Mayor Lisa Helps and Council City of Victoria No.1 Centennial Square Victoria, BC V8W 1P6
April 11, 2018
Re: Amenity Transfer from 1201 Fort Street to 1010 Fort Street
Dear Mayor Helps and Council,
On April 9, the DRA LUC hosted a CALUC meeting for 1010 Fort Street. The Applicant outlined a proposal for a 53 unit, nine storey building which would include 10 “affordable” units. The applicant is seeking to provide no parking for this proposal.
At this CALUC meeting the provision of 10 affordable units on this site was promoted to the attendees. It was not disclosed to the attendees that the 10 “affordable” units proposed at 1010 Fort Street were also promised as an amenity contribution to leverage Council approval for a completely different application 500 metres distant at 1201 Fort Street in the Rockland neighbourhood. No other form of amenity was offered for the 1010 Fort Street application and this lack of disclosure regarding the proposed amenity tests the validity of the CALUC meeting.
The DRALUC strongly objects to Council considering amenity transfers tied to projects that are subject to concurrent re-rezoning applications. This situation clearly demonstrates the potential conflict by proposing an amenity for one site and not disclosing that is actually a commitment made at another while at the same time fettering Council’s discretion obligating one rezoning in order to serve the commitments made on another. Council and the Community must be able to review each proposal as independent projects and make assessments based entirely on their own merits.
Sincerely,
Ian Sutherland Chair Land Use Committee Downtown Residents Association