March 24, 2021 - Minutes

Time:

3:30 p.m.

Place:

Remote (Zoom) Meeting

Present:

Joe Erceg, Chair 
Cecilia Achiam, General Manager, Community Safety 
Milton Chan, Director, Engineering

Minutes

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Development Permit Panel held on March 10, 2021 be adopted.

CARRIED

1.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 20-896600 
(REDMS No. 6619645)

APPLICANT:

Headwater Living Inc.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

5500 No. 3 Road

INTENT OF PERMIT:

1.

Permit the construction of a high-rise mixed-use development containing approximately 637 m2 (6,855 ft2) of commercial space and 149 market rental housing units at 5500 No. 3 Road on a site zoned “High Density Market Rental Residential/Limited Commercial (ZMU45) – Lansdowne Village (City Centre)”; and

2.

Vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to increase the maximum balcony projection into the Lansdowne Road setback from 1.66 m to 2 m.

Applicant’s Comments

Peter Odegaard, MCM Architects, with the aid of a visual presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s office), provided background information on the proposed development including its site context, design rationale, building elevations, and outdoor amenity spaces, highlighting the following:

§   

proposed exterior cladding materials and colours differentiate the podium, mid-rise building, and 15-storey tower;

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an outdoor amenity space is proposed on fifth and ninth floor.  The two areas are designed to accommodate a variety of outdoor activities including children’s play and social gathering;

§   

loading and vehicular access is proposed off of the lane on the east side of the proposed development;

§   

the podium level of the subject site meets the podium level of the adjacent development to the south and a landscape buffer is proposed to provide privacy and security; and

§   

there is an opportunity to incorporate public art on the west end of the Lansdowne Road frontage.

Alyssa Semcyzszyn, Prospect and Refuge Landscape Architects, provided an overview of the landscaping for the project, noting that (i) generous pedestrian walkways are proposed along the No. 3 Road and Lansdowne Road frontages to accommodate expected heavy pedestrian traffic, (ii) landscaping along the eastern portion of the Lansdowne Road frontage has a more residential character to provide transition to the adjacent residential building to the east, (iii) a stepped planter with landscaping is proposed along the south edge of the Level 5 outdoor amenity space to provide an appropriate interface with the outdoor amenity space of the neighbouring development to the south, and (iv) the outdoor amenity area on Level 9 provides a variety of social and active spaces.

Panel Discussion

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Odegaard and Ms. Semcyzszyn noted that (i) there will be a statutory right-of-way (SRW) over the lane which will be widened, (ii) lighting will be installed in the surrounding public realm of the subject site including along the lane, (iii) low lighting will be incorporated in planters at the outdoor amenity spaces and landscape buffers will be installed for residential units to mitigate light pollution, (iv) proposed cladding materials for street level Lansdowne Road and No. 3 Road frontages are similar, (v) exterior cladding materials for the parking level facing the Canada Line guideway include opaque materials that provide screening as well as visual interest, (vi) the landscaped outdoor amenity area on Level 5 will be visible from the Canada Line guideway, and (vii) the proposed variance for balcony projection for all residential levels along Lansdowne Road would increase the size of balconies and enhance the livability of residential units.

Staff Comments 

Wayne Craig, Director, Development, noted that (i) all residential units in the project are market rental and secured through rental tenure zoning and housing agreement with the City, (ii) all residential units achieve the City’s Basic Universal Housing (BUH) guidelines in terms of accessibility, (iii) the project will provide an on-site low carbon energy plant designed for future connection to the City’s district energy utility (DEU) system, (iv) the Servicing Agreement associated with the project includes frontage improvements along No. 3 Road and Lansdowne Road and the widening of the lane including the installation of a sidewalk and lighting within the lane, and (v) the project has been designed to achieve Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) interior noise standards and an acoustical report has been provided by the applicant.

In reply to queries from the Panel, Mr. Craig confirmed that (i) the lane will be widened to the full City Centre standard, and (ii) the development of the proposed patio for the restaurant on the ground level will require the approval of the City’s Engineering Department as the patio encroaches into the right-of-way (ROW) for public-right-of-passage (PROP).

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

None.

Panel Discussion

The Panel expressed support for the project, noting that (i) the project provides significant attention to detail in terms of materials and finishing and is thoughtfully done, and (ii) the proposed outdoor amenity areas are well designed, and more animation could be provided at the street level.

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would:

1.

permit the construction of a high-rise mixed-use development containing approximately 637 m² (6,855 ft²) of commercial space and 149 market rental housing units at 5500 No. 3 Road on a site zoned “High Density Market Rental Residential/Limited Commercial (ZMU45) – Lansdowne Village (City Centre)”; and

2.

vary the provisions of Richmond Zoning Bylaw 8500 to increase the maximum balcony projection into the Lansdowne Road setback from 1.66 m to 2 m.

CARRIED

2.

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT 20-916262 
(REDMS No. 6624994)

APPLICANT:

EverNu Developments Inc.

PROPERTY LOCATION:

11540 Railway Avenue

INTENT OF PERMIT:

Permit the construction of a duplex at 11540 Railway Avenue on a site zoned “Arterial Road Two-Unit Dwellings (RDA)”.

Applicant’s Comments

Wendy Andrews, Andrews Architect, Inc., with the aid of a visual presentation (copy on file, City Clerk’s Office) provided background information on the application, noting that (i) the form and character of the proposed duplex fits well with neighbouring residential developments, (ii) private outdoor spaces are provided for each unit, (iii) the driveway could be used for outdoor activities by residents, and (iv) the rear unit is a convertible unit.

In reply to a query from the Panel, Ms. Andrews noted that access to the driveway on the subject site could be shared with the adjacent property to the south should it redevelop into a duplex in the future; however, it could potentially impact sun exposure from the south as the property line of the adjacent property to the south is close to the driveway.

In reply to a further query from the Panel, Ms. Andrews acknowledged that (i) landscaping could not be incorporated between the driveway and the adjacent property to the south as the site is very tight, and (ii) the staging area for waste bins adjacent to the driveway entrance will be screened.

Staff Comments

Mr. Craig noted that (i) a Servicing Agreement is associated with the project for site services and frontage works along Railway Avenue, (ii) an existing tree in the rear of the subject site will be retained, and (iii) two existing trees on the adjacent property to the south will also be retained.

Gallery Comments

None.

Correspondence

None.

Panel Discussion

The Panel expressed support for the project, noting that the project is well done and the provision for a side-by-side parking for each unit is appreciated. 

Panel Decision

It was moved and seconded

That a Development Permit be issued which would permit the construction of a duplex at 11540 Railway Avenue on a site zoned “Arterial Road Two-Unit Dwellings (RDA)”.

CARRIED

3.

Date of Next Meeting:    April 14, 2021

4.

Adjournment

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting be adjourned at 4:33 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, March 24, 2021.

_______________________________

_____________________________

Joe Erceg 
Chair

Rustico Agawin 
Committee Clerk