REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: March 12, 2025 Report No. DRC-25-002
TO: Chair and Members of the Design Review Committee
FROM: Alex Tang, Planner and Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Rezoning Application - 1007 Arcadia Street
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Esquimalt Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the rezoning application to authorize the proposed development of a 6-unit residential development consistent with the architectural plan and landscape plan provided by Adapt Design, to be located at 1007 Arcadia Street be forwarded to Council with a recommendation to either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application including reasons for the chosen recommendation.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Zoning Bylaw, 1992, No. 2050
Local Government Act
Declaration of Climate Emergency
Parking Bylaw, 1992, No. 2011
Development Application Procedures and Fees Bylaw, 2012, No. 2791
Advisory Planning Commission Bylaw, 2012, No. 2792
Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw, 2023, No. 3128
Green Building Checklist
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Housing
BACKGROUND:
Appendix A: Aerial Map
Appendix B: Architectural Drawings and Site Plan
Appendix C: Arborist Report
Appendix D: Green Building Checklist
Appendix E: Applicant’s Presentation
PURPOSE OF APPLICATION:
The applicant is requesting a change in zoning from RS-1 [Single Family Residential] to a Comprehensive Development District zone [CD]. This change is required to accommodate the proposed 6-unit townhouse residential building.
Evaluation of this application should focus on issues related to zoning such as the proposed height, density, massing, proposed unit sizes, siting, setbacks, lot coverage, usable open space, parking, land use, fit with the neighbourhood, and consistency with the overall direction contained within the Official Community Plan.
This site is located within Development Permit Area No. 1 - Natural Environment, No. 6 - Multi-Family Residential, No. 7 - Energy Conservation and Greenhouse Gas Reduction, and No. 8 - Water Conservation of the Township’s Official Community Plan. If the rezoning is approved, the form and character of the buildings, landscaping, and consistency with guidelines relating to natural environment protection, energy conservation, greenhouse gas reduction, and water conservation will be controlled by a development permit that would be considered by Council at a future date.
CONTEXT:
Applicant: Kahlon Developments
Owner: 1449934 B.C. LTD., INC.NO. BC1449934
Designer: Adapt Design
Property Size: Metric: 848 m2 Imperial: 9127 ft2
OCP Present Land Use Designation: Low Density Residential
OCP Proposed Land Use Designation: Townhouse Residential
Existing Land Use: Single-Family Residential
Proposed Land Use: Townhouse Residential
Surrounding Land Uses:
North: Single-Family Residential
South: Single-Family Residential
East: Single-Family Residential
West: Single-Family Residential
OCP ANALYSIS:
The proposed development is consistent with the Proposed Land Use Designation of ‘Townhouse Residential’. The proposed development consists of 6 units and a floor area ratio of 0.8. For densities greater than those set out in the Official Community Plan, the applicant is proposing community amenities in the form of one non-market townhouse unit to be sold and maintained at sub-market rate.
OCP Section 5.1 states a policy to consider new townhouse residential proposals with a Floor Area Ratio of up to 0.70, and up to three storeys in height, in areas designated Townhouse Residential on the “Proposed Land Use Designation Map,” provided the design responds effectively to both its site and surrounding land uses.
Moreover, there exists another policy to support the development of a variety of housing types and designs to meet the anticipated housing needs of residents. This may include non-market and market housing options that are designed to accommodate young and multi-generational families, the local workforce, as well as middle- and high-income households.’
OCP Section 5.2 Low Density Residential Development states an objective to strive for redevelopment and infill development that improves and enhances the appearance and livability of neighbourhoods and the community as a whole.
Supporting policies in this section consistent with the proposed development include:
• Proposed redevelopment or infill within present low density residential land use designated areas should be built to high quality design and landscaping standards and respond sensitively to existing neighbourhood amenities.
Section 5.4 Affordable Housing states an objective to encourage a range of housing by type, tenure and price so that people of all ages, household types, abilities and incomes have a diversity of housing choice in Esquimalt.
Supporting policies in this section relevant with the proposed development include:
• Encourage the provision of missing middle housing types such as two-unit dwelling (duplexes), townhouses and small lot infill as one avenue to address housing affordability.
Section 11.3.2 New Development states the following policies:
• Encourage developers to provide a variety of end of trip facilities for active transportation.
• Encourage bike lockers in multi-unit residential and commercial/commercial mixed-use developments.
Section 13.3.3 Building Energy Efficiency states the following policies:
• Adopt best practices based on evolving building technologies and materials.
• Encourage the adoption of passive, efficient, and renewable energy systems in new buildings and during building retrofits.
• Investigate options for encouraging developers to achieve high energy performance in new developments through such tools as density bonusing, expedited permit approval process, rebate of development fees, revitalization tax exemption, and other incentives.
• Pursue higher energy-efficiency performance in new developments, through the achievement of higher steps in the BC Energy Step Code as an amenity associated with rezoning.
Under Section 13.3.6 Passenger Vehicle Alternatives, the following policies are listed:
• Encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in all new multi-unit developments.
• Pursue the installation of electric vehicle charging capacity in new developments during the rezoning process.
• Encourage the inclusion of car share in new multi-unit residential developments.
Relevant Development Permit Area Guidelines to consider as it relates to the rezoning application include:
• New buildings should be designed and sited to minimize visual intrusion on to the privacy of surrounding homes and minimize the casting of shadows on to the private outdoor space of adjacent residential units.
• The size and siting of buildings that abut existing single- and two-unit and townhouse dwelling should reflect the size and scale of adjacent development and complement the surround uses. To achieve this, height and setback restrictions may be imposed as a condition of the development permit.
• Orient buildings to take advantage of site-specific climate conditions, in terms of solar access and wind flow; design massing and solar orientation for optimum passive performance.
• Build new developments compactly, considering the solar penetration and passive performance provided for neighbouring sites, and avoid shading adjacent to usable outdoor open spaces.
• Provide space for significant landscaping including varying heights of trees, shrubs and ground covers.
• Provide usable outdoor amenities such as seating, food gardens, mini-libraries, and play spaces in semi-public areas to enhance the experience of walking and recreating in the neighbourhood.
• Provide space for absorbent landscaping, including significantly sized trees on the site and by not allowing underground parking structures to extend beyond building walls.
ZONING ANALYSIS:
Density, Lot Coverage, Height and Setbacks: The following chart lists the floor area ratios, lot coverage, setbacks, height, parking, and usable open space of this proposal. Zoning Bylaw, 1992, No. 2050 does not currently contain a zone that can accommodate this proposed development.
|
|
Proposed CD Zone |
|
Residential Units |
6 |
|
Floor Area Ratio |
0.80 |
|
Lot Coverage |
42% |
|
Setbacks: |
|
|
Front |
3.05 m |
|
Northern Interior |
4.98 m |
|
Southern Interior |
3.0 m |
|
Rear |
6.0 m |
|
Building Height |
10.8 m [3 storeys] |
|
Off Street Parking |
7 spaces |
|
Usable Open Space |
70 m2 (8.25%) |
PARKING ANALYSIS:
Parking: Parking Bylaw, 1992, No. 2011 requires 2.0 parking spaces per unit to be provided for townhouse and low-density apartment zones. Parking areas are required to be constructed to meet the standards for manoeuvring aisle dimensions and associated parking stall dimensions detailed in Part 14, Table 2, of the Bylaw.
This proposal incorporates 7 parking spaces to serve 6 townhouse dwelling units. Hence, the parking offered is less than the required amount of 13 parking spaces as required by the Parking Bylaw. It is noted that a new Parking Bylaw is currently being considered by Council.
Under the proposed Parking Bylaw, the applicant is providing more than the number of required parking space as detailed below:
6 Townhouse Dwelling Units x 0.5 = 3
6 x 0.1 = 0.6
Total = 4
ISSUES:
Please consider the massing, height, lot coverage, setbacks, amount of open space and parking in your recommendation to Council.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That the Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the rezoning application be approved including reason for this recommendation.
2. That the Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the rezoning application be approved subject to conditions, including reason for this recommendation.
3. That the Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the rezoning application be denied including reasons for this recommendation.