The city approved two Dunbar redevelopments earlier this week.
The applications, both for mixed-use projects, went before the Development Permit Board Monday.
A plan to redevelop 3592 West 29th, formerly known as 4560 Dunbar St., is controversial. It involves a partial fifth-storey on the site, which critics argue violates the community vision’s four-storey limit on buildings. Henriquez Partners Architects submitted the application on behalf of landowner Harwood Holdings Corporation.
Brian Jackson, the city’s manager of planning and development, said 18 people spoke on this application and raised concerns about height.
“It’s interesting because the buildings actually in height are identical. They both go to the discretionary amount for the Director of Planning to consider of 55 feet. In one — the existing Stong’s site — the slope allows them to get a partial fifth floor,” said Jackson, adding the building is quite long at 240 feet and the fifth floor is about one quarter of that or about 60 feet. “And it is only the unique conditions of that particular site, which allows them the fifth storey to be within the 55 feet, the maximum we can consider under existing zoning.”
Speakers asked if the application would set a precedent in Dunbar. Jackson said each application is looked at on its own.
“The conditions under which we consider the discretionary height here is having a large site, both in terms of length and depth, as well as achieving a community amenity. In this particular case, the development is able to achieve the higher density because they offered a public amenity of a public plaza, which is south facing. We thought it was a worthwhile trade-off for the partial fifth floor. So is another developer able to achieve that? It’s only through an individual development process that we would be able to determine that.”
The second application approved dealt with 3603 West 27th, formerly known as 4219-4295 Dunbar St.
IBI/HB Architects submitted the application on behalf of property owner Dunbar Partnership.
About 28 people spoke about the application. Their comments centred on traffic concerns.
The city has asked the applicant to provide additional traffic study information on the hours of operation of adjacent schools, daycares and other community uses to ensure there’s a transportation management plan in place prior to final staff approval.
“So we were very clear with the applicant that we expect this new information. We expect them to address the concerns arising from this particular development to come up with a plan for the size of delivery trucks, the timing of delivery trucks, the number of delivery trucks and a schedule for how to incorporate a new grocery store in this location with the minimal amount of disruption and conflict with the other uses in the area,” Jackson said.
noconnor@vancourier.com
twitter.com/naoibh
