City of Powell River Council has approved a development variance permit for a 40-unit apartment complex located between Franklin and Ontario avenues in Westview.
At the December 7 city council meeting, councillors voted to issue the variance permit to increase the maximum allowable building height from 13.5 metres to 19 metres, and to reduce the number of off-street parking spaces from 56 to 50 spaces.
Councillors heard opposition to the proposal. There were five pieces of correspondence filed with the city, with four letters opposed to the project and one in favour.
People were also provided an opportunity to provide comments before council deliberated on the variance permit, with eight people opposed to the project speaking up. The project’s proponent, Brett Giese, was also in attendance and spoke in favour of the project.
Prior to the deliberations on the apartment complex, councillors heard a delegation from Jim Blom, Sherry Burton, Daniel Hanson and Mary Hanson, with Burton making the presentation.
“Respectfully, please consider the precedent that will be set if the height variance is granted,” said Burton. “It will be difficult to deny height variances in the central Westview area, particularly if such projects provide affordable housing units and pushes the density and floor ratio components up.
“We believe a broader discussion with the community is required. Consult all property owners to ensure they understand and accept a new height policy with regard to density and floor area ratio.”
Burton said the delegation was supportive of the need for new rental housing units, and that the proposed project, without the variances, will fulfill those objectives.
City councillor George Doubt read the motion for the development variance permit and said he had listened to the presenters, but there is a serious need for housing, and the kind of housing the proposed development will provide.
“It’s the kind of thing that can be made to be affordable for someone with an average income and will provide housing that really is not available in the community,” said Doubt. “We need more development like this. Our housing-needs study was pretty clear that we need something like 500 units. The 141 units being built on Joyce Avenue right now will be a great addition to the community, but we are going to need more housing if we are going to have places for people to live.”
Doubt said a balloon test revealed there was a limited blocking of views from Ontario Avenue and he was willing to put up with that to get what this community needs.
“We need more housing and we need to do it now,” added Doubt.
Councillors Rob Southcott, Cindy Elliott and Trina Isakson also spoke in favour of the rental housing complex.
Concerned councillor
Councillor Jim Palm said he was opposed. He said he was all for development, but there are limits.
“We have existing bylaws,” said Palm. “Residents have purchased homes that were based on bylaws, not variances.
“All the residents that I represent bought their homes for that view. If it is going to be compromised, I’m greatly concerned. I’m one of those individuals who has a beautiful view and that’s why I bought my home. I don’t want to see views compromised in this beautiful part of the world that we live in.”
Palm said the apartment complex will stick out like a sore thumb. He said low-cost housing is what council needs in this community. He added that he was not sure the proposed building falls into that category, other than the low-cost units that have been designated.
Palm then asked Giese if he would be willing to consider any type of compromise in terms of his ask in terms of height.
Giese said a variance is never a first choice. He said his company had looked at several different concepts for the site and the reality is, density becomes low, the underground parking goes away, and the metrics do not work. Giese said the short answer to Palm’s question was no.
Palm said he was going to have to vote no to the variance.
“The 19-metres height is a bridge too far for this councillor, having heard what I’ve heard in council chambers this evening,” said Palm.
Council voted in favour of the motion to vary the height and parking space allocation for the proposed apartment complex, with Palm opposed.
Join the Peak's email list for the top headlines right in your inbox Monday to Friday.
