A former city-owned site is being rezoned to accommodate a mixed-use commercial and residential development.
In 2012, the city sold the Gyro health building to South Street Financial Corp. A 26-storey tower including 282 residential units and about 7,500 square feet of commercial space is proposed at Sixth and Carnarvon streets.
Prior to the April 28 public hearing, the city received written submissions from 21 people who supported the project, six who opposed and four who had concerns. Many people attending the public hearing expressed support for the project, while some area residents voiced concern about adding more people to the busy neighbourhood.
Area resident Diane Butler expressed concern about the impact that hundreds of new residents will affect traffic on Carnarvon Street.
“We feel this is a very unsafe situation,” she said. “It is already in distress with the amount of traffic it gets.”
Butler also expressed concern about the impact on the neighbourhood’s scarce on-street parking, the height of the building and the construction of a rental building.
“Those people are transient,” she said of renters. “They are here today, gone tomorrow.”
Sam Hanson, founder of South Street Development, said a “new generation” of people is preparing to use transit more and rely on the automobile less. He said the project addresses a “serious need” for more rental housing.
Area resident Doug Whicker agrees that the project fills a need for rental housing in the downtown. He thinks an attractive storefront and residential building will enhance the area, and doesn’t consider the tower’s height to be out of line with other buildings in the area.
While some area residents expressed concern about the impacts the project would have on parking and traffic, several people spoke of the need for more rental housing. A number of people said the city needs to increase the density in the downtown so there are more people to support and sustain new retail businesses and create a vibrant neighbourhood.
“I find the downtown quiet,” said one man. “I sometimes struggle when I try to find a place to eat.”
Downtown resident Richard MacAlpine supported the application, as he believes rental housing is “crucial” to a community. Like his neighbours, he’d like the city to take action to address the increased traffic on Carnarvon Street.
“Carnarvon Street has become a raceway in many respects,” he said.
After listening to delegations for more than an hour at Monday’s public hearing, council gave third reading to the rezoning application and special development permit that would allow a mixed-use commercial and 282-unit rental residential project to be built at the site.
Coun. Betty McIntosh said the city is aware traffic is an issue on Carnarvon Street, something that’s related to increased traffic on the Pattullo Bridge.
“It is not the developer’s problem it is like that,” she said. “It is certainly a livability problem for the downtown.”
Coun. Bill Harper said he was impressed with the public’s understanding of how the project fit in with city policies related to affordable housing and parking. He said the city wants to provide an opportunity for people to live in the community they grew up in, something that’s fortified by the provision of rental housing.
The business community sees the project as something that will support business by putting more people on the street and bringing more people into the area to support the downtown economy, Harper said.
“I think it’s a good project,” he said. “I do want to see that the issues on Carnarvon Street are addressed.”
