DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AREA GUIDELINES - REVIEW (DP 2024-03)

April 15, 2025Pages 370–3762 sections

Staff review of the development application against the Town's Mixed Residential Development Permit Area guidelines.

1 CALL TO ORDER- Mayor Tobias called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

Application Number: DP 2024-03Reviewer: Jeff ChowDate: August 13, 2024 (updated March 4, 2025)Design: 20-unit townhouse complex

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AREA GUIDELINES - REVIEW

Item	Details
Application Number:	DP 2024-03
Address:	294, 296 Eltham Road and 242 Helmcken Road
Legal Description:
Applicant:	Ankenman Marchand Architects
Description:	20 unit townhouse complex
Plan Details:
Reviewer:	Jeff Chow
Date:	August 13, 2024 updated March 4, 2025

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.	Street facing units have entrances and small yards facing the road to enhance the streetscape.
ii. The exterior design and finish of new developments should be compatible with, and complementary to, existing housing in the neighbourhood.	Building design contrasts existing built form (older designs); however the more contemporary design complements the new building at the Helmcken Road / Island Highway intersection.
iii. Buildings should express a unified architectural concept that expresses both variation and consistency.	The building façades have a consistent design but street level units would have individual entrances with distinct colour schemes.
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.	Design incorporates natural colours and wood tone accents.
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.	Provided. Each apartment has a patios, balconies and windows for natural surveillance of public spaces and on-site areas.
vi. Direct access to private outdoor space, some of it covered, should be provided for all units.	Provided. Each unit has a private balcony, ground floor units have the ability to walk-out onto the grounds.
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.	Provided. Each has ground level patio or open space screened from neighbours, second floor balconies and private rooftop patios.
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.	Provided. The building’s north, south and west façades are articulated to blank walls. The street
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.	Provided. Units facing the street have sheltered front entrances that have individual colour schemes.
x. Garage doors should not dominate the front elevation.	Provided. Garage entrances are interior to the site.

Public and Pedestrian Realm

Guidelines	Proposal
i. Streetscape design should incorporate treatments that enhance the pedestrian experience and create a sense of local identity.	Proposed pedestrian connections such as on-site paths between buildings improve pedestrian interface with the proposed project.
ii. Streetscape should incorporate a continuous planting of irrigated deciduous street trees on both sides of the street where possible.	Existing trees on Helmcken Road would remain. Undesirable trees on Eltham Road to be replaced.
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).	Lighting should be provided to meet CPTED principles.

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.	Provided. Proposal makes minimal grade adjustments to fulfill design proposal.
ii. Residential development should be oriented towards the street, except where natural features (slopes, rocks, vegetation) prevent this configuration.	Provided. Entrances are street facing with individual front yards.
iii. Massing and siting of infill housing shall respect established neighborhood patterns, including setbacks.	The building form is similar to the adjacent townhomes at Ashley gate as three storey 4-5 unit townhouse blocks but the setbacks are smaller to reflect the more urban setting.
iv. Create visual interest by providing variations in height, rooflines, massing.	Provided. Building uses variation in rooflines, articulation of the façade, and colours to provide visual interest.
v. Attempt to maintain important public views to natural areas and scenic vistas through careful siting, building design and landscaping.	n/a
vi. Building siting and placement of balconies, decks and windows should limit overlook and shadowing impacts on neighbours.	Balconies and windows overlook the street. Building are oriented at an angle to the abutting Ashley Gate townhouses. North buildings over the front yard but do not face the adjacent dwelling at 240 Helmcken Rd.
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.	Setting back the top floors is not possible given the small floor plates of units.

Landscaping

Page 370–376

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.	All mature trees to be removed due to site regarding. Trees to be replaced via a landscape plan; all trees are required to be replaced at a ratio of 2:1
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 to be a combination of native and ornamental species for seasonal interest.
iii. Space for private or communal gardening and the use of native plants, edible plants, berry bushes and fruit trees in landscaping is encouraged.	No communal garden space provided but plants to include a variety of native species.
iv. Use a combination of soft and hard landscape elements to create functional and visually appealing private and semi-private outdoor space.	Provided. Mix of soft landscaping ground cover, planters, as well as walking path.
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).	Provided.
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.	Provided. Street trees and ground level and medium level vegetation placed along street front.
vii. Low-rise apartment 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 promotes the natural infiltration and cleaning of runoff.	Given the urban context, maximizing residential use of outdoor spaces was favoured over landscape design strategies for stormwater runoff.
ix. Landscaping should incorporate an automatic irrigation system.	Provided.
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.	Provided.

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.	While the site is not proposed to have underground parking, concealed residential parking is provided. The only visible surface parking is three visitor parking spaces and one residential carport space.
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.	To be considered.
iii. The visual appeal surface parking areas should enhanced with landscaping, screening and decorative materials.	Provided. Surface visitor parking spaces are spread through the site to minimize open areas of paving.
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.	One central driveway will be used by all units
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. Sidewalks should be provided on public streets.	Sidewalks to be retained/provided in a servicing agreement at time of building permit.
viii. 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
ix. 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.	Only one on-site visitor parking space is visible from the street. Garbage and recycling will be in a location not visible from the street.

Lighting

Guidelines	Proposal
i. Building and site lighting should be sufficient to ensure pedestrian and motorist safety.	Additional details should be 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.	Additional details should be provided.
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.	Additional details should be provided.
iv. Light fixtures should be consistent with the general design character of the building.	Additional details should be provided.

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.	Provided.

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”.	The three storey layout with ground floor garages is not conducive for universal accessibility. It is more suited for younger families without mobility issues.
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.	The proposal will meet Energy Step Code Level 3 and emissions level 4 as required by the Building Bylaw. The Town’s standards are voluntarily higher than the provincial minimum.
iii. Incorporation of resource and energy efficiency into the siting, design, construction and maintenance of buildings and structures is highly encouraged.	The proposal will meet Energy Step Code Level 3 and emissions level 4 as required by the Building Bylaw. The Town’s standards are voluntarily higher than the provincial minimum.
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.	n/a

Page 370–376

Extracted from: 2025 04 15 Council Agenda - Agenda - Pdf