TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COUNCIL REPORT: Development Permit 2016/14 – 4 Watkiss Way
Staff report recommending approval of a development permit with variances for a 71-unit multifamily building at 4 Watkiss Way.
TOWN OF VIEW ROYAL COUNCIL REPORT
TO: Council DATE: March 1, 2017 FROM: J. Chow, Senior Planner MEETING DATE: March 7, 2017 FILE NO.: 3060-20-2016/14
Development Permit 2016/14 – 4 Watkiss Way
RECOMMENDATION:
That Development Permit 2016/14 be approved;
AND THAT Development Permit 2016/14 include the following variances: a. Variance to the maximum height of a building from 20.0 m to 22.0m. b. Variance to the overall required number of parking spaces from 153 to 148. c. Variance to the minimum length of a small car parking space from 4.8m to 4.5m;
AND FURTHER THAT Development Permit 2016/14 include the following condition: a. A landscape security deposit of $34,807.00 be submitted prior to building permit issuance for the provision and installation of on-site landscaping.
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
DIRECTOR OF PROTECTIVE SERVICE’S COMMENTS:
I concur with the recommendation.
PURPOSE OF REPORT:
To consider a development permit application with variances for a 71-unit multifamily building with five storeys of residential use over concealed under-building parking.
BACKGROUND:
The subject property is a 9000m² vacant lot that borders Eagle Creek Village shopping centre on the south, rural land on the east and park land on the north and west as shown in Attachment 1. The parcel was created in 2016 through subdivision of the Eagle Creek Village property. It has no road frontage but easements are in place to allow vehicle and site servicing access through the shopping centre’s Watkiss Way driveway. This rocky site was the location of an old farmhouse and was cleared during construction of the shopping centre.
The applicant’s concept for the site is for two rental multifamily buildings to be built in phases for a total of 114 residential units. Development Permit 2015/15 was approved September 13, 2016 for the first phase, Phase ‘A’, a four storey 43-unit apartment building at the south end of the parcel at 2 Watkiss Way. This application is for the second building, Phase ‘B’.
PROPOSAL:
The proposal is for a five storey 71–unit apartment building at the north end of the parcel. The building would be comprised of five levels of residential units above a ground floor containing the main lobby, bicycle/storage lockers, concealed under building parking, and utility rooms. There would also be an additional level of parking underground. The apartment residences would be comprised of 25 one-bedroom units and 46 two-bedroom units.
The building would have a West Coast contemporary character using the same exterior materials as Phase ‘A’ (see rendering in Attachment 18): the main entrance would feature natural/cultured stone veneer, extensive glazing, and an expressed timber canopy. The remainder of the ground level would be sack-rubbed concrete finishing with cast in place reveals with mounted trellises for climbing vegetation. The upper building facade would have different cementitious cladding patterns to provide colour and texture variations: board and batten, lap, shingle, and replica (possibly natural) wood. The building would be articulated with a series of raised shed roof sections, balcony projections/supports and floor plate variations to provide architectural interest and mitigate the massing of the building.
Covenant CA3232728 was registered when the site was rezoned in 2013. It committed to the provision of community amenity contributions with the development of this parcel that include a path through the site and within the adjacent park to the north. The applicant is working with staff on staging the implementation.
The application was introduced at the January 10, 2017 Committee of the Whole meeting and the items of discussion from that meeting have been addressed as shown in Attachment 3. Key items were resolved as follows: a. To soften the visual impact of the ground level concrete building face visible from the park and trail, additional trellises and planting have been added to the side and rear of the building as shown in Attachments 15 and 16. b. A boulder retaining wall will support the ramp to underground parking but it is tiered with plantings and will not be visible from the site because it would be below the driveway as shown in Attachment 16. c. An electric vehicle charging station will be provided as described Attachment 3. d. Suitable bicycle parking access has been confirmed. The Building Code does require multiple sets of doors in underground parking for safety; adequate space for bikes will be provided between sets of doors. e. Confirmation that the building will largely be screened by south apartment building at 2 Watkiss Way is provided in a site section Attachment 7.
The plans have also been revised to add a garbage and recycling room within the building.
DISCUSSION:
There are three principle considerations for this development permit application: The key issues are: a) How does the proposal address the applicable development permit guidelines? b) How does the proposal meet Zoning Bylaw requirements? c) What are the corporate implications?
A. Development Permit Area Guidelines The site is located in the Neighbourhood Mixed Use (form and character) and Sensitive Terrestrial Ecosystems (environmental) Development Permit Areas. The proposal generally complies with the development permit area guidelines and principles (see Attachment 22).
The north part of the parcel is in the Sensitive Terrestrial Ecosystems Development Permit Areas. The guidelines for protection of the natural environment were largely addressed in Development Permit 2013/11 by dedicating forested land with the most significant ecological value as park and by focusing development in the farmed/disturbed areas of the original site.
B. Zoning Requirements and Requested Variances The site is subject to the requirements of the CD-20: Comprehensive Development (Eagle Creek Village). Table 1 summarizes the zoning requirements.
Table 1. Zoning Review
| Requirements | Proposed | Variance |
|---|---|---|
| Principal Uses Residential, Apartment (among other uses) |
Residential, Apartment | |
| Siting of Buildings and Structures a) Front Yard minimum of 0m b) Rear Yard minimum of 7.0m c) Side Yard minimum of 4.0m d) Flanking Yard minimum of 0m |
a) 38.0m b) 8.5m c) 4.0m d) n/a |
|
| Size of Buildings and Structures a) Height - 20m maximum b) Lot Coverage maximum of 45%, except that where the required parking spaces per unit are provided as enclosed underground parking, the maximum lot coverage shall be 50%. c) Floor Space Ratio 1.2:1 (9000m² x 1.2 = 10,800m²) |
a) 22.0m b) 32% (overall) c) 1.14:1 (overall) |
a) Yes |
| Parking spaces a) Studio or One Bedroom – 1 per dwelling unit x 25 = 25 b) Two Bedroom – 1.5 per dwelling unit x 46 = 69 c) Three Bedroom or more – 2 per dwelling unit x 0 = 0 d) Phase B = 94; 59+94=153 (overall) e) maximum of 30% small car spaces f) Location of parking min. 1.2m from any lot line g) length of small car parking space – minimum 4.8 m |
a) 25 b) 61 c) 0 d) 148 e) 22/148 = 16% f) 1.2m g) 4.5 m (Stall 49) |
d) Yes g) Yes |
| Bicycle Parking a) Class 1 (indoor secure) : 1 per unit x 114 = 114 (overall) b) A six-space rack at each entrance of an apartment |
a) 114 b) complies |
Variances are requested for the building height, number of parking spaces, and the length of one space as follows.
a. Building Height The proposal for a 22.0 m building height where 20.0 m is the maximum permitted can be supported for several reasons: i. There are no nearby residences on adjoining properties that would face unreasonable overlook (privacy) or shading impacts because of the building’s location north of Phase ‘A’ and the setting adjacent to park and rural land. ii. The variance would permit additional density that is supported by the Official Community Plan policies for the Neighbourhood Mixed Use land use designation. iii. The building section requiring the variance would be stepped back from the east and west ends of the building to minimize the massing impact.
b. Parking spaces 148 parking spaces are proposed where the Zoning Bylaw requires 153. This request is based on the applicant’s experience with the 60-unit rental apartment building constructed in the adjacent shopping centre (see Attachment 2). The following table compares the request to some recent projects.
| Description | Spaces per unit |
|---|---|
| 60-unit rental building at Eagle Creek Village (variance granted) | 1.0 plus a shared visitor/ commercial parking arrangement |
| Proposal | 1.29 |
| Zoning Bylaw requirement for proposal | 1.34 based on number of bedrooms |
| Coho condominium at 286 Wilfert Road (as per previous Land Use Bylaw 1990, No. 35) | 1.8 based on number of units and floor space (previous bylaw) |
No major concerns about the requested variance were expressed at the January 10, 2017 Committee of the Whole meeting, where the following points were made:
- The requested variance is minor relative to the amount of required parking (5/153).
- No overflow parking is expected on neighbouring streets as there is no on-street parking along the nearby sections of Helmcken Road and Watkiss Way.
- There is active private parking enforcement at Eagle Creek Village shopping centre
If the variance is not supported, options for the applicant could include:
- Providing the five parking spaces. The lower parking level would take up approximately half the footprint so the requested variance is not due to a shortage of space.
- Providing cash-in-lieu of $12,000 per required parking space not built so that the Town can collect funding for future offsite improvements such as sidewalks and bike lanes to provide better alternatives to private vehicle use.
c. Length of one parking space The length of Parking Space 49 (Figure 1 and Attachment 6) is proposed to be 4.5m in length where the Zoning Bylaw requires a minimum of 4.8m for a small car. The shortened length is necessary to so to accommodate a pedestrian exit from the parking area. The variance can be supported because: i. It is for only one space. ii. The 4.5 m length would be adequate for a small car up to 4.2 m long such as a Kia Soul or Austin Mini. iii. The building manager will be able to ensure that the space will only be occupied by a vehicle that would fit the space.
Figure 1. Parking space 49 based on plans by Omicron Architecture
C. Corporate Implications
| Department | Significant? | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering and Parks | No | Offsite works and services addressed during construction of shopping centre. Working with applicant on park trail design. |
| Finance | No | |
| Protective Services | No | Emergency vehicle driveway access and on site turnaround areas were addressed in Development Permit 2015/15 for the south building at 2 Watkiss Way |
RECOMMENDATION:
That Development Permit 2016/14 be approved;
AND THAT Development Permit 2016/14 include the following variances: a. Variance to the b. maximum height of a building from 20.0 m to 22.0m. c. Variance to the overall required number of parking spaces from 153 to 148. d. Variance to the length of a small car parking space from 4.8m to 4.5m;
AND FURTHER THAT Development Permit 2016/14 include the following condition: a. A landscape security deposit of $34,807.00 be submitted prior to building permit issuance for the provision and installation of on-site landscaping.
SUBMITTED BY: Jeff Chow, MCIP, RPP Senior Planner
REVIEWED BY: Lindsay Chow, MCIP, RPP Director of Development Services
ATTACHMENTS:
- Property Location Map
- Letter from Applicant – December 12, 2016 (three pages)
- Letter from Applicant – February 2, 2017 (seven pages)
- DP0.1 – Building Information – Omicron, January 25, 2017
- DP1.0 – Site Plan - Omicron, January 25, 2017
- DP1.1 – Building Section and Site Details- Omicron, January 25, 2017
- DP1.2 – Building Section and Site Details- Omicron, February 8, 2017
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