May 27, 2015 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair
John Irving, Director, Engineering

Victor Wei, Director, Transportation

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on Wednesday, May 13, 2015, be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

Development Permit 15-692659
(File Ref. No.: DP 15-692659) (REDMS No. 4569943)

APPLICANT:

Polygon Kingsley Estates Ltd.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

10440 and 10460 No. 2 Road

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of a townhouse development with 133 units at 10440 and 10460 No. 2 Road on a site zoned "Town Housing (ZT72) – London/Steveston (No. 2 Road)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum rear yard setback from 3.0 m to 2.23 m for Building TH-16.

Applicant’s Comments

Chris Ho, Vice-President for Development, Polygon, provided a brief introduction to the proposed development and introduced the members of the design team for the project.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (attached to and forming part of these minutes as Schedule 1), Keith Hemphill, Rositch Hemphill Architects, provided background information on (i) the site context and lay-out of the proposed development and (ii) the arrangement of two and three-story townhouse buildings to fit well with a predominantly single-family neighbourhood. 

Also, Mr. Hemphill pointed out the factors which influenced the project’s site planning including the following:

§   

the existing traffic signal at the intersection of No. 2 Road and Wallace Street;

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the existing heritage tree at the entry to the subject site;

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the required 4.26 acre park dedication to add to the existing London/Steveston Park;

§   

the  north and south public greenways providing access to the park; and

§   

the preservation of the character of No. 2 Road at the site entrance, resulting in the introduction of a public art plaza.

In addition, Mr. Hemphill noted (i) the integration of affordable housing units within the proposed development, (ii) the siting of the future child care facility at the northwest corner of the site, (iii) the central location of the amenity building and the outdoor amenity area, (iv) the character of the townhouse units, and (v) the stepping down to two-storey of the townhouse units adjacent to the single-family homes to the north and south of the proposed development.

Doug Shearer, Hapa Collaborative, briefed the Panel on (i) the open space hierarchy, (ii) the proposed pedestrian and vehicular circulation within the site, (iii) the landscape plan, (iv) the site sections, and (v) the proposed planting scheme.

Staff Comments

Barry Konkin, Program Coordinator-Development, advised that the applicant has worked with City staff and the Advisory Design Panel to resolve design issues including the design of the two public greenways and the project’s interface with the single-family neighbourhood to the north, east and south of the proposed development and with the park to the east.

Mr. Konkin further advised that through a Servicing Agreement, the applicant will undertake significant road frontage improvements and servicing upgrades including an upgrade to the Oeser sanitary pump station.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Konkin noted that the London/Steveston Park Concept Plan was endorsed by the General Purposes Committee in its meeting on May 19, 2015.

Panel Discussion

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Ho stated that (i) as per the applicant’s recent consultation with Parks staff, the park will remain unlighted and that no lighting will be introduced within the  north and south public greenways to be consistent with the character of the park, (ii) a space within the garage of townhouse units is allotted for individual garbage and recycling pick-up, and (iii) the outdoor children’s play area will focus on the needs of younger children due to the proximity of the large playground in the existing park.

In reply to a query from the Panel with regard to the rationale for the requested variance, Mr. Shearer explained that the proposed project design and the required dedication of an additional land to the existing park necessitated the applicant’s request to reduce the minimum rear yard setback for Building TH-16. Mr. Konkin added that the variance was requested to accommodate staff request improvements in the design and articulation of one façade of the building which is visible from the proposed adjacent park.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Ho advised that the proposed public art piece will be lighted.

Discussion ensued with regard to the design of single garage doors in townhouse buildings, in particular Buildings TH 4, 5, 8, 12 and 13. In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Ho noted that (i) there is extensive landscaping between the driveways of unit garages, (ii) the single garage doors, in conjunction with the landscaping and the decks above, provide better and richer articulation to the internal road elevation of townhouse buildings, and (iii) proposed improvements to the unit garage design should be seen in the larger context of the overall landscaping of the internal road elevation of townhouse buildings.

Discussion ensued with regard to wayfinding within the proposed development. In response to queries from the Panel, Mr. Ho advised that (i) signage will be installed  providing directions to the  individual townhouse units and to the park, (ii) the east-west and north-south main mews will have different landscaping treatments to assist pedestrians in wayfinding, and (iii) the main east-west roads are slightly curved to focus the view of the pedestrian to the side of the buildings which have pedestrian entrances and not to the garage entries.

In response to queries from the Panel on pedestrian access to the park, Mr. Konkin advised that in the Servicing Agreement discussions, it was agreed that the applicant will provide signage at the main plaza entry to direct pedestrians to the park through the north and south public greenways. Mr. Ho added that the private connections in the proposed development to the public greenways and to the park are provided with lockable gates.

In response to a query from the Panel, Mr. Shearer noted that pedestrians can access the townhouse units from the bus stop along No. 2 Road through the public plaza and the main east-west mews.

In response to queries from the Panel, Mr. Ho advised that (i) the affordable units are provided with a single indoor garage and one outdoor parking space for a small car as proposed during the rezoning application, and (ii) the small bedroom on the ground floor of the affordable units can accommodate a single bed.

Correspondence

None.

Gallery Comments

Steven May, 6240 Goldsmith Drive, expressed his appreciation to the applicant, City staff and Council for listening to and addressing the concerns of the neighbours regarding the proposed development’s interface with adjacent single-family homes, the design of the proposed park, and the provision of adequate parking.

Panel Discussion

The Panel commended the applicant for (i) the positive outcome of the rezoning and development permit application process, (ii) a well-designed and high quality project which is a welcome addition to the community, and (iii) the Tudor style townhouses which fit well with the neighbourhood and the adjacent park.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would:

1.

permit the construction of a townhouse development with 133 units at 10440 and 10460 No. 2 Road on a site zoned "Town Housing (ZT72) – London/Steveston (No. 2 Road)”; and

2.

vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum rear yard setback from 3.0 m to 2.23 m for Building TH-16.

CARRIED

2.

New Business

3.

Date of Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 10, 2015

4.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 4:20 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, May 27, 2015.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Joe Erceg
Chair

Rustico Agawin
Auxiliary Committee Clerk