1.

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on November 27, 2002, be adopted.

CARRIED

2.

Development Permit 02-202398
(Report: November 19/02 File No.:  DP 02-202398)   (REDMS No. 900275)

APPLICANT:

Costco Wholesale Corporation

PROPERTY LOCATION:

9151 Bridgeport Road

INTENT OF PERMIT:

To allow a 1,451.8m (15,627.556 ft) addition to the existing Costco Wholesale Warehouse facility principally to accommodate a new bakery, deli and a receiving/loading dock area; and

To vary the provisions of Zoning and Development Bylaw 5300 as follows:

a)

To reduce the minimum road setback along Beckwith Road from 6.0m (19.865 ft.) to 3.962m (13 ft.) for an addition to the existing Costco Wholesale Warehouse building; and

b)

To reduce the minimum road setback along Gage Road from 6.0m (19.865 ft.) to 3.5m (11.483 ft.) for the new compactor and screen wall.

Applicants Comments

Ms. Kim Stever, Costco Wholesale Corporation, described the project as being the rebuilding of the loading dock area and an increase to the sales floor area which allowed for provision of a new fresh line inside the warehouse.  It is also planned to update the interior of the building.

Ms. Ellen Judson, Mitchell C. Smith Architects, gave a powerpoint presentation of the project that identified the current and relocated loading areas, the screen wall/berming/heavy landscape location and the proposed realignment of Garden City and Sea Island Way.  The presentation also included elevations and renderings of the project.

Also provided was information that: i) intense landscaping was planned for Gage Road, in keeping with the planting suggestions provided by the Planning Dept.  The new sidewalk will incorporate rollover curbs;  ii) Garden City Road will benefit from improved landscaping;  iii) a sidewalk connection will be provided from Bridgeport Road to the building;  iv) five transportation management tools have been implemented; v) a land dedication has been provided to the City for future development of a Rapid Transit service; and vi) a $60,000 contribution has been made for street improvements.

Staff Comments

The Manager, Development Applications, Joe Erceg, said that staff supported the project and that the Transportation Department was satisfied that their concerns regarding the reduced parking had been addressed.  Mr. Erceg also said that the variance requests were mitigation measures.  The contribution to the Garden City street works was acknowledged.

In response to questions it was confirmed that i) the current setback from Beckwith Road would be maintained; ii) that rollover curbs will be utilized on Gage Street; and, iii) the screen wall would aid in abating the truck noise at the loading area.  The loading dock is located at a greater distance from the adjacent hotel than at present and the more northern access from Gage Road has been relocated further to the south.

Mr. Jan Voss, Creative Transportation Solutions Inc., added that minor curb cuts, as shown on the plans, on Gage Avenue and the new configuration of the loading area will also lessen the truck noise.

Mr. Derek Campbell, Assistant Warehouse Manager, Costco Wholesale Corporation, in response to a question from the Panel regarding the reduction to the number of parking stalls, said that during the peak volume period in December staff utilize perimeter parking on the site which frees 100 parking stalls for customer use.  In addition, Mr. Voss said that an exhaustive study completed on the site had indicated that at no time were all parking stalls in use.

Mr. Robert Maran, Mitchell C. Smith Architects, in response to a question from the Chair, provided the information that i) vehicle purchases thru Costco Wholesale Corporation were achieved on-line; and, ii) from an architectural point of view, and because of the parking limitations, the building as proposed would be at its development maximum.

Mr. Erceg confirmed that the project was exempt from Provincial requirements due to its size.

Correspondence

Mr. Keith Tsukishima, Director of Operations, Holiday Inn Express Schedule 1.

Mr. P. Mehta, 9251 Beckwith Road Schedule 2.

Gallery Comments

None.

Panel Discussion

The Chair said that he was pleased with the work of staff and Costco on the creation of the on-site TDM manager; the response to the expected Rapid Transit service; and, the enhanced eastern edge of the site.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued for 9151 Bridgeport Road on a site zoned Automobile-Oriented Commercial District (C6), which would allow a 1,451.8m (15,627.556 ft) addition to the existing Costco Wholesale Warehouse facility principally to accommodate a new bakery, deli and a receiving/loading dock area; and

Vary the provisions of Zoning and Development Bylaw 5300 as follows:

1.

Reduce the minimum road setback along Beckwith Road from 6.0m (19.865 ft.) to 3.962m (13 ft.) for an addition to the existing Costco Wholesale Warehouse building; and

2.

Reduce the minimum road setback along Gage Road from 6.0m (19.865 ft.) to 3.5m (11.483 ft.) for the new compactor and screen wall.

CARRIED

3.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 4:00 p.m.

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, December 11, 2002.

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David McLellan
Chair

Deborah MacLennan
Administrative Assistant