PERIOD REPORT
DATE: January 5, 2015 Report No. DEV-16-009
TO: Laurie Hurst, Chief Administrative Officer
FROM: Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
TITLE
Development Services - 2015 Third Period Report
The following is a report on the activities pertaining to the Development Services Department from September 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015.
I. DIVISION ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACTIVITIES
1. Rezoning Applications/Official Community Plan Amendments
• Interim Zoning Amendments - Staff brought forward an amending bylaw to the APC (October 21, 2015) and subsequently to Council for first and second reading (November 16, 2015) and public hearing (December 7, 2015).
• 616/620 Lampson Street - Application to rezone two parcels of land to allow for the development of 12 townhouses. This application went to the APC (November 17, 2015) and the Design Review Committee (November 12, 2015).
• 448 Head Street (Triangle Lands) - continued to work with owner and design team to bring forward a revised application.
• 865/867 Kindersley Street - APC review (September 15, 2015), First and Second Reading (October 5, 2015), Public Hearing, Third Reading and Adoption (October 26, 2015).
• 322 Plaskett Place - APC (November 15, 2015) and First and Second Reading (December 7, 2015).
• 826 Esquimalt Road - (30-unit apartment) APC review (November 17, 2015 and December 15, 2015) and DRC review (December 9, 2015).
2. Development Permit Applications
• 973 Wollaston Street - (deck setback variance) APC (December 15, 2015).
• 948 Esquimalt Road - Director’s approval (November 16, 2015).
• 519 Foster Street - (4-unit townhouse) DRC (October 14, 2015) and Council approval (November 2, 2015.
• 865-867 Kindersley Street - (two-lot subdivision) Council approval (December 7, 2015).
3. Development Variance Applications
• 712 Warder Place - APC review (September 15, 2015) and Council approval (November 16, 2015).
• 1019 Colville Road - APC review (October 21, 2015 and Council approval (November 16, 2015).
• #8 - 300 Plaskett Place - APC review (September 15, 2015) and Council approval (October 26, 2015).
• 933 Admirals Road - APC review (December 15, 2015).
• 513 Sturdee Street - (Variance to underground wiring) Council approval November 16, 2015).
• 808 Viewfield Road - APC review (January 18, 2015).
4. Temporary Use Permits
• 856 Esquimalt Road - Commercial parking for a moving company - Continue to work with the applicant to bring forward a revised application for Council’s consideration.
5. Other Planning Projects
• West Bay Design Guidelines approved by Council (November 16, 2015).
• Presented Planning Process Refresher to Council.
• Presented request to Council to prepare a request for proposals for the Esquimalt Road Urban Design Guidelines.
• Responded to a referral from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada regarding proposed boundary adjustments to the Songhees and Esquimalt Nation reserves.
• Provided Council with an overview of planning issues related to derelict boats in the Gorge Waterway.
• Provided Council with background information related to the request for municipal governments to inform the BC Lottery Corporation of their interest in being considered as a site for a future casino.
6. Subdivision Applications
• 948 Aral Road.
• 865 and 867 Kindersley Road.
• 1038 Colville Road.
7. Consultation
• Numerous meetings were held with land owners or developers to discuss the potential development of various sites in Esquimalt.
8. Official Community Plan (OCP) Review
• Launched the beginning of the OCPlan Review in the third period.
• The following actions were taken to leverage external resources to support the review of the OCP:
o Applied and received funding of $20,000 from UBCM’s 2016 Age-friendly Community Planning & Projects grant program to conduct an age-friendly assessment on the status of seniors in Esquimalt (Staff Report DEV-15-053).
o Submitted an application to the CRD Ready, Set, Solve Challenge in hopes of acquiring a team of post-secondary students to draft guidelines for establishing a Development Permit Area that addresses climate action in Esquimalt.
• Phase 1 (completed):
o Prepared Staff Report DEV-15-043, with a proposed Project Charter for the Official Community Plan Review.
o Prepared Staff Report DEV-15-049, with a draft of the “Kick Off Survey” for direction.
o Developed and uploaded content, including an OCP resource library, for the website at esquimalt.ca/communityplan.
o Procured a graphic designer to design marketing and communication materials with the tagline “Moving Esquimalt Forward”.
o Communicated the launch of the “OCP Kick Off Survey” using the following channels: news releases, community newsletter, posters and social media.
o Identified and invited a number of statutory and non-statutory stakeholders to participate in the OCP Review.
o Entered written responses from 124 paper-based surveys.
o Categorized comments from over 539 surveys.
9. Economic Development
• Staff administered the Request for Proposals for the development of the Esquimalt Village Project.
• Hosted a second Community to Community Forum with Esquimalt First Nation on December 8, 2015. The meeting was held at the Esquimalt First Nation Band Office to share each community’s economic development vision.
• Continued with the implementation of actions identified in the Economic Development Strategy as follows:
o EDS 5.1.2 - Promote Entrepreneurship to Low Income Residents (completed):
• Awarded UBCM’s 2015 Community Excellence Awards for our innovative partnership with PEERS, Bridges and Community Micro Lending in delivering the Small Business Training Program.
• Submitted a letter of support for PEERS application for funding to host a third round of the program (PEERS is currently delivering the second round).
• EDS 5.3.1 - Promote Esquimalt as “place to visit” (ongoing):
o Development Services staff met with Attractions Victoria representatives to discuss improvements to the Destinations Map for 2016.
10. Sustainability
• Staff participated in the CRD’s Climate Action Inter-municipal Working Group’s Sea Level Rise Planning Project.
• Staff participated in the CRD Climate Action Inter-Municipal Working Group’s review of the Province’s Climate Action Plan.
11. Geographic Information System
• Updated the parcel layer.
• Fixed the GIS/Tempest link as part of the Tempest Clean-up project.
• Did an analysis of Esquimalt census areas for Stats Canada.
• Numerous maps for Zoning Bylaw amending bylaws (Schedule “A” maps).
• Numerous “subject property” maps for staff reports.
• Numerous maps delineating “mail out” areas.
12. Other
• Registered ten (10) Notices with the Land Title and Survey Authority.
• Reviewed twenty (20) Business Licence Applications for compliance with the Zoning Bylaw.
• Updated the West Bay kiosk monthly, and when extra posters are received.
• Completed approximately 12 building permit plan checks.
• Responded to multiple phone, e-mail, and counter inquiries.
• Provided department comments to the Board of Variance Secretary regarding proposed variances to setbacks.
• Research and analysis of parking provided at 1315 Esquimalt Road to address an inquiry from a resident.
• Attended numerous “pre-application” meetings with developers interested in developing various parcels of land in Esquimalt.
• Attended West Side Standing Committee meetings related to sewage treatment
• Helped develop addressing guidelines for Tempest
• Continued with the on-going clean-up of Tempest data.
• Imported missing date into Tempest (e.g. zoning and map reference numbers).
• Helped draft the business processes outline for Tempest to ensure data integrity moving forward.
• Attended the Victoria - Bike Network Inter-Agency Meeting.
• September 21st - Presented as part of a panel convened by the Greater Victoria Real Estate Board to discuss Environmental Development Permit Areas.
• October 7th - Meeting: CRD Climate Action Inter-Municipal Working Group
• October 21st - Attend a meeting of the Esquimalt Harbour Environment Committee (This is a CFB Esquimalt Committee).
• November 17th - Workshop: Climate Change Adaptation on the BC Coast (Natural Resources Canada)
• November 18th - Attended a meeting of the Gorge Waterway Initiative to discuss inter-municipal responses to derelict boats on the Waterway.
• December 2nd - Workshop: Building Resilient Neighbourhoods (BC Healthy Communities)
• December 16th - Meeting: CRD Climate Action Inter-Municipal Working Group
13. Training
• Granicus training - Legistar: drafting legislative files webinar.
• Attended a seminar and Waterfronts and livable cities - November 5, 2015 at CFB Esquimalt Wardroom.
• The BC Building Act - What It Means For You Webinar.
II. COMMITTEES
• Heritage Advisory Committee
o No meetings held.
o Staff met with Corporate Services staff to plan for Heritage Week 2016.
• Environmental Advisory Committee
o Community Development Coordinator, staff liaison to the Environmental Advisory Committee, attended 1 meeting and provided more than 26 hours of support to the committee.
o Staff procured a collapsible 5’ x 5’ display of the Esquimalt Neighbourhood Watersheds Map to be on display for the public in 2016.
o Staff coordinated the production and installation of the Esquimalt Neighbourhood Watershed Map on the outside of the Nature House in Gorge Park.
o Staff worked on the development of resource binders for the local school on watershed protection (to be delivered in early 2016).
o Staff prepared Staff Report DEV-15-063 in response to Council’s referral of the “Draft Minister’s Bylaw Standards on Agri-tourism and Farm Retail Sales” to the Environmental Advisory Committee.
o Staff prepared a second draft of the Green Event Guide based on feedback received from the Environmental Advisory Committee and other stakeholders (presented to Council on January 4, 2016).
• Advisory Planning Commission
o The staff liaison attended APC meetings in September, October, November, and December during which time the APC considered twelve (12) applications.
• Board of Variance
o One meeting was held on November 23, 2015 to hear a request for minor variances to the front and side yard setbacks for a proposed set of stairs at 507 Head Street. The Board issued an order granting the variances.