REQUEST FOR DECISION
DATE: March 12, 2025 Report No. DRC-25-001
TO: Chair and Members of the Design Review Committee
FROM: Alex Tang, Planner and Bill Brown, Director of Development Services
SUBJECT:
Title
Rezoning Application - 621 Constance Avenue
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
That the Esquimalt Design Review Committee recommends to Council that the rezoning application to regulate the proposed development of a 6-storey residential building consistent with the architectural plans provided by Waymark Architecture and the landscape plan provided by Small and Rossell Landscape Architects, Inc., to be located at 621 Constance Avenue 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:
Official Community Plan Bylaw, 2018, No. 2922
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 Landscape Plan
Appendix C: Green Building Checklist
Appendix D: Applicant’s Presentation
PURPOSE OF APPLICATION:
The applicant is requesting a change in zoning from RM-4 [Multiple Family Residential] to a Comprehensive Development zone. This change is required to accommodate the proposed 6-storey, 17-unit multiple family 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: Village Walk Designs Inc.
Owner: 1260170 B.C. LTD.,INC.NO. BC1260170
Architect: Waymark Architecture
Property Size: Metric: 690 m2 Imperial: 7427 ft2
OCP Present Land Use Designation: Medium Density Residential
OCP Proposed Land Use Designation: High Density Residential:
Zone: RM-4
Existing Land Use: Multiple-Family Residential [2 Storeys]
Proposed Land Use: Multiple Family Residential [6 Storeys]
Surrounding Land Uses:
North: Multiple Family Residential [4-Storey Apartment]
South: Multiple Family Residential [3-Storey Apartment]
East: Multiple Family Residential [11-Storey Apartment]
West: Multiple Family Residential [10-Storey Apartment]
OCP ANALYSIS:
The proposed development is consistent with the Proposed Land Use Designation of ‘High Density Residential’. The proposed development consists of 6-storeys, 17 residential units and a Floor Area Ratio of 1.74.
OCP Section 3.3 Housing and Community identifies land lying north of Esquimalt Road between Admirals Road and CFB Esquimalt as an area for residential densification.
OCP Section 5.1 states a 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 5.3 Medium and High-Density Residential Development states an objective to support compact, efficient medium density and high-density residential development that integrates with existing proposed adjacent uses.
Supporting policies in this section consistent with the proposed development include:
• Encourage new medium-density and high-density residential development with high quality design standards for building and landscaping and which enhance existing neighbourhoods.
• Prioritize medium density and high-density residential development in proposed land use designated areas that:
1. reduce single occupancy vehicle use;
2. support transit service;
3. are located within proximity to employment centres; and
4. accommodate young families.
• A mix of dwelling unit sizes should be provided in medium density and high-density residential land use designated areas to meet the varying housing needs of Esquimalt residents.
• Encourage the incorporation of spaces designed to foster social interaction.
• Encourage the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in medium and high-density residential developments.
OCP Section 5.5 Age Friendly Housing states an objective to expand and protect seniors housing in Esquimalt to enable citizens to “age in place”.
Supporting policies in this section relevant with the proposed development include:
• Support and facilitate development of multi-generational housing, including in medium and high-density residential developments.
• Encourage child friendly developments that provide appropriate amenities such as outdoor play areas for young children that are well-separated from traffic circulation and parking areas.
• Encourage adaptable design for all dwellings created through rezoning.
• Encourage more accessible housing for people with mobility limitations on the ground floor of medium and high-density residential buildings.
Section 5.6 Family and Child-friendly Housing states an objective to address the shortage of family and child friendly housing in Esquimalt.
Supporting policies in this section relevant with the proposed development include:
• Encourage the provision of medium and high density commercial mixed-use developments designed for families with children.
Section 11.3.2 New Development states the following policies:
• 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 surrounding uses. To achieve this, height and setback restrictions may be imposed as a condition of the development permit.
• Underground parking should be encouraged for any multi-unit residential buildings exceeding four storeys.
• 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.
• In commercial, residential, or commercial mixed-use designated areas with taller developments, vary building heights to strategically reduce the shading on to adjacent buildings.
• 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 |
17 |
|
Floor Area Ratio |
1.74 |
|
Lot Coverage (underground parking level) |
82% |
|
Lot Coverage at or above the First Storey |
59% |
|
Setbacks: |
|
|
Constance Avenue |
6.5 m |
|
Northern Interior |
3.2 m |
|
Southern Interior |
1.0 m |
|
Rear |
6.5 m |
|
Building Height |
21.6 m [6 storeys] |
|
Off Street Parking |
12 spaces |
|
Bicycle Parking |
27 resident spaces |
|
Usable Open Space |
114 m2 (18%) |
PARKING ANALYSIS:
Parking: Parking Bylaw, 1992, No. 2011 requires 1.3 parking spaces per unit to be provided for multiple family developments. 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 12 parking spaces to serve 17 residential dwelling units. Hence, the parking offered is less than the required amount of 23 parking spaces as required by the Parking Bylaw. It is noted that a new Parking Bylaw is currently being considered by Council.
The applicant is committing to transportation demand management measures of a shared vehicle in addition to memberships for a shared vehicle for all the units. Moreover, the applicant has committed to providing 20% additional long-term bicycle parking spaces provided above the minimum bicycle parking requirements. The applicant is committing to designing 20% of the required parking spaces to for oversized bicycles. The applicant is also contributing $1,500 per dwelling unit as part of the BC Transit EcoPass program.
Under the proposed Parking Bylaw, the applicant is providing more than the number of required parking space as detailed below:
6 1-Bedroom units x 0.6 = 3.6
6 2-Bedroom x 0.8 = 4.8
5 3-Bedroom units x 0.8 = 4.0
17 x 0.1 = 1.7
Loading space = 1
Total = 15.1
Car share vehicle and dedicated parking space (-5%) = -0.705
Car share memberships for all the units (-10%) = -1.41
20% additional long-term bicycle parking spaces above minimum bicycle parking requirements (-5%) = -0.705
20% of all required long-term bicycle parking spaces are designed for oversized bicycles (-5%) = -0.705
BC Transit EcoPass (-5%) = -0.705
Total with transportation demand management measures = 11
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.