Community Amenity Contributions (CACs)

CACs are negotiated amenity contributions agreed to by the applicant/developer and local government as part of a rezoning process initiated by the applicant/developer. CACs can take several forms including the provision of amenities, affordable housing and/or financial contributions towards amenities. The agreed-to CAC is obtained by the local government, if the local government decides to adopt the rezoning.

The applicant has offered the following:

• $1.0 million towards the Capital Regional District’s Regional Housing Trust Fund, an initiative of the Regional Housing Affordability Strategy.
• Specifics relating to existing tenant offers over and above what is required by the BC RTA as outlined in the ‘Existing Resident Engagement and Management’ section above.

Staff is recommending that a land lift analysis be undertaken to determine the value of the property after it has been rezoned. This valuation will assist staff and Council in determining what an appropriate amenity contribution level would be.

Staff is recommending that a housing agreement be established to secure the following:

• Permanent rental status of the units
• Details relating to the current offers of assistance for existing Christie Point residents

Timing of the amenity contributions will be determined in advance of the application returning for bylaw readings.

Other Items Required

After a successful rezoning, additional items will be required to enable development. These will include (but are not limited to):

• Three separate Development Permits to address Development Permit guidelines within the Town’s Official Community Plan
• A Servicing Agreement/Site Development Agreement
• Building Permits
• Soil deposit/removal permit (if required)
• Tree removal permits

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

In considering the suitability of the site for the proposed rezoning, Council must weigh the potential drawbacks of the proposal against the benefits it will provide the Town and the region.

The Town’s Official Community Plan contains policies which articulate the Town’s goals objectives and can be used to analyze the proposal at Christie Point from several perspectives.

OCP Policies

While there are many policies within the OCP that are relevant to the current development at the Development Permit Stage, the policies outlined here pertain primarily to the rezoning.

Policy LU8.4 Christie Point

Encourage any future redevelopment at Christie Point to include a mix of medium density residential and park uses. Development at this location should be carefully reviewed to ensure that environmentally sensitive areas are protected, potential sea-level rise issues are addressed, and safe and efficient road access from the Island Highway is maintained.

• This is the only Christie Point-specific policy within the OCP. The policy summarizes the major issues as outlined in the report, which are actively being considered.

Policy LU1.1 Neighbourhood Centres

Create a network of neighbourhood-serving, mixed-use centres. Encourage the majority of new and infill residential and commercial growth into these areas to create compact, walkable and cycling-friendly activity hubs.

• The site is close to the E&N Trail, promoting cycling
• Craigflower Elementary School and Shoreline Middle School are walkable from the site for such a use. Craigflower Elementary is a longer walk at about 1km from the entrance to Christie Point, which may be a deterrent for many students and parents.
• The Admirals commercial area is largely outside the distance of reasonable walkability for such services, though more ambitious residents may undertake it. This is especially true for the Admirals Walk area with a diversity of groceries, liquor, coffee, restaurants and services. At 1.1km from the entrance to Christie Point, a trip for groceries represents a 30-minute round trip walk, potentially carrying bags of groceries.
• The cycling linkage from Shoreline Dr to Admirals Walk is not optimal, with no bike lane along that section of Admirals Rd.

Policy LU1.2 Connected Centres

Ensure each neighbourhood centre is served and connected to the surrounding area by a range of transportation choices including transit, and bike and pedestrian pathways. Similarly, ensure that residential densities at neighbourhood centres increase the viability of transit, bike and pedestrian travel modes.

• The site is close to transit service on Island Highway, linking the downtown and the West Shore.
• Staff is actively reviewing the transportation impact study to determine how best to improve active transportation choices and accessibility from the site.

Policy LU1.4 Diversity of Forms and Uses

Support a variety of residential and commercial forms and uses to encourage socio-economic diversity, and provide for the diverse needs of youth, families and an aging population.

• The proposed purpose-built rental units in a variety of townhouse and apartment configurations will be a fairly unique housing product in View Royal.
• The choice of two-and-three-bedroom apartment units (as expected) provides family friendly options and aging-in-place opportunities. Single-level units are preferred for aging populations.

Policy LU1.6 Community Amenities

Foster the provision of community and neighbourhood amenities associated with new development through the development of amenity density bonus provision in the zoning bylaw or through negotiated Phased Development Agreements.

• There is no amenity density provision for the site.
• Any phased development would be for the benefit of the existing residents transitioning to new housing. Staff is actively working on assembling a comprehensive housing agreement and amenity contributions package.

Policy LU2.3 Targeted Residential Infill

On a case-by-case basis, allow limited residential infill in established residential areas as a means of providing greater housing options and addressing the demand for ground-oriented family housing. Infill should be designed to blend into the existing neighbourhood and should adhere to Infill Guidelines to be developed by the Town following the adoption of this plan.

• The applicant is proposing ground-oriented townhouses and apartment units where possible, many of which will be suitable as family housing.
• The development is intensifying the land use, and largely adhering to a similar pattern of development on the site.

Policy LU4.2 Support Walking, Cycling and Transit

Encourage higher density and mixed-use development at neighbourhood centres and along major transit corridors to promote walkability, cycling and transit use. Support higher residential density, commercial intensity and reduced parking requirements in areas well served by transit.

• The site is located near several transportation hubs, including Island Highway, Craigflower Rd, Admirals Rd, and the E&N Trail system.
• The site is served by bus linkages to downtown Victoria and to the West Shore.
• The Town is reviewing the supplied Traffic Impact Assessment to determine if the transit linkages are suitable enough to recommend the reduced parking ratios proposed.

Policy LU5.1 Conservation Designations

Maintain all protected natural areas through existing conservation and park designations, and the establishment and enforcement of Environmentally Sensitive Areas Development Permit Areas.

• Staff is proposing that sensitive ecological areas on the site are protected through natural areas covenants.
• Environmental Development Permits will be required to develop the site.

Policy LU5.2 Sustainable Development Patterns

Direct new growth away from environmentally sensitive areas, and promote sustainable development patterns and building forms that result in a more efficient use of limited land.

• The proposed buildings and driveway are sited on the current building footprints and disturbed areas, which minimizes the environmental impact of the development.

Policy LU5.4 Urban Growth Boundary

Maintain the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and continue to direct new urban development and improvements within the boundary.

• The site is within the Urban Growth Boundary.
• Development of infill sites to create higher density in sites close to urban centers will reduce potential sprawl and associated traffic and land use demands in areas outside the core and outside the Urban Growth Boundary.

Transportation Objectives and Policies

Policy TR1.2 Pedestrian Improvements

Enhance pedestrian access and movement through the development of a system of sidewalks, multi-use trails and pedestrian paths integrated with public transit in all areas. Improvements should be carried out according the Transportation Master Plan.

• Required upgrades to Shoreline Dr, Island Highway and the Shoreline Middle School pathway will improve the area in this regard.
• Paths on-site are proposed and will be considered at the time of Development Permit.

Policy TR1.3 Cycling Infrastructure

Promote cycling for commuting, personal transport and recreation purposes through improvements to infrastructure and facilities as identified in the Transportation Master Plan. The inclusion of bicycle parking areas and facilities such as showers, lockers, and change rooms shall be encouraged at commercial, institutional, public, recreational, and multi-family residential development sites.

• Staff is requesting improvements to the Shoreline School pathway to enable a better cycling linkage to the E&N Trail.
• Bike lanes are proposed for Shoreline Dr
• Bicycle parking is required by the Zoning Bylaw, and staff is working with the applicant to determine the provision of cycling facilities on-site.
• The applicant has proposed a bicycle maintenance station; staff would like to see a more robust proposal which would also include oversized bike parking and a robust demand management program on-site to encourage and foster cycling.

Policy TR1.8 Transportation Demand Management

Encourage Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures for new developments and existing areas that could benefit from TDM, particularly large employers. TDM plans and strategies should include education, incentives and disincentives, and travel options to support walking, cycling, ridesharing and transit, and reduce single occupancy vehicle trips and private car ownership.

Consider decreasing parking requirements for development proposals that incorporate site specific TDM strategies and that can demonstrate a decrease in the demand for car travel and an increase in the use of other travel options.

• The applicant is proposing such programs; the details are uncertain at this point.

Policy TR1.9 Small Boat Launch

Support non-motorized water transportation in View Royal. Investigate opportunities to expand infrastructure for canoes, kayak and smalls boats in Esquimalt Harbour and Portage Inlet. This includes identifying and pursuing opportunities for providing public boat launches, docks and associated facilities.

• There is an existing boat storage area and walkable canoe/kayak launch on the site.
• A dock or expanded boat launch may be proposed on-site.
• Any such structure would require a Development Permit with variance from the Town, and provincial and federal approvals.

Policy TR2.2 Access to Services

Plan and prioritize new pedestrian, cycling and transit improvements to enhance access to Neighbourhood Centres, Community Corridors, parks, shopping areas, schools and residential areas with higher population densities.

• The transportation infrastructure provision is being reviewed by staff.

Policy TR3.5 Safe Routes to Schools and Parks

Support and prioritize safety improvements on roads adjacent to schools and parks. Encourage the school district and parent associations to develop and periodically update safe route-to-school plans in consultation with the Town.

• The Town will take this into account when reviewing off-site infrastructure requirements.
• At the time of Development Permit the on-site issues will be considered.

Policy TR3.11 Encourage Environmentally Friendly Transportation

Support more environmentally friendly vehicular alternatives to single occupancy vehicles and private car ownership. This includes encouraging vanpooling, carpooling and ridesharing; car co-ops; and high efficiency or clean energy vehicles.

• The applicant is proposing demand-management options such as a ride-sharing notice board on-site. Staff will be reviewing such proposals in more detail in conjunction with the traffic impact assessment reviews.

Housing Objectives and Policies

Policy HS1.1 Range of Housing Types

Ensure the policies of this Plan and the regulations of the Zoning Bylaw support a range of housing, including detached homes, small lot subdivisions, apartments, townhouses, secondary suites and other typologies that meet the housing needs of current and future residents.

Special consideration will be given to the provision of ground-oriented units in order to accommodate continued demand for family housing. Increasing the number of garden suites, townhomes, small lot detached houses and other housing forms with ground level entries is essential to realizing the Town’s Vision.

• The proposed purpose-built rental units in a variety of townhouse and apartment configurations will be a unique housing product in View Royal.
• The choice of two-and-three-bedroom apartment units (as expected) provides family friendly options.
• Ground-oriented options are being proposed by the applicant and will be explored in more detail at time of Development Permit.

Policy HS1.2 Age in Place

Encourage appropriate housing – both market and non-market – for seniors to allow residents to age in place within the View Royal community. This includes promoting the development of accessible and adaptable units that are specifically designed for those with physical constraints and mobility limitations.

• There is no non-market housing proposed or required by the Town.
• Market rental housing in 3 bedroom configurations provide longer-term options for aging in place, while smaller units offer the opportunity to downsize within the same community.

Policy HS1.4 Housing Amenity Contributions

Ensure that any proposed multi-unit residential development requiring a rezoning provides a “housing amenity” contribution to the Town, which could be directed to the Regional Housing Trust Fund as part of the Town’s annual contribution.

• The applicant has proposed a $1.0 million contribution to the CRD Regional Housing Trust Fund as part of an amenity contribution package.

Policy HS1.9 Innovative Approaches

Support innovative approaches to creating affordable housing including market rental, cooperatives, co-housing and other forms of shared ownership, mixed market and non-market projects, and public-private partnerships.

• The proposal is for 100% market rental housing on-site, to be secured by a Housing Agreement.

Policy HS1.10 Affordability Through Design

Promote “affordability through design” by encouraging housing forms that are less expensive to build and maintain such as small lot subdivisions, townhomes, multi unit houses, stacked units, apartments, and secondary suites.

• The proposal is for a mix of townhouse and apartment use.

Policy HS2.2 Infill Housing

Consider targeted infill housing within established residential areas to provide new ground oriented housing, with a focus on providing new family-oriented housing close to parks, schools and other community amenities.

• The applicant is proposing ground-oriented townhouses and ground-level apartment access where possible.
• The site is close to open space on the property, Shoreline Middle School and Craigflower Elementary schools, and a retail centre along Admirals Rd

Natural Environment Objectives and Policies

Policy NE1.4 Covenants

Continue to use and maintain covenants to permanently protect greenspaces, greenway connections and environmentally sensitive spaces from future development.

• A covenant is proposed to establish and protect natural open spaces on the property.

Policy NE1.6 Native Trees and Vegetation

Encourage the protection of native trees and vegetation in natural and developed areas.

• The re-use of the existing building footprints minimizes the impacts on existing trees.
• The applicant is proposing a native tree planting program.

Policy NE1.10 Community Stewardship

Encourage residents, businesses, schools and community groups to get involved in conserving the health of the natural environment

• The applicant has proposed an education program on-site for residents and visitors

Policy NE1.12 Public Education

Work with other municipalities and levels of governments, local community groups, schools, and environmental organizations to develop and disseminate environmental conservation and community stewardship information to the public.

• The applicant has proposed an education program on-site for residents and visitors, which could involve the assistance of a variety of agencies.

Policy NE2.4 Environmental Impacts

Consider the natural limitations of the land when assessing the type and intensity of proposals for development in View Royal. Enact and enforce environmental impact assessment standards for the Town in concert with federal, provincial and regional governmental agencies, and ensure the proper undertaking and supervision of environmental reviews.

• This is actively being considered with the proposal, and is a significant issue.
• Considerations of the impact of an increased population will have to be considered by Council as part of the rezoning
• Measures to reduce public access to environmentally sensitive areas are being proposed by the applicant and by staff, including natural areas covenants.
• More detailed measures to protect sensitive ecosystems and areas will be considered at the time of Development Permit.

Policy NE2.6 Environmental Inventories

Development application packages should include a complete environmental inventory of existing vegetation, wildlife, topography, soils, and drainage. The resulting detailed understanding of natural factors will provide the basis for comprehensive planning.

• This has been provided with the application.

Policy NE2.10 Comprehensive Development Zoning

Comprehensive Development zoning may be required in areas that require special care in dealing with difficult terrain, preservation of natural features and access challenges. Due regard should be given to maintaining special natural characteristics.

• A Comprehensive Development zone is proposed by staff.

Community Infrastructure and Services Policies

Policy IS3.2 New Development Costs

Require that the cost of system upgrades to accommodate new development be borne by developers.

• This is required.

Policy IS5.4 Flood Planning

Plan for safety of people and property in the occurrence of major flood events

• A comprehensive geotechnical report has considered this and has established a minimum geodetic elevation for habitable areas and parkade entrances on the site.

Discussion of Issues

Housing

The housing discussion for the site can be broken into two significant parts:

• The displacement or temporary disruption of existing residents from 161 market rental units coming to the end of their serviceable lifespan
• The creation of 473 new market rental housing units

As the aging buildings on the site require replacement, the issue of displacement or temporary disruption of residents is unquestionably unfortunate; some residents have lived there for decades and within a rental market with a vacancy rate of less than 1% it is a significant burden for many to find suitable replacement housing. Equally, however, redevelopment of the site is both inevitable and necessary. Given that the existing units are rented at market rates and are not subsidized or non-market housing, and that the Town of View Royal has no specific requirement for the provision of affordable housing in new residential developments, the consideration of what is suitable compensation for existing residents must be weighed subjectively and reasonably.

In staff’s estimation, the Christie Point Advocates Working Group’s Tenant Protection & Relocation Guidelines resemble the compensation which would be provided to a highly vulnerable population living in a Vancouver context. Staff believes that, given the site’s market rate housing context in View Royal, the redevelopment necessitates a more moderate compensation package for residents.

Staff is proposing a land lift analysis to determine the precise value of the property after rezoning. The results will give staff and Council a better understanding of the appropriate levels of amenity contributions.

Overall, staff believes that there is a net benefit to the Town of View Royal by adding to the total supply of market rental housing in the Town. Staff will continue to work to understand the project phasing, resident displacement issues, the proposed $1 million contribution to the CRD Regional Housing Trust Fund and the potential for affordable housing to be included on the site.

Transportation

Transportation issues are a significant technical determinant of the proposal’s ultimate feasibility. Island Highway and Admirals Rd experiences significant traffic volumes at certain times of the day, and that there are challenges to overcome with the proposed intersection’s proximity to the Craigflower-Admirals intersection.

Staff is reviewing the Transportation Impact Assessment provided with the application, and the assumptions made therein, including those of walkability, traffic generation, parking requirements, alternative transportation mode sharing, and so forth. A focus for Town staff, in advance of the application coming forward for bylaw readings, will be a clear determination of both traffic supply issues and traffic demand management through alternative transportation initiatives.

There is the issue of regional traffic issues. Council must determine whether regional traffic volumes, a lack of a current regional transit solution, the Mackenzie Interchange project and other issues should factor into the ability of the Town to realize its Official Community Plan goals. Regional traffic is highly variable and unpredictable; what is unreasonable today might not be so in the future. More detailed analysis of on and off site issues needs to be considered as part of the rezoning application. Staff anticipates that further on-site issues and recommendations will be made at the Development Permit stage with respect to parking.

Environment

The site contains two Environmental Development Permit Areas. During the Development Permit stages there are many opportunities available for Council to address environmental issues on the site, and to improve conditions in many cases. Council’s ultimate consideration will be to weigh the balance of the benefits of the development with any environmental impacts that adding population may have on the site. Staff does not believe that environmental issues are a barrier to the redevelopment of the site where best practices are used.

Conclusion

While the issues of housing, transportation and environment are both significant and needing to be more thoroughly examined in advance of bylaw readings, the proposal meets the Town’s ultimate Official Community Plan goals for the site. The proposal represents a significant net benefit for the Town, and for the region as a whole. Staff has confidence that the application will be supportable once the discussed details of amenity contributions, housing agreement details and technical transportation issues can be better determined.

The rezoning application for the site represents the first step in redeveloping this property in line with the Official Community Plan. The rezoning addresses the fundamental issues of use and density. If the application is ultimately approved, future Development Permit applications will address the details of form and character, building materials, fenestration, lighting, landscaping, environmental restoration and protection, tree protection, water access, site safety, parking, trails and public access.

Next Steps

Staff will work with the applicant to resolve issues as identified in the report and through feedback gained during the Committee of the Whole meeting on February 15, 2017. Currently the major outstanding issues include:

• A complete review of the Transportation Impact Assessment and associated transportation and parking issues, including determining final unit configurations for parking calculations.
• Better understand project phasing, resident displacement issues, and affordable housing issues specific to the site.
• Procuring a land lift analysis to determine an appropriate community amenity contribution package.
• Determination of appropriate areas and terms for natural areas covenants and statutory rights-of-way for public access over the site.
• Drafting of a final zone and zone table (potentially CD-22: Christie Point Mixed Residential).

The application is expected to come forward to Council for first and second reading of the zoning amendment bylaw in April/May 2017, with a Public Hearing targeted for June 2017.

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT Committee receive this report for information.

SUBMITTED BY: J. Davison, MCIP, Planning Technician

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

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Subject Property Map
2. Subject Property Orthophoto
3. Comprehensive Development Plan Executive Summary - December 12, 2016
4. Christie Point Redevelopment Plan Community and Stakeholder Engagement Summary - December 12, 2016
5. Christie Point Redevelopment Drawing Package - December 9, 2016
6. Christie Point Landscape Master Plan – July 11, 2016
7. Technical Report Package – December 9, 2016