Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair

Robert Gonzalez, General Manager, Engineering and Public Works

Dave Semple, General Manager, Parks and Recreation

The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.

1.

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on Wednesday, May 26, 2010, be adopted.

CARRIED

2.

Development Permit DP 07-361642
(File Ref. No.:  DP 07-361642)   (REDMS No. 2837822)

APPLICANT:

Denis Turco Architect Inc.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

22331 Westminster Highway

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of a six (6) unit townhouse complex at 22331 Westminster Highway on a site zoned “Town Housing (ZT61) – Hamilton”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

a)

permit a 2.5 m west side yard setback; and

b)

reduce the minimum front and side yard setbacks for accessory structures to permit the garbage and recycling enclosure to be located in the southwest corner of the property.

Applicant’s Comments

Elena Oanta, of Denis Turco Architect Inc. provided an overview of the proposed six unit townhouse complex located in the Hamilton neighbourhood on Westminster Highway, and drew the Panel’s attention to the following details:

·          

the subject site is a small property left undeveloped when townhouse units were developed to the north, west and east of the site;

·          

each of the proposed townhouse units is in a triplex, and has access from Sharpe Avenue through a cross-access easement;

·          

there is pedestrian access to the subject site from Westminster Highway and from the adjacent property, but there is no vehicular access from Westminster Highway;

·          

existing perimeter fencing of the adjacent site to the west and to the north will be kept;

·          

the design of the proposed townhouse units takes into consideration the other townhouses in the vicinity, in order to accommodate and respect the design already in the neighbourhood; and

·          

interlocking pavers and natural vegetation bordering the narrow asphalt pedestrian walkway provide sustainability features; and

·          

colours such as sage and dark green provide subtle contrast for an attractive streetscape along Westminster Highway and rear façade.

In terms of landscaping:

·          

on-site trees to be removed will be replaced with Maples and Spruce trees located mainly at the north end of the site, and at the central courtyard;

·          

a hedge will be introduced along the east side and act as a buffer along Westminster Highway; and

·          

the central courtyard features a variety of pavers, colours and textures.

Staff Comments

Brian J. Jackson, Director of Development stated that staff supports the Development Permit application and the variances. He stated that the applicant the requested 2.5 meter west side yard setback adjacent to a drive aisle on the neighbouring site and has no immediate impact on the townhouse residential units to the west.

Mr. Jackson noted that the reduction of the minimum front and side yard setbacks for the accessory garbage and recycling enclosure for the proposed development means that the enclosure would be immediately adjacent to the garbage pick up station on the adjacent site and garbage collection lay-by area on Westminster Highway.

Correspondence

None.

Gallery Comments

None.

Panel Discussion

Discussion ensued among the Panel, Ms. Oanta and staff, and the following advice was given:

·          

a buffer element separates the children’s play area from the garbage and recycling enclosure; and the play area structure includes a playhouse component; and

·          

Cedar hedges and small shrubs will act as a buffer between the subject site and the residential units along the east side of the site, and the fencing already in place will remain;

The Chair noted that during the rezoning process for the subject site, the project was to include one convertible unit, as a condition of rezoning, but that the application considered by the Development Permit Panel did not include the convertible unit.

Ms. Oanta advised that the applicant did not include the planned convertible unit in the most recent iteration of the design due to the entire project being as inexpensive as possible.

·          

each of the townhouse units has aging in place features;

·          

each of the townhouse units have small square footage to make each of them less expensive; and

·          

the addition if all convertible features would have added to the price of the unit making it unaffordable.

The Chair commented that, before the rezoning process, the applicant should have taken into account the cost of a convertible unit. He advised that in the absence of the applicant to further explain the removal of the convertible unit component of the proposed development, he was unable to support the issuance of a Development Permit.

A brief discussion ensued among Panel members, and a suggestion was made to refer the Development Permit application back to staff in order for staff and the applicant to further discuss the convertible unit issue.

As a result of the discussion the following referral motion was introduced.

It was moved and seconded

That Development Permit application 07-361642 be referred back to staff for the purpose of further discussions with the applicant and brought back for consideration by the Development Permit Panel at the Panel’s Wednesday, June 30, 2010 meeting.

CARRIED

3.

New Business

None.

4.

Date Of Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 30, 2010

5.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 3:50 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, June 16, 2010.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Joe Erceg

Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk