May 24, 2017 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair
Robert Gonzalez, General Manager, Engineering and Public Works
John Irving, Director, Engineering

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on May 10, 2017, be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

Development Permit 15-694616
(REDMS No. 5379610 v. 2)

APPLICANT:

Dava Developments Ltd.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

10199 River Drive

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of 85 townhouses on a portion of 10199 River Drive on a site zoned “Residential Mixed Use Commercial (ZMU17) – River Drive/No. 4 Road (Bridgeport)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

(a)

Reduce the required East Side Yard from 6.0 m to 4.5 m.

Applicant’s Comments

Wayne Fougere, Fougere Architecture, Inc., provided background information on the proposed development and noted the following:

§   

the project is Phase 2 of the multi-phase overall Parc Riviera development;

§   

the original scheme for the subject phase was similar to Phase 1; however, due to marketing considerations, the proposal was changed from apartments on top of a parking structure to traditional ground-oriented townhouses;

§   

inner residential townhouse units are contemporary in character and have characteristics similar to buildings in Phase 1;

§   

the three-storey townhouses facing River Drive have a more traditional form and character and were designed to appear like they have two and a half storey height in order to provide a transition between the proposed development and the single-family character on the south side of River Drive;

§   

six colour/material schemes with beige as a base colour are proposed for the townhouse units;

§   

two publicly accessible pedestrian view and access corridors from River Drive to the dike are proposed;

§   

majority of townhouse units are three-storeys;

§   

two four-storey townhouse buildings provide transition between the adjacent six-storey apartment building in Phase 1and three-storey townhouses in the subject site; and  

§   

the three-storey buildings fronting the dike and the park appear like two-storey building height as seen from the dike and the park walkway due to the raised grade interface with the park and the dike.

In response to a query from the Panel, Mr. Fougere noted that 16 townhouse units are provided with a rooftop deck.

Mary Chan Yip, PMG Landscape Architects, briefed the Panel on the main landscaping features for the project and highlighted the following:

§   

the original plan for pedestrian accesses from River Drive to the edge of the dike in the western and eastern edges of the site as well as in the middle of the site have been retained;

§   

all units facing the pedestrian walkways will have a semi-private outdoor amenity space for each unit for family gatherings and to encourage social interaction among residents; and

§   

an outdoor amenity area with play components and seating areas is proposed adjacent to the central pedestrian mews and dike edge.

Panel Discussion

In response to queries from the Panel, Ms. Chan Yip and Mr. Fougere acknowledged that (i) the Phase 1 shared internal street at the western edge of the subject site was  designed to be shared by motorists and pedestrians, (ii) the plaza feel of the shared internal street and tree planting along the street will enhance the pedestrian experience, (iii) the shared internal street is generously open and accessible to the public, (iv) the wide pedestrian mews in the middle of the site is accessible to the public and not gated,  (v) grade transitions help define the semi-private and public spaces along the public central pedestrian mews, (vi) the central pedestrian mews will be connected to a pedestrian crossing across River Drive, and (vii) the paved walkway in the eastern portion of the site is not intended as a public walkway but can be accessed from River Drive.

In response to a further query from the Panel, Ms. Chan Yip confirmed that (i) the native species planting is proposed in the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) as well as beyond the ESA defined line further into the subject site, and (ii) the proposed ESA landscaping treatment will be extended to the public park and future development phases to the east of the subject site.

In response to a further query from the Panel, Mr. Fougere confirmed that ten visitor parking spaces are proposed on the east side including an accessible visitor parking space and seven on the west side.

In response to a further query from the Panel, Nelson Chung, Dava Developments, acknowledged that the proposed development will be built in two phases and the outdoor amenity area, central pedestrian mews and frontage improvements will be constructed as part of the first phase.

In response to a query from the Panel, Mr. Fougere confirmed that the proposed four-storey townhouse units will have parking on the ground floor, living room, dining and kitchen on the main floor, and bedrooms on the two upper levels. In addition, Mr. Fougere acknowledged that two three-storey convertible units are proposed.

Staff Comments

Wayne Craig, Director, Development, noted that the proposed setback variance associated to the project reducing the setback to the public park to the east is supported by staff as it provides passive surveillance opportunities into the park and in recognition of the significant public central pedestrian mews connection from River Drive to the dike.

Mr. Craig further noted that (i) the buildings were designed to meet aircraft noise acoustical standards, and (ii) the project will be connected to an existing private District Energy Utility (DEU) system.

In addition, Mr. Craig clarified that the construction of the public park is tied to the future development on the east side of the park and not to the subject site.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Craig confirmed that the proposed two three-storey buildings adjacent to the park appear to have a lower two-storey building height as seen from the park due to grade transitions.

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

None.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

1.

That a Development Permit be issued which would permit the construction of 85 townhouses on a portion of 10199 River Drive on a site zoned “Residential Mixed Use Commercial (ZMU17) – River Drive/No. 4 Road (Bridgeport)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

(a)

Reduce the required East Side Yard from 6.0 m to 4.5 m.

CARRIED

2.

Date of Next Meeting:  June 14, 2017

3.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 3:51 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 24, 2017.

_______________________________

_____________________________

Joe Erceg
Chair

Rustico Agawin
Auxiliary Committee Clerk