Attachment 2: Eagle Creek Village Phase 2B, Development Permit Amendment Letter
Letter from Omicron Development Inc. outlining the request for variances and the rationale for the building's design and height.
12 December 2016
Mayor and Council c/o Planning Department Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Avenue View Royal, BC V9B 1A6
Dear Mayor and Council:
Re: Eagle Creek Village Phase 2B, Development Permit Amendment Letter, Residential, 2 Watkiss Way, View Royal BC,
Following the Town of View Royal Council approval of Development Permit 2015/05 for a residential development at 2 Watkiss Way, please see the attached amendment to the development permit. The attached amendment details “Phase B” of the development. Phase B is a 71-unit 5-floor building with one level of at grade parkade structure and one half-level underground parkade.
Building Form and Character
Phase B will follow the previously approved form and character Development Permit of Phase A building façade and landscape design carefully programmed to integrate with the surrounding park as well as the shopping centre to the south.
The Phase B building will feature the same material board as the Phase A building, including a modern selection of west coast contemporary materials. The materials are an earth-tone colour scheme which will include wood replica, black cementitious trim columns, and rock-wall entryways. This provides integration of the building with the retained landscape and provides an aesthetic that is appealing and consistent with in the design standards of View Royal.
The Phase will require two variances from the current bylaw:
- Relaxation of the overall parking bylaw requirement by 5 stalls;
- Relaxation of the height restriction for 1.96 additional meters.
Requested Variances
Parking
| Required | Proposed |
|---|---|
| North Bldg. Required parking stalls | Underground Phase A: 33 |
| One Bedrooms: 25 units – 25 stalls | Underground Phase B: 76 |
| Two Bedrooms: 46 units – 69 stalls | Surface Stalls Phase A: 30 |
| South Bldg. Required parking stalls | Surface Stalls Phase B: 9 |
| 0 Bedrooms: 1 unit – 1 stall | |
| One Bedrooms: 12 units – 12 stalls | |
| Two Bedrooms: 29 units – 44 stalls | |
| Three Bedrooms: 1 unit – 2 stalls | |
| Total Required: 153 Stalls | Total Proposed: 148 |
| Variance: 5 |
Height
| Required | Proposed |
|---|---|
| As per zoning bylaw CD-20 Comprehensive Development (Eagle Creek Village) 11.19.5: | 21.96m |
| ● Height of 20m Maximum | Variance: 1.96m |
- Relaxation of the overall parking bylaw requirement by 5 stalls;
Rationale:
| ECV Phase I Residential Parking Demand: | |
|---|---|
| Total Units: | 60 |
| Units Requesting second stall: | 12 |
| Units Requesting no stall: | 8 |
| Net Parking Demand: | 64 Stalls, 107% |
| ECV Phase II Parking Demand: | |
|---|---|
| Total Units: | 114 |
| Expected Demand (Phase I metrics applied): | 122 |
| Expected Demand (One stall per unit, plus 20% of units with a second stall): | 137 |
| Total Stalls Proposed: | 148 |
| ToVR Bylaw Requirement: | 153 |
As empirically observed in the rentals of Eagle Creek Village Phase 1, eight (8) tenants did not request a parking stall, which represented thirteen percent (13%) of the units, and only twelve (12) tenants requested a second parking stall, representing twenty percent (20%) of units. As such, the total demand for parking for 60 units in ECV Phase I is 64 stalls. If similar logic is applied to Eagle Creek Village Phase 2, and we offered one parking stall per unit, and one additional stall for 20% of the units, we would require 137 stalls to satisfy parking demand. We are proposing 148, which would exceed expected demand.
- Relaxation of the height restriction for 1.96 additional meters.
Rationale:
After extensive market analysis, including demand directly observed from the rentals at Eagle Creek Village Phase 1, we believe there is an opportunity to provide greater density for Phase B than the 60 units contemplated in the original development permit.
Based on demand in Phase 1, we’ve concluded that the development can support an additional 10% overall density, which translates to an additional 20% of density in Phase B. As such, we’ve proposed adding an additional floor to the second building, set back from the building façade to minimize visual impact. The additional floor would raise the unit count from 60 to 71. In order to allow for 5-storeys of habitable area in the North Building, we require a height relaxation from the current bylaw of 1.96m, raising the building height from 20m to 21.96.
With regards to visual impact, the additional floor has been designed to have minimal impact on visual site lines by being set back from the east and west facade. Given the setbacks, the prominence of the building is not apparent as it is hidden visually from the south by the Phase A building, and from the north by the parkland. Looking up from the east and west site lines, the fifth floor addition will have minimal impact as the proposed setback reduces almost all ability to see the top floor.
We are pleased to submit our application for amendment of the Development Permit 2015/05 and ask that you consider our applications for variance from the bylaw given the rationale above.
Respectfully submitted,
OMICRON DEVELOPMENT INC.
Matt Dixon, BComm. Assistant Development Manager
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