Staff Report to Council – Bylaw No. 1920 (Omnibus #43 – Various Amendments)

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to outline various housekeeping amendments to Zoning Bylaw No. 300, which are proposed to fulfill previous Council resolutions as well as to address issues that have been brought to staff’s attention.

COMMENTS

Bylaw No. 1920 as drafted includes the following housekeeping amendments:

Minimum Lot Size Exceptions

It has come to staff’s attention that the Zoning Bylaw does not include an exception to the minimum lot size requirements for boundary adjustments between existing lots. In most cases, boundary adjustments can meet the minimum lot size requirements of the applicable Zone, however in the Rural Residential Zones which generally have quite large minimum lot sizes, property owners would have to rezone in order to proceed with even a slight boundary adjustment. If Council wishes to establish this type of exception, staff suggest the following wording:

The Approving Officer may approve a boundary adjustment subdivision which creates lots with lot areas less than the requirements in this Bylaw if:

(1) the subject lots are adjoining;
(2) no additional lots are created;
(3) where the proposed lots are under 6,000 m2 (1.5 ac) in area, the boundary adjustment does not result in the reduction of any lot by more than 20% of its original size; and
(4) the requirements of this Bylaw respecting siting of buildings and structures and minimum lot width are complied with.

Furthermore, Council may wish to add Transportation Corridors to the list of uses that are exempt from the minimum lot size requirements.

Removing flex suites from the C9 Zone

Council directed staff to remove multi-family flex suites as a permitted use from the Zoning Bylaw as part of a previous omnibus. However, this use was worded slightly differently in the C9 Zone, and as such as not captured within the omnibus bylaw. Council may wish to remove this use from the C9 Zone at this time.

Amending the density bonus provisions of the CD20 Zone

The lands within the CD20 (Comprehensive Development 20 – Eagle Ridge) Zone were under one ownership at the time of rezoning, and the Zone was structured to provide a base density (density that can be developed without providing amenity contributions) of 60 Single-Family equivalent dwelling units for the Zone as a whole. This is the number of standard single-family lots that could have been achieved under the previous R2 Zoning. The CD20 Zone was divided into four “Areas” by Schedule AG of the Zoning Bylaw. The two minor Areas (3 and 4) of the Zone permitting 1 larger one-family lot and two smaller one-family lots have been completed, and there are two active development sites where the balance of the development will occur. These development sites are 890 Bear Mountain Parkway (Area 1 of the Zone) and 2309 Echo Valley Drive (Area 2 of the Zone). Phase 1 of the Echo Valley Drive site, consisting of 15 townhouse units, has been registered, and both sites are actively working towards registration of additional units. These two sites are now under different ownership, and for clarity, Council may wish to amend the Density of Development section of this zone to proportionally split the base density as well as a lump sum amenity contribution between these two sites. Staff had originally been working towards a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the two owners, the terms of which were agreed to by the owners; however, to secure this arrangement in the long term, for example in the event that one or both of the current owners sells their site to another developer, staff are now suggesting this should be embedded in the Zone. Bylaw 1920 splits the base density and lump sum amenity contribution between these two Areas of the CD20 Zone as discussed with both owners.

Amending the Schedule E map of the CD1 Zone

In June 2017, Council authorized a land exchange agreement with Mainroad South Island Properties, wherein Mainroad would dedicate as road a portion of their land at 2895 West Shore Parkway containing a sidewalk along West Shore Parkway, and in turn the City would transfer two small slivers of land from our adjoining amenity parcels for consolidation into the Mainroad property. The CD1 Zone is split into four “Areas” by Schedule E of the Zoning Bylaw, which each permit different types of land uses. In this case the Mainroad property is within Area 1 – Business Park and the City’s amenity lots are within Area 4 – Amenity and Park Area. As part of the Land Exchange Agreement, the City must amend the Schedule E map such that the lands to be transferred to Mainroad are within Area 1. While Council is not obligated to approve this change, the land transfer will not complete if Council opts not to make this change.

OPTIONS

That Council:

1. Give First Reading to Bylaw 1920;
   Or
2. Take no action with respect to Bylaw No. 1920 at this time.

Respectfully submitted,

Submitted by:
Leah Stohmann, MCIP, RPP, Deputy Director of Planning - Approved

Concurrence:
Marie Watmough, Acting Manager of Legislative Services - Approved
Cory Manton, Manager of Parks and Recreation - Approved
George Henshall, AScT, Deputy Director of Engineering - Approved
Michael Dillabaugh, CPA, CA, Director of Finance - Approved
Braden Hutchins, Director of Corporate Services - Approved
Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer - Approved