REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: December 3, 2020 Report No. DRC-20-008
TO: Chair and Members of the Advisory Planning Commission; Design Review Committee
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendment for the proposed Public Safety Building.
Street Address: 500 Park Place
Legal Description: Lot A Suburban Lot 40 Esquimalt District Plan EPP103969.
PID: 031-165-788
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the proposal to amend the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw in order to accommodate a new Public Safety Building, generally consistent with the architectural plans prepared by HCMA and dated, received December 2, 2020, and the land scape plan prepared by Murdoch de Greeff dated, received December 2, 2020, to be located at 500 Park Place; (Lot A Suburban Lot 40 Esquimalt District Plan EPP103969 [PID 031-165-788]); be forwarded to Council with a recommendation to either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application; and provide reasons for the recommendation.
Body
RELEVANT POLICY:
Declaration of Climate Emergency
Local Government Act
Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922
Zoning Bylaw, 1992, No. 2050
Parking Bylaw, 1992, No. 2011
Development Application Procedures and Fees Bylaw, No. 2791, 2012
Advisory Planning Commission Bylaw, 2012, No. 2792
Subdivision and Development Control Bylaw, 1997, No. 2175
STRATEGIC RELEVANCE:
The proposed amendment to the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw to allow for the redevelopment of the subject property to accommodate a new Public Safety Building supports two of Council’s Strategic Priorities and associated strategic goals and operational strategies:
1) Strategic Priority: HEALTHY, LIVABLE AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY
Strategic Goal: Fully utilize the $17 million McLoughlin amenity funds to maximum potential.
Operational Strategy: Identify and facilitate the selection of projects to be funded by McLoughlin amenity funds in conjunction with public consultation (emergency services and public safety facilities, waterfront park improvements and recreation/public space improvements)
2) Strategic Priority: RESILIENT AND DIVERSE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT
Strategic Goal: Develop and seek opportunities for the Municipal Lands within the Esquimalt Town Centre
Operational Strategy: Explore opportunities for Public Safety Building project in conjunction with McLoughlin amenity funds
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BACKGROUND:
Appendix A - Key Map showing the location of the proposed Public Safety Building
Appendix B - Architectural and landscape drawings showing the general design intent for the redevelopment of the subject property.
PURPOSE OF APPLICATION:
The Township of Esquimalt has initiated a planning process that will see the redevelopment of the subject site from a fire hall, police station, and parking lot, to a fully integrated mixed use public safety building with a retail/food services frontage along Esquimalt Road. In addition, the proposed building would contain offices for Community Safety Services including Bylaw Enforcement, the primary Emergency Operations Centre, and an office for the Capital Regional District. As the proposed development does not conform to the Zoning Bylaw or the Official Community Plan, both documents need to be amended.
At this time the Design Review Committee is asked to comment on proposed: uses, setbacks, building height, distribution of mass, relationship to the public realm, relationship to adjacent properties, and parking. The Design Review Committee will focus on specific design elements such as colour and materials as well as the architectural details when the development permit application is presented to the Committee for review at a future meeting.
CONTEXT:
Applicant: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
Owner: Corporation of the Township of Esquimalt
Designer: Architectural - HCMA Architecture and Design
Landscape - Murdoch de Greef Inc.
Property Size: 2810 m2
OCP Land Use Designation:
Current: North half is Commercial/Commercial Mixed Use
South half is Institutional
Proposed: A unique land use designation will be created for this property that reflects the mixed institutional/commercial nature of the proposal.
Zone: The north half is Core Commercial [C-3]
The south half is Public/Institutional [P-1]
A site-specific zone will be created to accommodate the proposed Public Safety Building.
Existing Land Use: Firehall/Police Station and Parking Lot
Proposed Land Use: Public Safety Building (Fire, Police, Bylaw Enforcement, Emergency Operations Centre), small Capital Regional District office, and small-scale retail/food service along Esquimalt Road.
Surrounding Land Uses:
North: Commercial and institutional
South: Residential
East: Mixed-use residential/commercial/institutional
West: Residential and commercial
OCP ANALYSIS:
The Official Community Plan contains little in terms of a policy framework related to the proposed Public Safety Building. It does contain a policy that, “recognizes the value of maintaining the Esquimalt Municipal Hall as the primary emergency operations centre”.
This will need to be amended to recognize that the proposed Public Safety Building will become the primary Emergency Operations Centre.
The Official Community Plan also contains policy related to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed Public Safety Building will strive to be carbon neutral, hence supporting the following policies:
13.3.3 Building Energy Efficiency
Policy - Adopt best practices based on evolving building technologies and materials.
Policy - Encourage the adoption of passive, efficient, and renewable energy systems in new buildings and during building retrofits.
The subject parcel is located Development Permit Area No. 7 Energy Conservation & Greenhouse Gas Reduction. The project will be adjudicated against these guidelines when a development permit application is submitted.
ZONING ANALYSIS:
The south half of the subject parcel is in the Public Institutional [P-1] zone and the north half in the Core Commercial [C-3] zone. Neither zone is appropriate for the proposed building so a site-specific new zone will be drafted. The new zone will be drafted that will accommodate the proposed uses, setbacks, building height, parking, and density.
PARKING ANALYSIS:
The Parking Bylaw does not contain specific parking requirements for fire halls or police stations. The parkade will contain parking stalls for 41 police vehicles as well as two secure bays. In addition, a garage with the capacity for two vehicles with street level access to Park Place will accommodate the police department’s K9 unit. Other than the fire truck bays, there is no on-site parking associated with any other proposed use on the parcel.
COMMENTS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS:
Community Safety Services: The Community Safety Services Director is the project manager for this building.
Engineering Services: Comments are not available currently.
Parks: Comments are not available currently.
Fire Services: As a future occupant of this building, Fire Services has been involved in the design process.
ISSUES:
Staff would apricate the Design Review Committee’s comments on the following:
- Does the Committee have any concerns with the proposed massing of the building?
- Does the Committee have any concern with the proposed siting of the building?
- Does the Committee have any concerns with the way that the building interfaces with the public realm and adjacent buildings?
- Does the Committee have any concerns with having two garbage/recycling rooms with access directly off Park Place?
- Does the Committee have any concerns with the proposed landscaping plan including the corner plaza?
- Does the Committee have any other concerns with the proposed development?
ALTERNATIVES:
That the Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the proposal to amend the Official Community Plan and Zoning Bylaw in order to accommodate a the new Public Safety Building, generally consistent with the architectural plans prepared by HCMA and dated received December 2, 2020 and the land scape plan prepared by Murdoch de Greeff dated received December 2, 2020 to be located at 500 Park Place; (Lot A Suburban Lot 40 Esquimalt District Plan EPP103969 [PID 031-165-788]); be forwarded to Council with a recommendation to either approve, approve with conditions, or deny the application; and provide reasons for the recommendation.