City of Powell River Council has given first reading to sustainable official community plan and zoning amendment bylaws for a planned multi-unit residential development at the Beach Gardens complex.
At the July 3 city council meeting, director planning services Jason Gow said on April 3, staff presented an introductory report related to the proposed development of the property.
“At that meeting, council resolved that staff be directed to prepare for council’s consideration draft amendment bylaws that would facilitate redevelopment of the Beach Gardens complex,” said Gow.
He added that the first draft in front of council was to amend the city’s sustainable official community plan by proposing a new land use designation. Currently, the designation of the property in question is urban residential single family, and the bylaw proposes that be changed to mixed-use commercial residential.
“This would better reflect the currently permitted activities on the commercially zoned land where the hotel is situated, and it would also support the rezoning of the remaining lands to permit medium density multi-residential development, as desired by the applicant,” said Gow.
He said the second draft bylaw proposes to amend the zoning bylaw. The Beach Gardens complex consists of five separate parcels of varying size and zoning, he added.
“This proposal aims to reconfigure the five parcels into two lots and then rezone them,” said Gow. “Once reconfigured, the zoning of the newly defined lots is proposed to be C4, tourist commercial and RM4, multi-family residential.
“If successful, the area currently zoned C4 would be reduced and the area currently permitted to house multiple unit residential development would grow. The C4 zoning would remain intact, with an additional permitted use that would allow Salish Sea Spirits, a craft facility established on site, as per the temporary use permit, to operate indefinitely.”
Gow said in terms of next steps, there is a list of subject conditions, broken into two categories. There are six conditions that should be required before second reading of the zoning amendment bylaw, and a further condition that would be required before final approval of the bylaw.
The first subject conditions include requirements that city services have adequate capacity to serve the 215-unit development. Road dedication requirements were also included, as is an archaeological investigation. An environmental screening report would also be required, as would confirmation from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch that the hotel can directly access Cariboo Avenue.
Gow said meeting the six requirements before second reading would allow council to assess if there is merit to consider further readings of the draft amendment bylaw.
The second subject condition would be a requirement that the applicant complete the associated subdivision of the Beach Gardens complex that would see five parcels amalgamated into two.
“This is a relatively standard requirement, typically recommended to avoid the creation of split-zone properties,” said Gow. “It will also assure the requirements that are linked to subdivision approval are completed before further development rights are granted.”
Gow said following receipt of required deliverables from the applicant, staff could analyze them and prepare another report for council’s consideration.
“At that time, it may be appropriate for council to consider second reading of the draft amendment bylaw and direct staff to schedule a public hearing,” added Gow.
City councillor George Doubt moved that the sustainable official community plan bylaw be read a first time. He said the whole set of recommendations from staff has two parts, the amendment to the official community plan and the zoning bylaw. He said under the official community plan amendment, the intention is to change the property uses on the pieces of property.
“The motion is to read it a first time, which gives us an opportunity to come back the second and third time, and finally adopt it before things come to an end,” said Doubt. “The further readings would take place after we talk about zoning and the land use. The first one is really about whether we agree with the concept of using that property in a different way. I’m in favour of doing it.”
Councillor Cindy Elliott said the current roadways in the area are not suitable for what the developer is proposing and she doesn’t see how the plan addresses the access shortcomings.
“They are trying to develop the land and eliminate the access they currently provide,” said Elliott. “I’m not really in favour of this particular proposal, even though I’m in favour of development.”
Council voted to support first reading of the sustainable official community plan bylaw.
Beach Gardens representative Jack Barr said at this stage, the development is just a concept.
“All we’re here to do right now is housekeeping,” said Barr. “There are five pieces of property and all I’m trying to do is clarify the hotel piece, amalgamate the upper piece, and whether I develop it, whether I jointly develop it, or whether Seaboard Hotels sells the property to another developer to do that, that’s really what’s on the table right now.
“I’m happy to be a good neighbour and try to work this through.”
Councillor Trina Isakson moved first reading of the zoning amendment bylaw with its seven conditions. She said the RM4 designation and the roads going through it are, at this point, completely hypothetical.
“At this stage, we are looking at the two zones, and what requirements we would want as a council to move forward,” said Isakson.
The motion carried unanimously.
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