Third St. & Mt. Baker Ave. | Landscape Concept Plan

COPIED FOR APC

DATE: June 7, 2016

TOWN OF SIDNEY

Report to Advisory Planning Commission

TO: Chair and Commission Members

FROM: Corey Newcomb, Municipal Planner

DATE: June 2, 2016 File No. 2475 Mt. Baker Avenue (Land)

SUBJECT: Official Community Plan Amendment Application No. OP100029

Zoning Amendment Application No. RZ100090

Development Variance Permit Application No. DV100197

Development Permit Application No. DP100661

2475 Mt. Baker Avenue

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to address the Official Community Plan and Zoning Amendment

Applications and Development Variance Permit and Development Permit Applications for the

property located at 2475 Mt. Baker Avenue (Aerial photo attached as Appendix A).

REPORT SUMMARY:

The proposal is for a 4 storey residential development consisting of 17 dwelling units, including studio sized units, two bedroom and two bedroom plus den units.

The proposal requires an amendment to the Official Community Plan (OCP) to allow for 10 additional residential units over the currently permitted 7 units.

The applicant has offered a Community Amenity Contribution towards public realm improvements in the area of the proposed development as per the Local Government Act.

The applicant is requesting two variances as part of the development proposal: to reduce the front setback of the building and to increase the maximum area of parking permitted in the first storey of the building.

The proposal is consistent with the broader objectives and policies contained within the Official Community Plan that relate to increased residential development in and around Sidney’s downtown area.

DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:

The applicant is proposing to construct a 4 storey building consisting of 17 strata apartment (condo) dwelling units and surface parking (see Appendix B for drawings).

The 17 dwelling units include two townhouse-style units on the ground floor, fronting on Mt. Baker Avenue and 15 apartment units in the upper three storeys, accessed from a residential lobby also on Mt. Baker Avenue. Of the 17 dwelling units, four are studio or “micro” units of 43.2 square metres (465 square feet) and the remainder are two bedroom or two bedroom plus den units, ranging in size from 90.7 square metres (976 square feet) to 129.9 square metres (1,398 square feet).

On-site vehicle parking for the proposed development would be provided in a surface parking lot at the rear of the property and accessed from Third Street.

OP100029, RZ100090, DV100197 and DP100661 2475 Mt. Baker Avenue | June 2, 2016 | of 7

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LOCATION:

The subject site is located at the south-east corner of Third Street and Mt. Baker Avenue, 200 metres (650 feet) north of Beacon Avenue. The site is currently occupied by a two-family dwelling. The area is highly mixed-use; to the north and east are multi-family properties and to the west is the courthouse building, the municipal hall and the RCMP detachment. To the south of the subject property is a two-family dwelling, more apartment buildings, and beyond that, the downtown commercial area and the Fire Hall.

The following table outlines the Official Community Plan and Zoning designations of the surrounding properties and current land uses:

Table 1: Surrounding Land Use, Zoning and OCP Designations

OCP Designation Zoning Designation Current Land Use

North RES-3 – Multi-Family Residential RM7 – Multi-Family High Density Residential

Apartment and Townhouse dwellings

East RES-3 – Multi-Family Residential RM7 – Multi-Family High Density Residential

Apartment and Townhouse dwellings

South RES-3 – Multi-Family Residential

COM-1 – Downtown Commercial

INS - Institutional

RM7 – Multi-Family High Density Residential

C1 – Downtown Commercial

Two-family dwelling

Apartment dwellings

Commercial, Fire Hall

West INS - Institutional I1 – Public Facilities Courthouse, municipal hall, RCMP detachment

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW 1920:

The subject property is designated as Multi-Family Residential (RES-3) in the Town of Sidney OCP. As noted above, the proposal is generally consistent with policy direction in the OCP, which supports development and increased residential uses in and around the downtown core.

The applicant is however requesting to amend the OCP to allow 17 units in the proposed development. As the OCP currently only permits a maximum of 11 units (100 units per hectare), an OCP amendment is required to allow for the additional units, as shown in Table 2 below:

Table 2 – Overview of potential # of units (1,115 sq. metre site area)

Current RM7 zone

(65 units per

hectare)

Amenity Rezoning Proposed Development

(155 units per hectare) (OCP allows up to 100

units per hectare)

Residential

density

up to 7 units up to 11 units 17 units

ZONING BYLAW 2015:

The subject property is currently zoned Multi-Family High Density Residential (RM7), the intent of which is to provide for attached row housing at a maximum height of 3 storeys and high density multi-family apartment housing at a maximum height of 4 storeys.

The following table provides a comparison between the proposed development and the requirements contained in the RM7 zone:



Table 3: Zoning Comparison Section Permitted in RM7 Zone Proposed Development Conformity

Permitted Uses Apartment Dwelling Units Apartment Dwelling Units Conforms

Conditions of Use n/a n/a n/a

Density

Max. base density: 65 uph (7 dwelling units)

Max. bonus density: 100 uph (11 dwelling units)

155 uph (17 Dwelling Units) Bonus Density

Required

Lot Area 670 sqm (7,212 sq. feet) 1,115 sqm (12,002 sq. feet) Conforms

Lot Coverage 57.3% 55.4% Conforms

Gross Floor Area n/a n/a n/a

Height (Apartment) 16 metres (52.5 feet) 15.6 metres (51.2 feet) Conforms

Storeys 4 4 Conforms

Setbacks:

Front (West)

4.5 metres (14.8 feet)


Variance Required

Rear (East) 5.5 metres (18.0 feet) 5.5 metres (18.0 feet) Conforms

Side Interior (North)

(South)




4.5 metres (14.8 feet) Conforms

Requirement for 20%

adaptable units 4 units 4 units

Conforms

As noted above, the proposed development complies with the regulations of the RM7 zone with the exception of the front setback and proposed number of dwelling units.

OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING BYLAW NO. 1661

The proposed development would accommodate vehicle parking in a surface parking lot accessed

from Third Street. A total of 16 parking spaces and a bicycle room would be provided on the subject property. The following table outlines the parking requirements for the development based upon the proposed uses:

Table 4: Parking and Loading Requirements

Use Parking Requirement

Dwelling units 1 per unit @ 17 units = 17

Bicycle parking provided within the building Reduces parking requirement by 1

Total Parking Required 16 parking spaces

The development meets its parking requirement with a total of 16 parking spaces proposed where 16 spaces are required.

The Off-Street Parking and Loading Bylaw also limits the amount of floor area of the first storey of a building that may be used for parking to a maximum of 40%. As the proposed building would utilize 43.8% of the first storey area for parking, a variance is required.

MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT GUIDELINES:

As the property is located within an area designated under the OCP as Multi-Family Residential, the site is subject to the Multi-Family Residential Development Permit Area Guidelines. The purpose of these guidelines is to address the form and character of the proposed development, including landscaping and the siting, exterior design and finish of the building.

Staff are of the opinion that the proposed development generally conforms to the Multi-Family DP Guidelines. However, there are several guidelines that staff would like to highlight:



20.3.3 The scale, size, massing, shape, siting, roofline and exterior finish of buildings should be sufficiently varied to avoid monotonous streetscapes and building vistas (i.e. building vistas as viewed from within the development and from the abutting streets).

The proposed building utilizes variations in roofline, façade materials, and building elements to present an interesting and varied frontage to the surrounding streets.

20.3.4 The design of new developments should take into consideration the relationship between building height, site coverage, and setbacks; and between new buildings and surrounding properties, streets and other features.

The proposed building is located on a corner lot, and the closest adjacent buildings are to the south and east, where the proposed building is at the required setback line and also steps back at the fourth storey level. To the north, the property across Mt. Baker Avenue has its building located at the far eastern end of the lot directly on the waterfront, leaving a significant open space (with two large trees) across from the proposed building. To the west is the Sidney Courthouse building, which is a one-storey structure but does not contain any residential uses.

20.3.6 Developments should promote a pedestrian oriented streetscape and waterfront.

The building’s ground floor units have direct entrances out to the street, with ground level patios fronting on to Mt. Baker Avenue, which staff believe enhances the overall streetscape. The first level of the building is also finished in stone, giving it a high quality feel when viewed from the street. New landscaping, street trees and sidewalks will also improve the pedestrian experience in front of the development.

20.3.10 In keeping with the desired image for Sidney, the following are recommended as primary building materials for external cladding applications: wood (i.e. horizontal or vertical siding, wood shingles); rock or stone; heavy timber; and brick. Other exterior building materials will be considered but will not be recommended as the primary source for exterior cladding.

The building’s exterior materials are a combination of natural stone at the first storey level, with board and batten and horizontal plank siding at the upper storeys.

20.3.11 Architectural details and building articulation should be used to avoid visual monotony caused by large expanses of any one material.

The building’s architecture employs a high level of detail and façade articulation at all levels, with significant colour and material changes on the north facade. The west façade has markedly less variation in both articulation and materials, and staff believe that it would benefit from a change of materials or more detail in the façade. Staff will work with the applicant to achieve this.

20.3.14 Portions of buildings over two storeys in height should be recessed in order to reduce the volumetric impact of the building on the street and surrounding neighbourhood.

As noted above, the fourth storey of the building is recessed on the south and east sides, where it faces adjacent buildings. On the north and west sides, where the building faces the street, open areas or non-residential buildings, the third and fourth storeys do not step back from the second storey. However, the corners of the building are recessed at all levels to provide room for the balconies, which does reduce the apparent massing to a degree. The developer has indicated that the south and east step backs are a conscious decision to provide more of a step back where there are adjacent buildings, whereas on the north and west sides, there is more room due to the street frontage and no immediately adjacent buildings.



20.3.16 Roofs should be gabled, mansard, or hipped. However, other interesting roof treatments will be considered.

The roof of the proposed building incorporates numerous gable ends with the addition of smaller shed roofs at the lower levels.

20.3.18 Where feasible, buildings should be designed to minimize the impact of garage doors on the streetscape.

The garage door for the building is not overly obtrusive and takes up a relatively small amount of the street frontage of the building. In addition, it is proposed to be an open, gated type, rather than an opaque solid door.

20.3.21 On-site pedestrian walkways should be surfaced with interlocking brick or other appropriate surfacing materials.

There is no information provided on what the paving materials will be for the on-site pedestrian walkways. Staff will work with the applicant to provide more information on what these materials will be prior to the Development Permit being approved.

20.3.23 Unless enclosed, on-site hard surfaced areas should be surfaced with materials that avoid a monotonous appearance.

There is no information provided on what the paving materials will be for the driveway apron into the parking area. Staff will work with the applicant to provide more information on what these materials will be prior to the Development Permit being approved.

20.3.25 Parking should be screened from view from on-site residential uses, adjacent properties, streets and the waterfront using a combination of fencing and soft landscaping.

Parking will be screened from all on and off-site views using a combination of fencing, soft landscaping and the mass of the building itself.

20.3.29 Unsightly site elements including utility kiosks, utility meters, garbage containers, garbage compounds and storage, loading and unloading areas should be screened from view from abutting residential uses, adjacent properties, streets and the waterfront. All screening techniques should, where feasible, incorporate landscaping.

The location of the electrical utility kiosk that would service the development is not yet known. Once this information becomes available, staff will work with the applicant to ensure that the kiosk is properly screened as required by the Town’s bylaws.

20.3.33 Mature trees should be retained.

The applicant has submitted a report by a certified arborist regarding the existing trees on the site. The report recommends removing all but one of the existing trees, due to the proximity of the trees to the proposed building, the poor condition of many of the trees, and in the case of the Grey Pine, its unsuitability for the context. Staff note that a previous owner of this property requested that Council list the Grey Pine as “protected” in February 2001, however Council declined to do so, due to the negative impact on future development potential of the property.

STAFF COMMENTS:

To further the Town’s goal of achieving a “balanced demographic”, as a condition of rezoning staff propose that the developer be required to place a restrictive covenant on title for the property, prohibiting the future strata council from passing any bylaws that may restrict occupancy of the building based on age.



Appendix A: 2015 Aerial Photo of Subject Property (2475 Mt. Baker Avenue) outlined

in blue, showing OCP (red) and Zoning (black) designations.

RES-3

INS

INS

CD4

I1 RM7

RM7

C1 COM-1

RM7 RES-3

RES-3

May 4th 2016 Mayor and Council Town of Sidney Municipal Hall 2440 Sidney Avenue, Sidney, BC V8L 1Y7

Dear Mayor & Council,

RE: 2475-2477 MT. BAKER AVENUE DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION

OVERVIEW

On behalf of Haro Pacific Developments and Saltair Living, Bayshore Planning Services is pleased to submit

a development application for the rezoning of 2475-2477 Mt. Baker Avenue. We are proposing to build a

multi-family building that will consist of a range of unit sizes and price points. The ground level suites will

provide landscaped patio areas with gates in front intended to provide a distinct entrance from the

building to the street. The proposed building will be located within walking distance to Sidney’s sea wall,

downtown shopping area and other amenities.

The subject property is zoned RM-7 and the proposed development is generally supported by policy in the

Official Community Plan (OCP), which supports increased density in and around the downtown area. In

addition, this location is part of a designated major centre in the Capital Regional District’s Regional

Growth Strategy.

OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN (OCP) & ZONING AMENDMENTS

To permit the proposed 4 storey, 17 unit building we are requesting amendments to the OCP and the

Zoning Bylaw. The proposed development complements Sidney’s vision for attainable housing and its

commitment to Smart Growth principles. This development will add to the selection of housing types in

Sidney and will be priced to ensure people of all ages, household types and incomes have a more diverse

choice of housing. The total lot area is 1,115 sq. meters and the present zoning allows 65 units per

hectare, which equals 7 units on this site, well below what the allowable building envelope permits. The

building currently being proposed has 17 units, which vary in size from 465 ft2 up to 1,400 ft2. The 10

additional units provide an opportunity to contribute directly to the affordability and diversity of housing

in the community by allowing a range of unit sizes.

REQUESTED VARIANCES

We are requesting two variances for this project as follows:

A reduction in the front setback requirement from 4.5 metres (14.8 ft.) to 2.13 metres (7.0 ft.).

We are requesting this variance because we feel that two townhouse-style units on the ground

floor will be a positive attribute to the building’s street frontage. The variance allows these two

units to have optimal floor plans with two bedrooms and separate “front door” style entryways,

adding to the curb appeal.

Our second variance request is to allow the covered parking to exceed 40% of the gross floor area

of the first storey to 43.8%. The additional 3.8% increase allows us to optimise the layout of the

first floor and add storage lockers for each unit.

BAYSHORE PLANNING SERVICES INC. 6499 GENOA BAY ROAD, DUNCAN, BC V9L 5Y3

bogmel

Text Box

Appendix B

COMMUNITY AMENITY CONTRIBUTION

We have proposed to provide the Town of Sidney with a Community Amenity Contribution (CAC) in return

for the increased unit density. The CAC is intended to raise revenue for public benefits or for achieving

other community goals as stated in the OCP. Amenity contributions are designed to provide alternative

funding methods for public benefits in the public interest to support the Goals and Objectives of the OCP.

As part of this development proposal, we would like to contribute an amenity contribution to the Town.

The value of this contribution would be in keeping with recent contributions made for similar projects,

and we would elect to make a cash-in-lieu contribution for the additional ten units. We feel this provides

the municipality with more flexibility to optimize the use of these funds.

Thank you for your consideration and if you have any questions or comments regarding the application,

please contact Sharon Horsburgh at [email protected] or Carson Shanks at 250.589.2008.

Re spectfully submitted,

Sharon Horsburgh MA, RPP Bayshore Planning Services, Inc

mailto:[email protected]

bogmel

Text Box

Appendix C

Third St. & Mt. Baker Ave. | Landscape Concept PlanProject No: 1603 Feb-16-16

2B-495 Dupplin Rd. Victoria B.C. V8Z 1B8Phone: (250) 598 -0105 Fax: (250) 412- 0696

PMT

THIR

D S

TRE

ET

MT. BAKER AVE.

S

WM

CB

FFE 7.80

2%

Class-2 parking forsix (6) bicycles

Large canopy boulevard trees along Mt. Baker Avenue. Tree species to town of Sidney specifications

New 1200mm ht. combined wood latticefence and stone wall at front of garden

transitions to 1800mm ht. combinedprivacy screen and stone wall at sides

Colored concrete bandingmarks main entry path

Large canopy boulevard trees along ThirdStreet. Tree species to town of Sidney

specifications

Planting beds along west side of buildingfeature flowering shrubs, ferns, and

ornamental grasses, and draw upon thesurrounding residential gardens

(Azalea, Blue Oat Grass, Deer Fern,Feather Reed Grass, Heavenly Bamboo,Hydrangea, Oregon Grape, Sweet Box)

Flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses create a soft interface with the sidewalk

Yew hedge provides vegetativescreening at side of patio

New 1800mm ht. wood perimeter fenceCurb cuts along the parking lot edgeallow water to drain into the adjacent

planting bed, which features smalltrees, ornamental shrubs, and grasses

(Blue Oat Grass, Coastal Strawberry,Feather Reed Grass, Heavenly

Bamboo, Spirea)

Retained conifers with shade-tolerant shrubs and ferns underneath(Deer Fern, Oregon Grape)

Planting beds along east side of building feature flowering shrubs, ferns, and ornamental grasses(Blue Oat Grass, Feather Reed Grass, Heavenly Bamboo, Rhododendron, Yew)

Grass

Gated garbage enclosure

Decorative concrete pavers

1200

1800

1200mm Wood Fence1:20

1800mm Wood Privacy Screen1:20

N

Dec

.

July

1:100

1800

1800mm Wood Perimeter Fence1:20

April 21-16

Large ShrubsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeRhAK 8 Rhododendron 'Anah Kruschke' Anah Kruschke Rohodendron #5 potTaMH 28 Taxus x media 'Hicksii' Hicks Yew 1.5m ht

Medium ShrubsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeHyNB 8 Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' Nikko Blue Hydrangea #5 potNaDo 22 Nandina domestica Heavenly Bamboo #2 pot

Small ShrubsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeMaNe 62 Mahonia nervosa Low Oregon Grape #1 potNaGS 5 Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo #1 potNaPP 7 Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion' Plum Passion Heavenly Bamboo #1 potRhDA 12 Rhododendron 'Dora Amateis' Dora Amateis Rhododendron #5 potSarR 8 Sarcococca ruscifolia Sweet Box #5 potSjMC 29 Spiraea japonica 'Magic Carpet' Magic Carpet Spiraea #1 pot

TreesID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeAcRuB 6 Acer rubrum 'Bowhall' Bowhall Red Maple 6cm cal.AcRuK 7 Acer rubrum 'Karpick' Karpick Maple 6cm cal.

Recommended Nursery Stock

Total: 13

Total: 36

Total: 30

Groundcovers ID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeFrCh 197 Fragaria chiloensis Coastal Strawberry #SP3 pot

Medium ShrubsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeHyNB 8 Hydrangea macrophylla 'Nikko Blue' Nikko Blue Hydrangea #5 potNaDo 22 Nandina domestica Heavenly Bamboo #2 pot

Perennials, Annuals and FernsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeBlSp 58 Blechnum spicant Deer Fern #1 potCaAKF 58 Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass #1 potHeS 76 Helictotrichon sempervirens Blue Oat Grass #1 pot

Small ShrubsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeMaNe 62 Mahonia nervosa Low Oregon Grape #1 potNaGS 5 Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo #1 potNaPP 7 Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion' Plum Passion Heavenly Bamboo #1 potRhDA 12 Rhododendron 'Dora Amateis' Dora Amateis Rhododendron #5 potSarR 8 Sarcococca ruscifolia Sweet Box #5 potSjMC 29 Spiraea japonica 'Magic Carpet' Magic Carpet Spiraea #1 pot

Total: 123

Total: 192

Total: 197

Groundcovers ID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeFrCh 197 Fragaria chiloensis Coastal Strawberry #SP3 pot

Perennials, Annuals and FernsID Quantity Botanical Name Common Name SizeBlSp 58 Blechnum spicant Deer Fern #1 potCaAKF 58 Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass #1 potHeS 76 Helictotrichon sempervirens Blue Oat Grass #1 pot

Notes:

1. All work to be completed to current BCSLA Landscape Standards2. All soft landscape to be irrigated with an automatic irrigation system

Total: 197

Third St. & Mt. Baker Ave. | Landscape Concept Plan

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