January 15, 2020 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair 
Cecilia Achiam, General Manager, Community Safety 
John Irving, General Manager, Engineering and Public Works

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on December 11, 2019 be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 18-818161 
(REDMS No. 6361957 v. 2)

APPLICANT:

Christopher Bozyk Architects Ltd.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

5660 Parkwood Way

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of a new 9,052.25 m² (96,447 ft²) three-storey commercial vehicle retail facility with a mezzanine and roof top parking at 5660 Parkwood Way on a site zoned “Vehicle Sales (CV)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

(a)

increase the maximum permitted height for buildings from 12.0 m to 16.0 m to accommodate various roof elements (roof deck, parapet, solar panels, skylight roof, three stairwells, and rooftop over vehicle ramp);

(b)

reduce the minimum number of on-site loading spaces required from two medium spaces and one large space to one large space; and

(c)

reduce the landscaping requirement along a property line abutting a road from 3.0 m to zero (0.0) m along portions of the south and west property lines.

Applicant’s Comments

Stephen Price, Christopher Bozyk Architects Ltd., accompanied by Robert Harrison, Cowell Auto Group, and Kristin Defer, Connect Landscape Architecture, and with the aid of a visual presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office), provided background information on the proposed development, highlighting the following:

§   

the proposed three-storey building includes, among others, spaces for automotive service, sales, administrative offices, two levels of shared customer and employee parking, and inventory storage;

§   

no parking variance is requested as the project complies with the City’s Zoning Bylaw requirements;

§   

the proposed landscaping requirement variance along portions of the south and west property lines is consistent with existing automobile dealerships in the area;

§   

street trees with planting underneath are installed within portions of the right-of-way along the south property line;

§   

the proposed building height variance will increase the car dealership’s capacity for inventory storage and reduces the demand for off-site use of industrial space; and

§   

the proposed building height is comparable to other developments within the Richmond Auto Mall.

In reply to queries from the Panel, the applicant acknowledged that (i) the proposed roof-mounted solar panels are part of Volkwagen’s green initiatives and could supply an average of approximately 10 percent the building’s daily energy requirements, (iii) on a sunny day, the solar panels could provide approximately one-half of the building’s energy requirement, and (iii) the provision of solar panels will be subject to a legal agreement on title.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Mr. Price confirmed that the proposed sloped landscape berm will reduce the apparent building mass on the north side and a portion of the west side and creates additional buffer between pedestrians and the building. In addition, Ms. Defer noted that the landscape berm provides a landscape feature for the prominent northwest corner of the subject site and screens the service area on the ground floor.

In reply to further queries from the Panel, Ms. Defer noted that (i) irrigation is provided for the entire landscaping on the subject site, (ii) on-site stormwater collection is not provided, (iii) lawns are not provided on the site, and (iv) soft landscaping is extended onto the boulevard on City property.

In reply to further queries from the Panel, the applicant advised that (i) one electric vehicle (EV) charging station for two vehicles is proposed for shared customer and employee use and subject to a legal agreement on title, (ii) the applicant is planning to install five additional EV charging stations that are accessible to the public, and (iii) the applicant anticipates that when the car dealership becomes operational, at least two dual EV charging stations servicing a total of four vehicles would be provided on-site.

Discussion ensued regarding the exact number of publicly accessible EV charging stations that would actually be provided for the project and the Chair advised that the applicant clarify its intention with staff prior to Council consideration of the subject application.

Staff Comments

Wayne Craig, Director, Development, noted that (i) there is a Servicing Agreement associated with the project for frontage improvements along the City property adjacent to the site, (ii) the proposed building height variance is consistent with the information presented at the Public Hearing, (iii) similar building height and loading space variances have been previously granted to other automobile dealerships in the area, and (iv) the applicant will provide a contribution to the City’s Public Art Fund.

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Craig confirmed that (i) a number of recent developments within the Richmond Auto Mall have exceeded the 12-meter maximum building height requirement, (ii) the proposed building height variance will allow a higher utilization of the subject site and free up existing  industrial lands elsewhere in the City, and (iii) the significant distance of the site from Richmond Nature Park, the limited use of glazing along the building’s frontage, and the project’s strategic landscaping mitigate the potential for bird strikes on the building.

Panel Discussion

The Panel expressed support for the project, noting that the project design will allow a more intensive use of the subject site and free up the City’s industrial lands.

The Panel then directed staff to work with the applicant to clarify the exact number of EV charging stations accessible to the public that the applicant would actually provide when the project becomes operational.  

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

None.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would:

1.

permit the construction of a new 9,052.25 m² (96,447 ft²) three-storey commercial vehicle retail facility with a mezzanine and roof top parking at 5660 Parkwood Way on a site zoned “Vehicle Sales (CV)”; and

2.

vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to:

(a)

increase the maximum permitted height for buildings from 12.0 m to 16.0 m to accommodate various roof elements (roof deck, parapet, solar panels, skylight roof, three stairwells, and rooftop over vehicle ramp);

(b)

reduce the minimum number of on-site loading spaces required from two medium spaces and one large space to one large space; and

(c)

reduce the landscaping requirement along a property line abutting a road from 3.0 m to zero (0.0) m along portions of the south and west property lines.

CARRIED

2.

Date of Next Meeting:  January 29, 2020

3.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 3:55 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, January 15, 2020.

_______________________________

_____________________________

Joe Erceg 
Chair

Rustico Agawin 
Committee Clerk