Attachment 2 - RE: Updates to Development Permit application for 10 Erskine Road
A letter from Wiser Projects regarding revisions and updates to the development permit application for 10 Erskine Lane to address staff and Council feedback.
View Royal Town Hall 45 View Royal Avenue Victoria, BC V9B 1A6
August 9, 2023
RE: Updates to Development Permit application for 10 Erskine Road
Dear Mayor and Council,
We are pleased to provide the following updates to the Development Permit application for 10 Erskine Lane, originally submitted in December 2022. Following the May 9th Committee of the Whole meeting where the application was received for information, the project team has worked to address both staff and Council comments.
The project, located at 10 Erskine Lane, will provide 43 quality, mid-range homes for a range of demographics in View Royal. The units range from spacious 1-bedrooms to 3-bedrooms, providing housing options for residents across a number of life stages, including first time home-buyers, seniors looking to downsize, and families looking for more affordable options to single family homes.
The site was successfully rezoned in 2021/2022, with relatively minor changes to height and density proposed at that time. On May 9th, 2023, the Development Permit application was presented to Committee of the Whole with a positive recommendation from staff. Based on comments received that day, we have worked on the following additions to the application.
Table 1: Revisions to DP application
| Revision | Notes | Relevant plan/attachment |
|---|---|---|
| Provided project renderings from multiple angles | The project team heard at the COTW that Councillors did not have a good sense of what the project would look and feel like from the street. We have provided a number of renderings of the project, showing the location and height of neighbouring townhouses, to give Council a better sense of this. | Attachment 1: Renderings |
| Added bicycle parking space dimensions and indicated access | In reference to staff comments/request. Bicycle parking requirements have been met. | Attachment 2: Updated architect plans (A201) |
| Provided a conceptual lighting plan | In reference to staff comments/request. Lighting details will be further refined during Building Permit phase, but lights will be selected for energy efficiency and reducing impact on night skies/light pollution. | Attachment 2b: Updated architect plans (A501 and A502) |
| Provided details of screening for waste/recycling facilities | Provided in response to staff request. | Attachment 2: Updated architect plans (A102) |
| Confirmed height and dimensions of viewing deck | No variances required as viewing deck still meets zoning setback requirements | Attachment 3: Updated landscape plans |
| Updated arborist report that reflects viewing deck dimensions | Updated report, includes impact to several additional trees which have been replaced in the updated landscape plan. | Attachment 4: Updated arborist report |
| Confirmed concept for rooftop mechanical equipment and screening | Provided in response to staff request. | Attachment 2: Updated architect plans (A206) |
| Details on sound impacts from highway on housing/residents | Provided based on comments from COTW. Modeling was performed based on distance of project from highway and elevation in comparison to highway. Even without trees/vegetation taken into account, the sound levels should not reach nuisance levels for residents. | Attachment 2b: Updated architect plans (A403) |
| Details on fence specifications | In original landscape plan, a note referred to a wood fence on the western property edge. This has been removed, as the there will be a hedge of coniferous trees on that property boundary that will adequately screen and provide privacy between the sites. | Attachments 2 and 3 (architect and landscape plans now coordinate, no wooden fence is present) |
Need and Rationale
Like much of the Capital Regional District (CRD), View Royal has experienced growing pressure on its housing over the last decade. The Housing Needs Assessment completed by Urban Matters for the Town of View Royal in 2020 confirmed that a range of homeownership options are needed to meet demand in View Royal, including family-sized units and units that are appropriate for downsizing seniors. Median incomes are no longer sufficient to afford shelter costs for single-family detached homes and row houses, leaving multi-family buildings to fill the gap for middle-income earners in the community. This project would contribute to this need and gap.
The density for the project has already been approved by Council, and the site is an excellent location for a project of this scale. The site is well-connected to transit and active transportation options, as well as services and employment at and around the hospital. The scale of the building fits the neighbourhood character, which is seeing a shift to a diverse range of options including the neighbouring townhouses and larger multi-family rental projects on the other side of Erskine Lane.
The project’s construction will also result in several community amenities, including a sidewalk from the property to the end of Erskine Lane and improvements to the sidewalk connection from the cul-de-sac of Erskine Lane to the Galloping Goose Trail.
Conclusion
The project team has worked to address comments from both staff and Council, and believe that this project will add significant benefit to the community and the neighbourhood. We hope that the updated information and reports provide you with the information to reach a decision on the Development Permit. Additional background information and policy analysis can be found in the appendices.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions.
Eleni Gibson, MCP RPP MCIP Project Manager, wiser Projects On behalf of Parsi Development
Cc Moji Shahab, Parsi Development Faaris Kathrada, Parsi Development
Appendices
Policy analysis overview and DPA form and character analysis Attachment 1: Renderings Attachment 2: Updated architectural plans Attachment 2b: Updated architectural plans – noise impacts and lighting Attachment 3: Updated landscape plans Attachment 4: Updated arborist report
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