floor to be brought forward to Council prior to consideration of third reading.

Following the discussion at the November 4, 2025, Council meeting, the applicant met with staff to discuss the terms and conditions of a proposed covenant. The applicant has agreed to commit to medical clinic use for a family physician, nurse practitioner and/or medical specialist office in part of the ground floor commercial unit at 258 Helmcken Road for a minimum of ten years (see Attachment C).

ANALYSIS:

Proposed Covenant

Commercial leases in British Columbia typically range from three to ten years for an initial lease. The proposed term for the covenant is for a minimum of ten years. The floor area is not prescribed in case the medical clinic use does not require the approximately 433 m² (4,660ft²) available floor area (which excludes 150 m² committed to café use). A sole medical practitioner may require a smaller floor area which would allow for another small commercial unit to increase the diversity of services in the neighbourhood. If the proposal is acceptable, the covenant would be prepared and registered on the title of 258 Helmcken Road prior to fourth reading of the bylaw.

Council may wish to note that if there is a covenant registered on title requiring a medical clinic use on the ground floor then this would result in no neighbourhood grocery store in the building for a minimum of ten years regardless of interest in the future. Any covenant modifications would require Council approval as it would be a condition of rezoning.

Parking Requirements for Proposed Uses

Twenty-nine parking spaces have been provided for commercial uses. If a café and medical clinic were to occupy the commercial floor space, three additional parking spaces would be required as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Potential parking variance

* parking variance required

In this scenario, a development variance permit application could be submitted to reduce parking requirements from 32 to 29. Alternatively, the Zoning Bylaw permits contributions of $12,000 per parking space (for up to 15% of the required parking spaces) to the Parking Cash in Lieu Reserve. The funds would help provide for future off-street parking spaces or infrastructure that supports non-automobile transportation within the Town. The parking deficiency would be less than 15%; therefore, the applicant would have an option of providing a cash contribution instead of applying for a variance for Council approval.

Next Steps

Staff recommends that Bylaw No. 1160 advance to a Public Hearing on January 20, 2026. Notification of the public hearing would be conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Development Procedures Bylaw No. 730, 2009.

Impacts and implications can be summarized as follows:

• Community Impact: Interest in medical clinic use has been a topic of discussion in the community.
• Financial Implication: There are no financial implications for the Town.
• Inter-governmental Relations Impact: There are no anticipated inter-governmental relations impacts

ALIGNMENT:

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

• Strategic Plan: Vision: The local economy is diversified and strong, providing employment, shopping, and service options to local and regional residents.
• Official Community Plan: Residential and commercial mixed uses are supported on this site within the Neighbourhood Centre land use designation.
  • Policy LU1.4 Diversity of Forms and Uses: Support a variety of residential and commercial forms and uses to encourage socio-economic diversity, and provide for the diverse needs of youth, families and an aging population.
• Other Policy Documents: Community Climate Action Strategy – Big Move: Shift Beyond the Car - Strategy 1.1.3: Allow for more mixed used and greater density along corridors (especially those well served by transit), and close to service and employment areas

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GOAL:

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

☐ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower ☐ N/A

TIME CRITICAL:

There are no timing considerations for the Town.

ATTACHMENTS:

A. Report dated October 20, 2025, from the Senior Planner titled “Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 to Amend The CD-26 Zone For 258 Helmcken Road” B. Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014, Amendment Bylaw No. 1160, 2025 (at second reading) C. Letter from applicant