06 Feb 2023
Dear Mayor Alto and Council,
The following is the Downtown Residents Association Land Use Committee letter regarding the Rezoning applications for 1205 & 1209 Quadra, 910 View, 903 & 911 Yates & 1045 Yates. The application, at final revision, consists of: - Two sites: o the 1.35 hectare 900 Yates Street block
o the 0.63 hectare 1045 Yates Street block
- Open space of approximately 2,109 square meters
- A total FSR of 6.06 over the two sites
- At grade retail, office and daycare, which consist of 9% of the total gross floor area
- 1,584 total apartment units
- Building heights of 34,31,30 storeys (900 Yates) and 23,22 (1045 Yates)
The variances requested include density, height and changes to setbacks.
The DRA LUC has provided feedback throughout the project. Please see the two appendix letters for the previous correspondence. The DRA LUC finds that most of the concerns made about the first applications are still outstanding. To summarize those concerns:
- Several properties being fit into one application inappropriately
- Concerns about losing anchor businesses
- Height variances over both the OCP, and the DCAP that is less than a year old
- Concern about number of small units
- Lack of proposed green spaces
- The large scope of OCP amendments requested
- Lack of amenity contributions
As noted the majority of concerns revolve around the desire to treat the development as a masterplan development that is outside of the OCP and DCAP. However from the DRA LUCs perspective, these are different properties and it is inappropriate to move forward with one application with design guidelines that run counter to accepted city policy documents.
The DRA LUC recommends that the application be referred back to staff for further community engagement, split into two applications and for the proponent to look into abiding by the OCP.
Sincerely
Jordan Royer, Land Use Co Chair
Appendix A - letter of 13 July 2021
Appendix B - letter of 8 March 2020
