Victoria council’s decision to allow a public hearing on a proposed residential tower in James Bay came with a warning: The developer should not take it as tacit approval.
Mayor Marianne Alto, who at one point voted against a version of the project, said if ever there was a case for a public hearing, it would be for this mixed-use development, proposed for a parking lot on a block partially bordered by Quebec, Kingston and Montreal streets.
The proposal includes 108 housing units in a 14-storey tower and a block of townhouses along Kingston Street. Plans call for commercial space at ground level and a daycare. All of it would be built over two levels of underground parking.
Alto said the developer should “take a very hard look at what is coming forward at that public hearing” and whether or not some changes should be made. “You’ve heard very clearly, I think, from the public and from this council, that this is a thin, thin razor’s edge, and that much more could be done to make it much more likely to be considered.”
Council voted 6–3 in favour of giving the public a say on the development proposed by Mike Geric Construction. A number of council members, and most of the feedback received from the public, has suggested it is too big for the site and does not conform to the Official Community Plan.
The proposal first came forward in July last year when council’s committee of the whole sent it back to the drawing board, saying a 17-storey tower was too much for the neighbourhood. A revised project with a 14-storey tower returned to council a year later and was the reason for a consultation on a proposed Official Community Plan amendment so it could go ahead.
That consultation resulted in 103 responses—95 voiced opposition to the project, which many felt was still too much for the neighbourhood, was inconsistent with the Official Community Plan and would increase traffic congestion. Eight indicated they were generally in support.
Coun. Marg Gardiner, who along with councillors Chris Coleman and Stephen Hammond voted against sending the project to a hearing, pointed out city staff have recommended the project be declined three times. “This proposal does not fit within the current zoning and more importantly within the OCP,” she said. The OCP calls for buildings on the property of up to six storeys, while the James Bay Neighbourhood Plan envisions the site having townhouses or apartments up to three storeys.
Hammond suggested Mike Geric Construction was “dangling goodies to distract us from the fact that this is well, well beyond what is allowed and anticipated by our Official Community Plan.”
But the majority of council felt the project merited a public hearing. Coun. Krista Loughton said a public hearing was the right thing to do. She said she wasn’t a fan of the project as it offers strata condominium units rather than non-market and median-income housing.
“As per our housing strategy annual review, this is a housing type that we’ve already met our targets,” she said. “I would much rather see us making exceptions for projects that we need to increase the supply in, and that’s for non-market and median incomes and below, that’s what we’re falling behind in.”
Coun. Jeremy Caradonna said there is a lot to like about the project as it is now a better size.
He liked the daycare, mixed use, a number of three-bedroom units are included and there’s a $700,000 contribution to the affordable housing reserve fund.
Coun. Dave Thompson said the OCP is out of date and the tower would fit in with a number of the surrounding buildings. He also noted that while the site has been a parking lot for decades and available for development there have been no applications to build townhouses there.