A housing project on the edge of the Moody Park neighbourhood is the focus of a public hearing on Monday night.
At the city’s Sept. 25 public hearing, community members will have an opportunity to provide feedback on an official community plan amendment, rezoning, road closure and land sale bylaws related to sites at 909 to 915 12th St. These bylaws and land sale would pave the way for a five-storey, 40-unit market condo development to be built at this location, which is at the corner of 12th and London streets.
“Nine of the proposed units would be ground-oriented units, of which six are proposed as two-storey townhouse-style units,” said a staff report. “Half of all proposed units would be family-friendly units, containing two or three bedrooms.”
The developer has requested to buy 96.9 square metres (1,043 square feet) of “unused” city lane right-of-way and incorporate it into the proposed London Residence development, said a staff report to council.
According to the report, the subject properties are designated as residential-multiple unit buildings in the City of New Westminster’s official community plan. However, an OCP amendment is needed to facilitate the sale and incorporation of the city road right-of-way into the development site because of its current land-use designations.
A rezoning is also required, stated the report, because the sites’ current zoning allows for the development of a four-storey mixed-use building.
A staff report noted that a six-storey building was initially proposed at this location during an earlier pre-application review process, but was subsequently revised to five storeys.
“The development’s proposed increase in height from four storeys (allowed under the site’s existing zone) to five storeys for an increase in building energy performance from BC Energy Step Code Level 3 to Step Code Level 4 is considered appropriate and consistent with the RM (residential-multiple unit buildings) designation,” said the report.
The sites are currently home to four buildings, including a two-storey mixed-use building at 909 12th St., a commercial building and a residential building at 911/913 12th St., and an auto sales office at 915 12th St.
While the city’s draft rental replacement policy is not applicable because each of the parcels does not have more than six rental units, staff have reviewed tenant relocation policies in other municipalities and have proposed a “middle-of-the-road” approach for this application, said the report to council.
“For the four commercial tenants, the applicant has proposed six months’ compensation at the current rental rate at the time notice is provided to end the lease, as well as a flat rate compensation for moving expenses,” said the report.
For tenants, DiNicolo Enterprises Ltd. Is proposing at least four months’ notice be given to tenants. Consistent to rates officer in the City of Victoria’s tenant compensation policy, compensation for moving expenses would be provided to tenants based on unit type: $750 for bachelor and one-bedroom units; $1,000 for two-bedroom units; and $1,250 for units with three or more bedroom units.
Tenants would also receive a lump sum payment for rental compensation, which would be based on the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s latest available data on average rents in New Westminster.
