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Developing Story: Dunbar redevelopments seek approval

Residents still concerned about height
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The Dunbar Residents Association is concerned about the height proposed for a redevelopment project at 3592 West 29th. Rendering: Henriquez Partners Architects

Two prominent Dunbar redevelopment projects go before the Development Permit Board Dec. 15.

One involves the Stong’s site. It’s an application to redevelop 3592 West 29th, formerly known as 4560 Dunbar St.

Henriquez Partners Architects, acting on behalf of property owner the Harwood Holdings Corporation, proposes a four-to-five storey, mixed-use development. It would include 60 residential units, commercial space, a height of four storeys on the north end and five storeys on the south end where there would also be a public plaza.

In October 2013, the city rejected a rezoning application for a six-storey mixed-use building on the site. Residents argued it was contrary to Dunbar’s community vision, which calls for a four-storey limit.

The Harwood application complies with the C2 zoning for the site, so it’s considered conditional, which means it may be permitted, but needs board approval. Brian Jackson, the city’s manager of planning and development, told the Courier previously that zoning allows for five storeys on part of the property because it’s a sloped site.

The Development Permit Board will also consider, on Dec. 16, a development permit application for a nearby site at 3603 West 27th, formerly known as 4219-4295 Dunbar St.

IBI/HB Architects submitted the application on behalf of property owner Dunbar Partnership. It proposes a four-storey, mixed-use development that would include 46 residential units and commercial space.

The Dunbar Partnership project also complies with existing zoning, so approval is conditional and may be permitted, although it requires Development Permit Board approval.

“We thought because of the level of public interest in these two projects that it would be important to provide the public an opportunity to comment to the Development Permit Board,” Jackson told the Courier Wednesday.

Jackson said the city is getting more responses on the Harwood application than on the Dunbar Partnership application. Residents are concerned about approval being given for five storeys on the Harwood site.

“My understanding is, what staff have told me is, the building is compliant to the C2 regulations, which guide the property. So I will be looking at the staff report in detail and I ask questions at the Development Permit Board on Monday,” he said.

So could the board reject the application even if it complies with zoning? Jackson says yes.

“If it’s compliant, but provides a design which does not achieve what the board thinks it can achieve, the board can send it back or turn it down,” he said.

Jackson said the Dunbar Partnership application hasn’t been as controversial, although residents are concerned about its impact on traffic.

“We certainly take [concerns] into consideration, to make sure the traffic issues in terms of the access to the site, the egress and the pedestrian access are all addressed,” Jackson said. “So we would be asking questions of the transportation staff to determine whether the traffic issues have been resolved.”

Colleen McGuinness, chair of the Dunbar Residents’ Association, said the association supports the Dunbar Partnership application because it conforms to Dunbar’s community vision for buildings no higher than four storeys.

“But we recognize there are some neighbourhood transportation issues that have to be addressed because there’s a church and school and daycare. There’s a lot of traffic and very narrow streets west of 27th. But the development has come in under the height restriction that the [community] vision has of four storeys, so we think it’s a good project that provides the amenity of a grocery store,” she said.

Dunbar Residents’ Association is not as supportive of the Harwood application because it exceeds the community’s vision by one storey on part of the site.

“It’s a bit more problematic because on the south end of the property, it’s a five-storey building. We’ve urged them to bring it down,” McGuinness said.

She doesn’t buy the reasoning that it’s a sloped site.

“Dunbar Street is very narrow. If the building were being proposed for Broadway where you’ve got a lot more width between sidewalks, it wouldn’t be so overwhelming,” she said. “But Dunbar is narrower and it will be quite high and it will not ease into the neighbourhood because the other side of the lane will be single-family houses,” McGuinness said.

She maintains the community vision is specific about what heights should be allowed.

“If we varied that then we have problems if people come in and say, well, they got five storeys, so we’d like six storeys. And they got six, so we’d like seven,” she said.

“We know there are other developments that are going to be considered for Dunbar, so if we don’t stand with what the neighbourhood position is, then I think it will weaken it.”

The Development Permit Board meeting is at 3 p.m. Dec. 15.

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