January 30, 2013 - Minutes
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Development Permit Panel
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
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Time: |
3:30 p.m. |
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Place: |
Council Chambers |
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Present: |
Dave Semple, Chair |
The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m.
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1. |
Minutes |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, be adopted. |
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CARRIED |
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2. |
Development Permit DP 12-604012 |
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APPLICANT: |
Pinnacle International (Richmond) Plaza Inc. |
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PROPERTY LOCATION: |
3391 and 3411 Sexsmith Road and a portion of unopened City lane |
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INTENT OF PERMIT: |
To permit the construction of a high-rise, multi-family project consisting of 200 dwelling units at 3391 and 3411 Sexsmith Road and a portion of unopened City lane on a site zoned “Residential/Limited Commercial (RCL4)”. |
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Applicant’s Comments |
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John Bingham, Bingham Hill Architects, provided the following information regarding the proposed development: |
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the development is part of a larger rezoning that will follow; |
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the primary objective is to follow the City Centre Area Plan guidelines and to implement those on the site; |
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major elements have been the stepping of the buildings, the varied setbacks to provide streetscape variation, greening of the roofs, the breaking of the length of the block to give greater visual interest, and public/private interface in terms of how the landscaping has been developed around Capstan, Sexsmith, and up the pedestrian pathway that will ultimately connect to Hazelbridge; |
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the applicant has addressed Design Panel comments regarding elevation, depth of colour in the lower framework (selected a darker hue for more visual impact), plaza off Capstan (sloped green wall replacing waterfall), greater definition at the corner of Sexsmith and Capstan; and greater stepping back of the tower and the building as a whole to provide the elements described in the guidelines; and |
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the vertical elements associated with individual townhouse entrances were designed to provide the framework for future artistic components including signage. |
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Peter Kreuk, Durante Kreuk Ltd. Landscape Architects, provided the following additional information: |
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the proposed streetscapes are developed along Capstan with combination bikeway-pedestrian pathway to be part of a City-wide network. The walkway along the west of the site is, again, a combined bikeway/pedestrian pathway that will connect to the future park and transit station to the north. Sexsmith is developed primarily as a pedestrian route; |
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programming of roof areas including common amenity area, garden amenity, private patios and green roofs; |
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the proposed water feature on the Capstan frontage has been changed to a greenscape through a sloping green wall system that links the roof deck space with the ground plane; |
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the main roof deck area includes the amenity space which consists of swimming pool, outdoor sunning spaces, kids play area, open lawn area (sized for a badminton court), and roof deck with private gardens; |
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they have taken advantage of every roof and incorporated various functions including urban agricultural/gardening recreational facilities; |
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along Sexsmith, which is a pedestrian zone, the residential patio spaces are above grade and separated by a guardrail screen with a hedge/planting at the lower edge providing an urban feel along the walkway and privacy for the outdoor uses; and |
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the Capstan units are setback further from the street and separated from the pedestrian/bike way by granite sets. The edge condition along the base of the townhouse patios is essentially the same as along Sexsmith with a hedge at ground level adjacent to the patio space above. |
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Panel Discussion |
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Mr. Bingham, in response to queries from the Panel, advised: |
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the townhouse units do not have handicap accessibility from the street. The buildings have been designed to meet handicapped accessibility requirements to all units and to the roof top areas; |
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in terms of facilitating the change in grade, between Hazelbridge and Sexsmith, there would be no concern with raising the grade if required; |
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the proposed pathway along the western edge of the site will not extend northward beyond the edge of the subject property at this time; |
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the amenity building has a swimming pool, an exercise room, a community room leading out to the play area, associated support areas (dressing/change rooms), and an outdoor children’s play area to the east of the building; |
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to meet a mid-point LEED silver equivalency on the energy points, the project is using a hot water system with air-conditioning, glazing to solid wall is a 60/40 relationship, insulation levels will be adjusted after an envelope review, 50-52% greening of the total roof space, will be built to hook-up to a DEU, and parking is in accordance with requirements for development within proximity of Capstan Station; and |
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there is sufficient space to add additional area to the current recycling/garbage area, if required to accommodate organic composting in the future. |
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Mr. Kreuk, in response to queries from the Panel, advised: |
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that in regards to the open space on the fourth floor there are several access points to the roof deck. Off the ends of buildings there are covered access routes to the amenity building. The overall roof deck has a pathway system that rings it and connects various program spaces; |
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the proposed urban agricultural roof top spaces are accessible from the building core and are supported with garden tool storage, composting facilities, and water connection; and |
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there is street level lighting, as well as, a level of pedestrian lighting proposed for the project which will define the public realm, entrances to the townhouse units will have lighting integrated into the individual unit stairways, and each lobby or main entrance will be well lit with canopies above. |
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Staff Comments |
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Wayne Craig, Director of Development, stated that there will be 13 affordable housing units provided. In keeping with rezoning in the area, the project provides funding for the future Capstan Station as well as temporary offsite park provision within the neighbourhood. The project is part of a multi-phase approach to development within the area. The driveway currently shown to Sexsmith will be closed in the future upon redevelopment of the site to the north with the ultimate driveway access coming from the future Hazelbridge Way extension. Two public open spaces are being provided on the site, one along the western edge, which will form part of a pedestrian network within the neighbourhood, and the second being the public plaza in front of the green sloping green wall. Buildings are designed to mitigate aircraft noise in keeping with the City’s Official Community Plan and the applicant has submitted an associated acoustics report. |
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Panel Discussion |
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In response to queries from the Panel, Mr. Craig advised: |
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in terms of the grade change between individual townhouse unit patios and the adjacent ground level, the change in elevation is in keeping with the City Centre Area Plan guidelines and through the servicing agreement staff will continue to work with the applicant to minimize the change in grade along the walkway on the west side of the site; and |
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with respect to the Capstan Station funding strategy, through the rezoning process, developers of the first +/- 3,250 dwelling units to be constructed in the area contribute to the funding initiative. The charge will be assessed at the building permit stage. The City maintains those funds and then those funds are turned over to Translink for the construction of the station. The construction of the station is anticipated to be triggered at approximately 50% build out of the area. |
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In reply to a query, Suzanne Carter-Huffman, Senior Planner – Urban Design, advised that the Zoning Bylaw defines live-work as units that have designated commercial portions that are registered with covenants on them. In this particular case, what the Developer and Architects were proposing were units that would support home based business uses, which in the City Centre Area allows for Artists studios. |
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Correspondence |
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None. |
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Gallery Comments |
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None. |
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Panel Discussion |
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The Panel commented that the development has been well thought out with impressive roof top design and progression from townhouse units to residential towers. The project will be an anchor for the area and has set the bar for future development within the City Centre area. |
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Panel Decision |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That a Development Permit be issued which would permit the construction of a high-rise, multi-family project consisting of 200 dwelling units at 3391 and 3411 Sexsmith Road and a portion of unopened City lane on a site zoned “Residential/Limited Commercial (RCL4)”. |
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CARRIED |
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3. |
New Business |
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None. |
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4. |
Date Of Next Meeting: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 |
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5. |
Adjournment |
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It was moved and seconded |
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That the meeting be adjourned at 4:02 p.m. |
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CARRIED |
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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, January 30, 2013. |
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Dave Semple |
Heather Howey |