September 11, 2019 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Cecilia Achiam, Chair 
Milton Chan, Acting Director, Engineering 
Laurie Bachynski, Director, Corporate Business Service Solutions

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on August 28, 2019 be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 18-829140 
(REDMS No. 6144436)

APPLICANT:

PLLR 228 Holdings

PROPERTY LOCATION:

8820, 8840, 8860, 8880, 8900, 8911 and 8931 Spires Road and the surplus portion of the Spires Road road allowance

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of 64 townhouse units and two secondary suites at 8820, 8840, 8860, 8880, 8900, 8911 and 8931 Spires Road and the surplus portion of the Spires Road road allowance on a site zoned “Parking Structure Townhouses (RTP4)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum setback from the north-south public walkway adjacent to the site driveway from 3.0 m to 0.0 m to accommodate the proposed building footprints and an elevated second storey walkway connecting the two buildings.

Applicant’s Comments

Jim Bussey, Formwerks Architectural, with the aid of a PowerPoint presentation (attached to and forming part of these Minutes as Schedule 1) provided background information on the proposed development and highlighted the following: 

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the development includes multi-level townhouse units and ground level suites providing a mix of one- to four-bedroom units, majority of which are three-bedroom units;

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six convertible units, one Basic Universal Housing (BUH) unit with an associated parking stall, and two secondary suites are provided;

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the two common parking structures are hidden under the podium, which is a unique feature of the proposed townhouse development; 

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sidewalks will be provided along the side and rear property lines to provide pedestrian connection to future lanes adjacent to the west and south sides of the subject site;

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parkade walls along the west and south sides of the development will be articulated and planted to enhance pedestrian experience and in consideration of adjacent residential developments;

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townhouse units adjacent to existing single-family houses to the north and east are stepped down from four to three storeys;

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the proposed north-south public walkway that will be located adjacent to the site driveway bisects the site and an elevated walkway will be installed above the walkway to connect the two portions of the site;

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the areas covered by the proposed setback variance from the public walkway are within the subject site;

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a large tree by the driveway entry will be retained and its surrounding spaces will be landscaped to provide a passive recreation space;

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pedestrian access to the podium level is provided through stairs and a centrally located elevator close to the indoor and outdoor amenity spaces;

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the project is designed to achieve an EnergGuide rating of 82 and LEED Silver equivalency;

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each unit is provided with at least one parking stall; however, some units are provided with two parking stalls in a tandem arrangement; and

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outlets for electric vehicle charging will be provided for all parking stalls.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Bussey confirmed that the two parking structures are at ground level and accessed from either side of the driveway.

Caelan Griffifths, PMG Landscape Architects, briefed the Panel on the main landscape features of the project, noting that (i) the proposed landscape treatment for the front yards of units along Spires Road is consistent with the townhouse architectural expression of the units, (ii) seating will be provided underneath the large existing tree which will serve as a landmark for the site, (iii) intensive planting is proposed on the podium level to mitigate potential heat island effect, (iv) bicycle racks, seating, and potential public art are proposed to be installed on the west entry plaza, (v) structural soil will be used for back of boulevard trees to enhance their resiliency, and (vi) the children’s play areas are located on podium level adjacent to indoor amenity areas and seating and provide a wide range of play opportunities for various age groups of young children. 

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Griffifths acknowledged that (i) trees on ground and podium levels will be irrigated, (ii) permeable paving on the podium allows for stormwater to run quickly to the drains, and (iii) concrete sidewalks along the west and south property lines will be installed.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Wayne Craig, Director, Development, noted that (i) construction of the west and south lanes are part of the long-term goals of the City’s transportation network and lane dedications were secured through the rezoning application, (ii) the subject lanes will not be constructed at this time, (iii) existing fence lines will remain in their existing locations, and (iv) there will be a legal agreement registered on title requiring the site’s strata to maintain the site’s lane dedication areas until such time that the lane will be installed.

Staff Comments

Mr. Craig advised that (i) there is a Servicing Agreement associated with the project for frontage beautification and road works along Spires Road, (ii) the large retained tree by the driveway entry along Spires Road is a key focal point of the development, (iii) the overall size of proposed indoor amenity spaces meets the City’s requirements, which is unique for the size of the development, (iv) the proposed setback variance associated with the public walkway adjacent to the site driveway is a result of the installation of the elevated walkway that connects the two building structures, (v) the public walkway itself will have generous building setbacks and access to daylight, and (vi) there is minor aerial encroachment where the two podium levels are connected.

Gallery Comments

Paige Robertson, 8571 Spires Road, expressed concern regarding the potential shortage of parking stalls in the proposed development, noting that on-street parking is not feasible as vehicle parking on Spires Road is limited to three-hour parking from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also, she noted that parents of Cook Elementary School students park on Spires Road to drop off and pick up their children. 

In addition, Ms. Robertson noted that the proposed setback variance from the public walkway could possibly impact the livability of the proposed development and the neighbourhood as well as the safety of pedestrians in the area.

In reply to Ms. Robertson’s concerns, Mr. Craig commented that (i) the project complies with the parking requirements in the Zoning Bylaw and even exceeds the minimum requirement for the number of parking stalls to be provided on site, (ii) staff believe that the proposed number of parking stalls for the project is appropriate given the project’s location in the City Centre, and (iii) the proposed public walkway is three meters wide and the intention of the proposed variance is to allow for the installation of the overhead footbridge that will connect the two buildings.

Correspondence

Jose Gonzalez, 8935 Cook Crescent (Schedule 2)

In reply to Mr. Gonzalez’s concerns regarding the proposed setback variance associated with the north-south public walkway, Mr. Craig noted that (i) the proposed variance is necessary as ultimately, the public walkway will provide pedestrian access from Spires Road to the rear lane, and (ii) the rear lane is a long-term City objective and will not be implemented through the proposed development. 

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Craig further noted that (i) the applicant is required to produce a Construction Traffic and Parking Management Plan prior to the issuance of a Building Permit, (ii) approval by the Transportation Department of the Plan is needed prior to Building Permit issuance, and (iii) Transportation staff is involved in ongoing discussions with Cook Elementary School through the School Board regarding ongoing construction management issues as per direction from Council.

Panel Discussion

The Panel expressed support for the project, noting that (i) the project is well designed, (ii) the ground level parking hidden below the podium is a unique and significant feature of the proposed townhouse development, (iii) the colour scheme for the exterior of the buildings is appreciated, and (iv) the retention of the large on-site tree is supported as it enhances the project and maintains the character of the neighbourhood.

In addition, the Chair noted the public’s concerns regarding parking violations in school zones and adjacent areas and advised that the Bylaw Department will readily respond to reported parking violations.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would:

1.

permit the construction of 64 townhouse units and two secondary suites at 8820, 8840, 8860, 8880, 8900, 8911 and 8931 Spires Road and the surplus portion of the Spires Road road allowance on a site zoned “Parking Structure Townhouses (RTP4)”; and

2.

vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum setback from the north-south public walkway adjacent to the site driveway from 3.0 m to 0.0 m to accommodate the proposed building footprints and an elevated second storey walkway connecting the two buildings.

CARRIED

2.

Date of Next Meeting:  September 25, 2019

3.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 4:14 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 11, 2019.

_______________________________

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Cecilia Achiam 
Chair

Rustico Agawin 
Committee Clerk