DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2017/05 – 102 ATKINS ROAD

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 2017/05 – 102 ATKINS ROAD

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Development Permit 2017/05 be approved;

AND THAT Development Permit 2017/05 include the following variances:

• Variance to the maximum building height of Building A1 from 7.5 to 9.4m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building B1 from 7.5 to 9.0m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building C1 from 7.5 to 8.3m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building B3 from 7.5 to 9.0m

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES’ COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To consider a Form & Character development permit application to change the site grading and to modify building designs approved in Development Permit 2015/12 for the construction of a nine unit detached strata residential development. Variances are requested to vary the height of four buildings from 7.5m to up to 9.4m.

BACKGROUND:

Development Permit 2015/12 was approved to construct a multifamily residential development comprised of nine detached strata units. The 6400m² subject property is located in the Atkins neighbourhood between the E & N Rail Corridor and Galloping Goose Regional Trail. The site is long and triangular, coming to a point at the west end, where second growth trees have been established on and around the parcel. The property was rezoned to the site-specific CD-21: Detached Multiple-Unit Residential zone in June 2015 to facilitate the proposed development.

PROPOSAL:

The application is to amend Development Permit 2015/12 as follows:

• to revise the site grading;
• to modify the building design to incorporate basements; and
• to vary the height of four buildings from 7.5 m to up to 9.4m.

Following site preparation work conducted over the past few months, the site grading has been changed from the approved concept as shown in Figure 1 by lowering the finished grade at the north end of the property and raising the finished grade at the south end of the property through redistribution of previously excavated soil and rock on the site. This was done to address a servicing issue to allow storm drainage to flow in one direction instead of two as (see Figure 1) and to create a more level site to improve onsite vehicle circulation.

Partial basements are also proposed for all of the buildings so they would be 2.5 storeys from the finished grade. The total additional floor area of 532m² is within zoning requirements.

The site re-grading has an impact on building height calculations because height is measured from the natural grade or finished grade, whichever is lower. Buildings at the north end of the site near Fagan Place would be lower by approximately 1.2m. The finished grade around four buildings at the south end shown in Attachment 3 would be raised by up to 1.5m. Since height is measured from the existing grade for these buildings, variances to Zoning Bylaw No. 900, 2014 are proposed as shown in Attachment 5 and in Table 1.

Table 1. Zoning Review

*Variance requested

The application was introduced at the Committee of the Whole meeting on October 17, 2017.

DISCUSSION:

Key issues include the following:

1. How does the proposal address the applicable development permit guidelines?
2. Are the requested variances supportable?

1. Development Permit Area Guidelines

Development on this parcel is subject to the Mixed Residential Development Permit Area guidelines, including guidelines for site planning and building design character.

Site Grading The natural terrain was very uneven and extensive grading was already part of the original work approved in Development Permit 2015/12 to create buildable sites. The revised site grading can be considered to be in keeping with the guidelines because a green space to be restored at the very south end of the parcel would not be impacted. The revised site grading can also be supported for the following reasons: a. It would allow drainage to flow down the driveway instead of in two different directions. The second drainage route would have to cross the Galloping Goose Regional Trail so drainage could flow into the ditch on Atkins Road. b. It would improve onsite vehicle circulation so that the driveway grades at the north end of the parcel near Fagan Place would be less steep. c. The revised site grading is achieved by redistributing soil and rock on the parcel within areas that were already to be disturbed and regraded. d. It does not have any impact on adjacent properties, roads, E&N railway, and Galloping Goose Regional Trail.

If the revised site grading is not supported, it would mean that soil and rock would have to be redistributed on the parcel to restore the original grading concept and the drainage infrastructure would have to be reworked so for drainage to cross under the Galloping Goose Regional Trail to Atkins Road.

Building Design The approved building designs were for two storey buildings facing the internal driveways (see Attachment 12). With the addition of basements, the buildings would 2.5 storeys so that the upper half of the basement levels would be exposed at the front elevation and there would be stairs leading up to the front porches (see Attachment 3).

The building design changes are supportable for the following reasons: a. The exposed basement areas would have stone veneer cladding that would visually ground the buildings and be consistent with the guidelines that support good quality earth toned materials in keeping with the neighbourhood. b. Aside from addition of half-exposed basement levels and entrance stairs, the buildings have the same design (floor plans, materials, colours, finishes, etc.) and are in the same locations as originally approved. c. There would be no visual impact on the streetscape because the site is separated from Fagan Place by a grade changes and a natural wooded buffer. The geodetic roof elevations of the two buildings facing Fagan Place would also be 1.2m lower than what was approved in Development Permit 2015/12.

2. Requested Variances

The requests to vary the building heights for Buildings A1, B1, C1 and B3 from 7.5m to up to 9.4m are supportable because: a. There would be no noticeable change to the streetscape and no shade or privacy impacts on adjacent residences. This is because the parcel is well separated from neighbouring properties on all sides by three different transportation corridors: the E&N Railway corridor to the north, Fagan Place to the west, and the Galloping Goose Regional Trail and Atkins Road to the south. There are also treed/vegetated buffers and grade separations along the edges of the parcel. b. The buildings would be 2.5 storeys from the finished grade and would not appear over height or out of scale in comparison to other buildings on the site as shown in Attachment 5.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Development Permit 2017/05 be approved;

AND THAT Development Permit 2017/05 include the following variances:

• Variance to the maximum building height of Building A1 from 7.5 to 9.4m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building B1 from 7.5 to 9.0m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building C1 from 7.5 to 8.3m
• Variance to the maximum building height of Building B3 from 7.5 to 9.0m

SUBMITTED BY: J. Chow, MCIP, RPP, Senior Planner

REVIEWED BY: L. Chase, MCIP, RPP, Director of Development Services

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Location Map
2. Letter from Brian Trenchard, En Viro Tec General Contracting Ltd. – September 14, 2017 (2 pages)
3. Site Plan – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
4. Grade Calculations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
5. Front Building Elevations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
6. Type A Homes – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
7. Type B Homes – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
8. Type C Homes – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
9. Type A Typical Elevations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
10. Type B Typical Elevations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
11. Type C Typical Elevations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017
12. Development Permit 2015/12 - Front Building Elevations – Victoria Design - September 13, 2017