REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: September 24, 2018 Report No. EPW-18-029
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Jeff Miller, Director of Engineering and Public Works
SUBJECT:
Title
Options for Property at 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road after Demolition of Building
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That Council direct staff to undertake Option 3, as set out in Staff Report EPW-18-029, as follows:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road to be utilized as compacted gravel parking
• Obtain a temporary use permit for parking on the site
• Operational costs to be offset by adjusted operational budgets in 2019
• Carry out the process to determine if any food vendors would rent the space and finalize any agreements.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Not Applicable
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
Well Managed and Well Maintained Infrastructure
Resilient and Diverse Economy
BACKGROUND:
The Township of Esquimalt is the owner of 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road. The building has now been demolished and left with a compacted gravel surface. The site will be further developed once Council receives information on potential direction(s) for the site, via the McLoughlin Amenity Funds Survey process. It is anticipated that the survey development will be completed within a year.
A direction needs to be set on how to utilize the site during the interim period. There are five potential options available. They are:
1. Site left with a gravel surface and construction fencing placed around the site.
2. Site left with a gravel surface and utilized for public parking.
3. Site left with a gravel surface, to be utilized for public parking and potential location for mobile food vendor(s).
4. Site is capped with an asphalt surface and utilized for public parking.
5. Site is capped with an asphalt surface, to be utilized for public parking and potential location for mobile food vendor(s).
The subject lot is currently zoned C-3 [Core Commercial]. In order for this lot to be utilized as a parking area (options 2, 3, 4, 5), a temporary use permit would be required. “Parking” is not a permitted principal use in this zone. The procedure for a temporary use permit requires the Township to undertake a public notification exercise. This will see a notice being published in the newspaper at least 3 days and not more than 14 days before the adoption of the resolution to issue the permit. Among other things, the notice must state the place where and the time and date when the resolution will be considered so that the public has an opportunity to address Council related to any matter in the proposed temporary use permit. Temporary use permits can be issued for a maximum of three years and may be renewed once.
Maintenance activities on the site will be determined by the type of surface and activities being carried out on the site. Once the maintenance needs are identified, they will be carried out by the Public Works and Parks departments.
ISSUES:
1. Rationale for Selected Option
It is staff’s recommendation that the site be left with a gravel surface and potential location for mobile food vendor(s) (Option 3).
With the development of the Esquimalt Town Square Project, parking around the Municipal Hall and Library has virtually been eliminated. By undertaking Option 3, a parking lot would be re-established in close proximity to the Municipal Hall. Obtaining a temporary use permit will require a short time period once construction has been completed, but will allow the site to fulfill the need of providing the residents an option for accessing the downtown core that does not presently exist. Approximately 25 parking stalls would be created in this space (dependent on the size and number of mobile vendors allowed to utilize the site). These parking spots would be limited time parking stalls in order to discourage the use by downtown commuters.
Option 3 also provides a potential revenue stream for the Township from rental fees from the mobile food vendor(s). If a food vendor can be found, it would provide an opportunity to increase the economic diversity of the downtown core.
2. Organizational Implications
There are some minor organizational implications. Public Works and Parks staff will have to incorporate the maintenance of this site into their operational budgets, which can be accomplished, during the 2019 budget process. Anticipated maintenance activities will be manageable with current staffing levels. In order to obtain a food vendor(s), a request for proposal would be issued which can be accommodated into staffs’ work plans. This lot would be for residents to utilize. Community Safety Services (Bylaw) would be tasked with monitoring and enforcing parking time periods. Township staff would continue to use the parking lot at Archie Browning as their parking location.
3. Financial Implications
The budget for demolishing the building is inclusive of the cost for providing a compacted gravel surface. Other costs such as barriers can be accommodated through existing operational budgets and both Public Works and Parks budgets will have to be adjusted by approximately $5,000 each, in order to undertake maintenance costs.
Option 1 would require funds to purchase construction fencing. This cost would be approximately $5,000.
Options 3 and 5 have the potential of providing a small revenue stream for rental of parking spaces to food vendors. By allocating space to such an enterprise, it would lower the number of parking spaces by approximately 5. For these options, the cost of the gravel surface was included in the cost of demolition.
If Options 4 or 5 are carried out, additional funding is required to undertake the paving of the lot. The cost for this work would be approximately $10,000.
A paved parking lot would not require significant maintenance, other than annual line painting.
4. Sustainability & Environmental Implications
This work would provide parking within the proximity of the Municipal Hall. By providing this service, there would be an increased flow of users within the downtown core. Based on the size of the lot, the estimated increase in vehicular traffic would not impact traffic movement.
5. Communication & Engagement
Once determined by Council, the Township will provide information to residents of the nature of the project, timelines, etc. This information would be posted on the Township’s website and other social media as well as in the newsletter, providing updates as the project moves forward.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. That Council direct staff to undertake Option 3:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road to be utilized as compacted gravel parking
• Obtain a temporary use permit for parking on the site
• Operational costs to be offset by adjusted operational budgets in 2019
• Carry out the process to determine if any food vendors would rent the space and finalize agreement
2. That Council direct staff to undertake Option 2:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road to be utilized as compacted gravel parking
• Obtain a temporary use permit for parking on the site
• Operational costs to be offset by adjusted operational budgets in 2019
3. That Council direct staff to undertake Option 4:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road to be utilized as a paved parking lot
• Approval of the release of $10,000 from Contingency Fund to cover paving costs
• Obtain a temporary use permit for parking on the site
4. That Council direct staff to undertake Option 5:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road to be utilized as a paved parking lot
• Approval of the release of $10,000 from Contingency Fund to cover paving costs
• Obtain a temporary use permit for parking on the site
• Carry out the process to determine if any food vendors would rent the space and finalize this arrangement
5. That Council direct staff to undertake Option 1:
• 1237-1243 Esquimalt Road be left a gravel surface
• Approval of the release of $5,000 from Contingency Fund to cover the cost of fencing the site.