September 30, 2020 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Council Chambers
Richmond City Hall

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair 
Cecilia Achiam, General Manager, Community Safety 
Peter Russell, Director, Sustainability and District Energy

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on September 16, 2020 be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

GENERAL COMPLIANCE – REQUEST BY HAMILTON VILLAGE CARE CENTRE HOLDINGS LTD.  FOR A GENERAL COMPLIANCE RULING AT 23111 GARRIPIE AVENUE 
(File Ref. No.:  DP 20-906520 Xr: DP 17-771210)  (REDMS No. 6500176)

APPLICANT:

Hamilton Village Care Centre Holdings Ltd.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

23111 Garripie Avenue

INTENT OF PERMIT:

To consider the attached plans involving changes to the design of the proposed landscaping and to the approved ESA compensation to be in General Compliance with the approved Development Permit (DP 17 771210).

Applicant’s Comments

Travis Martin, van der Zalm + Associates, with the aid of a visual presentation (attached to and forming part of these Minutes as Schedule 1), briefed the Panel on the applicant’s response to the Panel’s referral motion at the September 16, 2020 meeting, highlighting the following:

§   

the goals of the landscaping for the project are for the proposed planting to look good initially, grow and mature in the future, and enhance the livability of the senior’s care facility on the site;

§   

a significant amount of planting has been proposed for the project, including replacement trees, perennials, grasses, groundcovers and shrubs for landscaping and enhancement of the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA);

§   

the two replacement trees for the damaged tree (Tree #869) have been planted on the site;

§   

the damaged tree had been properly protected during two years of construction and was unintentionally harmed in the last two months prior to the opening of the project;

§   

the landscaping for the project is already adequate and introducing additional trees would adversely impact the growth of existing plantings already on-site and would result in maintenance issues; and

§   

in addition to the $10,000 forfeiture of the security for Tree #869, a $5,000 cash contribution to the City’s Tree Planting Compensation Fund is proposed for the planting of 20 trees in the Hamilton Highway Park.

Mary McDougall, President and owner of Hamilton Village Care Centre, clarified that there was no intention to harm Tree #869 as it is their goal to protect the environment and they committed to retain the tree. She noted that the loss of the tree was regrettable as it was cared for and protected for two years but was accidentally damaged thereafter. She added that in recognition of the environmental and community value of the damaged tree, it has been replaced with two trees and an off-site contribution of 20 additional trees is being proposed.

The Chair expressed appreciation for the additional information provided which was not presented at the Panel’s previous meeting and noted that the Panel would now have a better foundation for making a decision on the subject application.

Staff Comments 

Wayne Craig, Director, Development noted that the City’s Parks Department will conduct the proposed off-site tree replacement planting and has identified Hamilton Highway Park as the likely location.

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

None.

Panel Discussion

The Panel expressed support for the proposed compensation package for the loss of the significant tree on-site, noting that the project’s on-site landscaping is already adequate and the proposed off-site planting of additional replacement trees would benefit the public.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That the attached plans involving changes to the design of the proposed landscaping and to the approved ESA compensation area be considered to be in General Compliance with the approved Development Permit (DP 17 771210).

CARRIED

2.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 18-837117 (REFERRAL FROM THE JULY 29, 2020 DEVELOPMENT PERMIT PANEL MEETING) 
(REDMS No. 6524478)

APPLICANT:

W. T. Leung Architects Inc.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

6333 Mah Bing Street

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of a multiple-family residential development with two 15-storey high-rise buildings and a nine-storey mid-rise building, consisting of approximately 232 dwelling units and 364 parking spaces at 6333 Mah Bing Street on a site zoned “High Rise Apartment (ZHR4) – Brighouse Village (City Centre)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum lot area from 13,000 m² (139,930 ft²) to 8,227 m² (88,554 ft²).

Applicant’s Comments

Wing Leung, W.T. Leung Architects, with the aid of a visual presentation (attached to and forming part of these Minutes as Schedule 2), provided a summary of the applicant’s response to the Panel’s referral motion at the July 29, 2020 meeting of the Development Permit Panel, highlighting the following:

§   

the architectural and landscaping treatment of the south wall of Tower D/E podium has been revised and  includes reducing  the mechanical grilles from seven to five, introducing new landscape planting on the second floor podium roof, introducing glass block walls on the lower floors of the exposed parkade walls, maintaining vine planting and widening of the recess on the ground level of the parkade to allow for additional landscaping, and painting of the wall recess to match the colour of the wall panels of the townhouses;

§   

the applicant has met with representatives of the Strata Council of the Regency Park Towers (the adjacent residential development to the south of the subject site at 6611 Minoru Boulevard) and was advised that the Strata Council had approved the proposal to remove the two visitor parking stalls on the Regency Park Towers to provide a more direct truck access route to allow garbage and recycling collection for 6611 Minoru Boulevard;

§   

the Strata Council’s approval has been scheduled for ratification by all strata owners at their Annual General Assembly in November 2020; 

§   

two surveys were conducted for tenants of existing rental buildings at 6391 and 6491 Minoru Boulevard regarding the types and levels of relocation assistance needed; and

§   

98 out of the 128 existing tenants have responded to the surveys and the results indicated that 92 requested assistance in finding alternate accommodations, six did not request any assistance, and two indicated that they would like to move to the City of Vancouver.

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Leung acknowledged that (i) the project’s Tenant Relocation Coordinator was involved in the surveys and is attending the Panel’s current meeting, (ii) the applicant has had previous experiences in dealing with tenant relocation issues in other projects, including holding open houses; however, these are not feasible in the current health situation, (iii) the garbage and recycling truck access option that was approved by the Strata Council of 6611 Minoru Boulevard is the preferred option by the applicant as it would benefit both the subject development and the adjacent residential development to the south, and (iv) the other garbage and recycling truck access option proposes the installation of a hammerhead at the southwest corner of the subject property and should this option not proceed, the proposed location for the hammerhead would become a front yard and part of the Right-of-Way (ROW) to the park.

Staff Comments

Mr. Craig noted that (i) there are two options available in providing truck access to the adjacent development to the south at 6611 Minoru Boulevard for garbage and recycling collection, (ii) the project would be able to proceed with either of the two options, (iii)  the more direct truck access route requiring the removal of two visitor parking spaces at 6611 Minoru Boulevard was the option that was approved by the Strata Council and scheduled for ratification by all strata owners, (iv) the proposed enhancement of the architectural and landscaping treatment for the south wall of Tower D/E podium responds to the Panel’s direction, (v) the proposed Tenant Relocation Plan complies with the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP) requirements and will be secured by a legal agreement as a condition of Development Permit issuance, and (vi) the applicant will be required to provide a report to the City regarding the implementation of the Tenant Relocation Plan prior to the demolition of existing buildings on the subject site.

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Craig acknowledged that (i) the City’s Policy Planning, Affordable Housing and Development Applications staff will review the report on the implementation of the Tenant Relocation Plan that that will be provided by the applicant, and (ii) the City’s issuance of the demolition permit would be conditioned on the effective implementation of the Tenant Relocation Plan by the applicant.

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 multiple-family residential development with two 15-storey high-rise buildings and a nine-storey mid-rise building, consisting of approximately 232 dwelling units and 364 parking spaces at 6333 Mah Bing Street on a site zoned “High Rise Apartment (ZHR4) – Brighouse Village (City Centre)”; and

2.

vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to reduce the minimum lot area from 13,000 m² (139,930 ft²) to 8,227 m² (88,554 ft²).

CARRIED

3.

Date of Next Meeting:  October 15, 2020

4.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 4:02 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 30, 2020.

_______________________________

_____________________________

Joe Erceg 
Chair

Rustico Agawin 
Committee Clerk