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 3:35 p.m.

1.

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on Wednesday, August 24, 2011, be adopted.

CARRIED

2.

Development Permit 10-553531
(File Ref. No.:  DP 10-553531)   (REDMS No. 3347578)

APPLICANT:

Andrew Cheung Architects Inc.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

4340 No. 3 Road

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of approximately 1,075 m2 (11,573 ft2) of commercial space and 174 m2 (1,877 ft2) of office space at 4340 No. 3 Road on a site zoned “Auto-Oriented Commercial (CA)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

a)

Vary the interior side yard setbacks and rear yard setback from 3 m to 0 m;

b)

Permit parking spaces to be located closer than 1.5 m to the interior and rear property lines; and

c)

Vary the minimum width of the drive aisle to 6.7 m on the western portion of the site.

Applicant’s Comments

Francis Yau, Architect with Andrew Cheung Architects Inc., provided the following information regarding the proposal to develop commercial and office space on No. 3 Road, at a site vacated by previous fast food tenant:

·         

the Canada Line runs past the front of the proposed development, while to the south and the east are two significant shopping centres: (i) Parker Place, and (ii) Aberdeen Mall;

·         

to better design the pedestrian pattern for the subject site, the applicant and City staff referred to the vision outlined in the City Centre Area Plan (CCAP);

·         

the development has a dominant No. 3 Road presence, and the design features the entire length of the frontage occupied by the building, with just a small gap in the façade for access to parking spaces in the interior and at the rear of the property;

·         

an existing east-west access easement through the site provides a wide sidewalk to Hazelbridge Way to the east;

·         

a further existing access easement, granted to Parker Place Shopping Centre in the past, connects, or provides a “bridge” between No. 3 Road and Hazelbridge Way;

·         

two vertical, or tower, elements, one on either side of the access easement entry on No. 3 Road, provide mass and balance;  

·         

the development does not present as a typical strip mall design;

·         

a skylight, or light well in the architectural “bridge”, provides natural light onto the drive aisle and pedestrian sidewalk below the bridge element;

·         

the appearance of the northern wall of Parker Place that abuts the subject site is softened by a proposed landscaped screen;

·         

the presence of a City right-of-way dictated the No. 3 Road setback; and

·         

the internal drive aisle will feature brushed concrete that includes a wavelike scoring pattern.

Panel Discussion

In response to queries regarding landscaping, Mr. Yau advised that:

·         

specific places, not a continuous element, will be identified for the vines on trellis structures proposed for the south property line that is defined by Parker Place’s parking structure;

·         

the outdoor space at the second storey would feature planters; and

·         

with regard to the scored concrete paving treatment of the public boulevard, an organic shape with “flow” is proposed, not geometric lines.

In response to a query regarding the accommodation of pedestrian traffic on No. 3 Road, Mr. Yau stated that the pedestrian frontage measures almost 36 metres in width, and can comfortably accommodate pedestrian traffic, and even sidewalk sales of merchandise.

A brief discussion took place regarding the view that riders of the Canada Line would have as they pass the site, and Mr. Yau explained that during the design process that question was considered. He noted that the vertical architectural components fronting No. 3 Road are the predominant view, while rooftop mechanical elements are virtually hidden away behind them.

In response to a further query, Mr. Yau confirmed that office space is within the second storey portion of the building. 

Staff Comments

Brian J. Jackson, Director of Development stated that staff supports the development, and the requested variances. He noted that the design responded well to the very constrained site, and that the drive aisle that allows for vehicular traffic, and loading for the commercial units, was an innovative plan.

In reference to the requested variances, Mr. Jackson advised that: (i) the 0 metre variance for the lot line to the north and to the east property lines is due to the required easement through the site and it is consistent with the City Centre Area Plan (CCAP); (ii) the CCAP allows parking spaces to be located closer than 1.5 metres to the interior and rear property lines; and (iii) there is a small area where the drive aisle is less than 6.7 metres.

In response to the Chair’s queries, Mr. Jackson advised that:

·         

(i) there is a 0.3 metre difference in the small area where the drive aisle is 6.7 metres, (ii) staff examined what the zoning requirements would be in terms of the requested setbacks, and (iii) the applicant has done what is necessary to meet CCAP guidelines; and

·         

the project more than conforms to the CCAP requirements, which requires only a 3 metre setback from No. 3 Road.

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

Lane Vance, President, Budget Brake and Muffler Auto Centres, #120-4280 No. 3 Road (Schedule 1)

Mr. Jackson noted that the correspondent expressed concern that if the requested variance of the interior side yard and rear yard setback was granted, it would interfere with the visibility of the Auto Centre business. 

Mr. Jackson explained that the requested variance does not apply to the front yard, and that the requested setback is in excess of what the CCAP’s guidelines set out for the subject site. 

Panel Discussion

There was general agreement among Panel members that the applicant and architect had presented a good project, and that the vertical architectural components fronting No. 3 Road was an attractive feature.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would:

1.

Permit the construction of approximately 1,075 m2 (11,573 ft2) of commercial space and 174 m2 (1,877 ft2) of office space at 4340 No. 3 Road on a site zoned “Auto-Oriented Commercial (CA)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

a)

Vary the interior side yard setbacks and rear yard setback from 3 m to 0 m;

b)

Permit parking spaces to be located closer than 1.5 m to the interior and rear property lines; and

c)

Vary the minimum width of the drive aisle to 6.7 m on the western portion of the site.

CARRIED

3.

New Business

It was moved and seconded

That the Development Permit Panel meeting tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, September 28, 2011 be cancelled, and that the next meeting of the Development Permit Panel be tentatively scheduled to take place in the Council Chambers, Richmond City Hall, at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, 2011.

CARRIED

4.

Date Of Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 12, 2011

5.

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, September 14, 2011.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Joe Erceg

Chair

Sheila Johnston

Committee Clerk