Appendix
Development Permit Area Guidelines Review
May 21, 2024Pages 104–1103 sections
A detailed review of how the proposal complies with the Mixed Residential Development Permit Area design guidelines.
Reviewer: Jeff Chow, Senior PlannerReview date: January 25, 2024
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AREA GUIDELINES - REVIEW
| Application Number: | 3060-20-2024-01 |
| Address and Legal Description | 2001-2014 West Park Lane Rem. Lot A, Section 97 & 98, Esq Dist, Plan EPP 92346 |
| Reviewer: | Jeff Chow, Senior Planner |
| Date: | January 25, 2024 |
Page 104–110
DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AREA: MIXED RESIDENTIAL
Design Character
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Residential buildings should address the public realm and contribute to a positive pedestrian-friendly streetscape. | The buildings are oriented towards the common driveway. |
| ii. The exterior design and finish of new developments should be compatible with, and complementary to, existing housing in the neighbourhood. | The location is a new neighbourhood surrounded by Thetis Lake Regional Park and Trans Canada Highway. The exterior design and finishes feature neutral toned cementitious siding and paneling as earlier townhouse Phases 1-3 and the apartment blocks at Phase 4 and 1910/1920 West Park Lane. |
| iii. Buildings should express a unified architectural concept that expresses both variation and consistency. | The buildings have consistent massing and rooflines. There are two colour schemes to avoid a monotonous streetscape. |
| iv. Materials should be durable and of high quality, reflecting the natural surroundings of View Royal and a “West Coast” design character, and bring in elements of wood, stone and a natural colour palette. Natural materials are preferred. | The cementitious building materials and stone cladding elements are durable and of high quality, reflecting the natural surroundings of View Royal and a “West Coast” design character. The colours in the building perspectives are neutral and would be compatible with the setting adjacent to a nature park. |
| v. Building design should promote “eyes on the street” for natural surveillance of the public realm through the provision of entrances, windows, patios, balconies, porches and decks facing public streets and spaces. | The buildings will have windows on both floors overlooking the public realm. |
| vi. Direct access to private outdoor space, some of it covered, should be provided for all units. | Each unit will have access to semiprivate outdoor space at the rear of the building. |
| vii. Ground floor units in townhouses and multi-unit buildings should have individual front doors that are directly accessible and visible from the street. Ground floor units may be raised up to 0.6 metres (two feet) above grade to provide privacy for dwelling units. | All townhouse units will have front doors directly accessible to and visible from the central driveway however they could be more prominent. |
| viii. All facades of residential buildings should be well designed, with consistent use of materials, windows, articulation and roof treatments. On corners and at intersections, both public frontages should present a consistent and visually appealing design. | The facades use consistent materials, windows, articulation and roof treatments. The facades are articulated to minimize the mass of the buildings. |
| ix. Residential entrances should be visible from the street and emphasized with architectural detailing, glazing, colour or other defining features. Weather protection should be incorporated into the entrances of multi-unit buildings. | The building entrances are visible from the driveway, however they could be more prominent. Front doors have weather cover. |
| x. Garage doors should not dominate the front elevation. | The nature of townhouse developments is that garages occupy a large portion of the ground level. The visual impact of the garages is mitigated with glazing in the doors and artificial turf between driveway to minimize blank surfaces and the visual impact of paired driveways. However, the front doors are set back, allowing garages to dominate the streetscape. |
Public and Pedestrian Realm
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Streetscape design should incorporate treatments that enhance the pedestrian experience and create a sense of local identity. | The sidewalk on one side of the central driveway will provide a safe pedestrian connection between the buildings and West Park Lane. |
| ii. Streetscapes should incorporate a continuous planting of irrigated deciduous street trees on both sides of the street where possible. | The main driveway is a private road, and three types of deciduous trees (Pacific Sunset Maple, Starlight Dogwood and Maidenhair/Gingko Biloba) are provided for variety. |
| iii. Where possible, corner and bus bulges should be incorporated into the streetscape design to enhance pedestrian crossings and provide space for landscaping and seating. | n/a |
| iv. Site and building design should incorporate the basic principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). | Buildings are designed with windows overlooking the common driveway and rear yards of units. The site has one entry point which discourages through traffic. |
Siting, Height and Massing
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Site design should respond to the topography and specific conditions of the site and retain/work with existing grades and natural features such as rock outcroppings, mature trees and sensitive ecosystems such as Garry Oak meadow, riparian areas and shorelines. | Units are ground oriented and are laid out along the driveway to follow the slope. 10m clearance areas between buildings and the Park are necessary due to interface fire hazards. Covenant areas are proposed in subsequent phases of the development where sensitive ecosystems have been identified. |
| ii. Residential development should be oriented towards the street, except where natural features (slopes, rocks, vegetation) prevent this configuration. | The layout is appropriate to meet interface fire hazards in this setting adjacent to Thetis Lake Regional Park. |
| iii. Massing and siting of infill housing shall respect established neighborhood patterns, including setbacks. | n/a |
| iv. Create visual interest by providing variations in height, rooflines, massing. | Visual interest would be provided through variations in height, rooflines, and massing, however the rooflines are shallow for the mass of the building. |
| v. Attempt to maintain important public views to natural areas and scenic vistas through careful siting, building design and landscaping. | Key lookout locations on the site have been identified in future phases. A green buffer is proposed for future phases along the Trans Canada Highway to minimize the visual impact of the development. |
| vi. Building siting and placement of balconies, decks and windows should limit overlook and shadowing impacts on neighbours. | This development is comprised of two-storey townhouses. There are no overlook and shadowing impacts of note caused by this development. |
| vii. Buildings over two storeys should utilize setbacks and/or terracing above the second level to reduce massing impacts on the street and surrounding neighbours, preserve view corridors and provide visual interest. | n/a |
Landscaping
Page 104–110
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Retain mature trees and, wherever possible, established vegetation, especially around natural features (e.g. creeks, ponds, slopes and rocky outcroppings) for visual interest and to limit disruption of natural systems. | Extensive site grading means that existing trees cannot be retained. Instead, natural green spaces areas are preserved elsewhere on the site. |
| ii. Utilize native species wherever possible in site landscaping. Invasive or nuisance species (e.g. English Ivy, Broom) should not be used. Plants should be chosen for seasonal interest and compatibility with the local climate. Large expanses of lawn are not encouraged. | Landscaping consists of a combination of native and ornamental plant species for seasonal interest. Landscape areas abutting Thetis Lake Regional Park are fire-resistant native species. Ornamental tree species have been chosen for seasonal interest and their suitability to the site. The Starlight Dogwood is an American Pacific Dogwood hybrid that is drought tolerant and considered to be more resistant to fungal disease than native species. |
| iii. Space for private or communal gardening and the use of native plants, edible plants, berry bushes and fruit trees in landscaping is encouraged. | Each townhouse has private yard space that could be used for gardening. |
| iv. Use a combination of soft and hard landscape elements to create functional and visually appealing private and semi-private outdoor space. | The site is sloped and rocks cuts and retaining walls are used to created terraced usable (green) space. |
| v. Define the transition from public to private space with hard and/or soft landscape elements such as low hedging, low solid or a combination of permeable/transparent fencing (such as wrought iron above a solid base). | The transition from public to private space is defined by the driveway entrance, formal landscaping and perimeter fencing. |
| vi. Landscaping of townhouse and apartment developments should contribute to a pedestrian-friendly streetscape, by providing street trees and other plantings to soften building edges, provide visual interest and establish a sense of pedestrian enclosure. | Additional landscaping such as garden beds around street trees is recommended as the site is fairly bare with extensive areas of pavement and lawn. |
| vii. Low-rise apartments should consider the inclusion of common gathering areas with age-appropriate features and sited in such a way as to maximize exposure to sunlight. | n/a |
| viii. Landscape design strategies should be incorporated that minimize stormwater runoff and promote the natural infiltration and cleaning of runoff. | There are limited opportunities for onsite infiltration due to the rocky site. |
| ix. Landscaping should incorporate an automatic irrigation system. | Noted on the landscape plan. |
| x. All landscaping work and plant material shall conform to the most recent edition of the British Columbia Landscape Standard published by the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects. | Noted on the landscape plan. |
Parking, Access and Circulation
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Residential parking for townhouse and low-rise apartments should be located underground wherever possible. Residential surface parking shall be limited to detached and semi-detached dwellings. | Surface parking is primarily intended for guests. |
| ii. Residential surface parking should incorporate permeable features such as pavers, pervious asphalt or concrete or reinforced paving/grass to increase permeability. Gravel driveways or parking areas are not permitted. | The use of impervious surface parking can be supported given that the parking lot is not fully visible from the street and because it would help to keep rents low for this affordable rental project |
| iii. The visual appeal of surface parking areas should be enhanced with landscaping, screening and decorative materials. | Additional landscaping should be provided around surface parking areas rather than grass. |
| iv. Shared driveways are encouraged, where appropriate, to reduce impervious surfaces, preserve existing vegetation, provide larger areas for landscaping and limit the number of driveways crossing public sidewalks. | Driveways are clustered where possible. The sidewalk on the common driveway is on the side with the fewest driveway crossings and is the desired route to the playground. |
| v. Access to small lot residential lots should be through the lane, where a lane exists. | n/a |
| vi. Driveways, pathways and entrances on low-rise apartment sites should be accessible to all residents and visitors. | n/a |
| vii. | |
| viii. Sidewalks should be provided on public streets. | Sidewalks and crosswalks on private property will provide a connection to a walkway on West Park Lane |
| ix. In apartment developments, sheltered bicycle parking for visitors should be provided at an accessible location near the primary entrance and located so as to ensure passive surveillance | n/a |
| x. Locate and screen off-site parking areas, garbage and recycling storage, vents, meters and transformers so as to minimize their visual impact on the public realm and neighboring properties. | Please indicate where hydro transformers will be located and show on all site plans (including landscape and servicing). Please indicate on the plans if there is any rooftop mechanical equipment. Visible equipment such as air conditioners and heat pump components should be screened |
Lighting
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Building and site lighting should be sufficient to ensure pedestrian and motorist safety. | Lighting study to be provided at building permit stage. Fixture styles are provided. |
| ii. Outdoor lighting should be regulated to control the quantity, quality and direction of night lighting. Lighting fixtures that are “dark skies” friendly to limit light pollution at night are encouraged. | Lighting fixtures will be “dark skies” friendly. |
| iii. Where pole-mounted lighting is necessary, light standard luminaries shall be no more than 40,000 lumens and mounted on poles no more than 5 metres high. | The 6.7m pole height is appropriate to the scale of the parking and circulation areas so fewer luminaries will be necessary. |
| iv. Light fixtures should be consistent with the general design character of the building. | An exterior lighting design is provided and is consistent with new development. |
Safety
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. All developments should be designed for safety and security by incorporating Crime Prevention through Environmental Design principles and guidelines with particular attention to passive surveillance, good site lines, appropriate lighting, clear definition of private, semi-private and public space, and appropriate access control measures. | The design provides passive surveillance and good site lines. |
Other
| Guidelines | Proposal |
|---|---|
| i. Implementation of “adaptable design standards” in residential development is encouraged to accommodate individuals with mobility challenges, and to facilitate “aging in place”. | None indicated. |
| ii. Incorporation of Green Building strategies such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) or Built Green standards in the design and construction all buildings is highly encouraged. | None indicated. |
| iii. Incorporation of resource and energy efficiency into the siting, design, construction and maintenance of buildings and structures is highly encouraged. | None indicated. |
| iv. Where used, all signage should be architecturally compatible with the style, composition, materials, colours and details of the buildings, with no internal illumination, and method of installation hidden. | No sign proposed |
Page 104–110
Extracted from: 2024 05 21 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf