A new residential project on Dougall Road was approved by council on Monday.
Development permits were issued for a six-storey apartment building with 105 units.
PK Developments’ project will be going up at 475 Dougall Road N.
The developer is providing 112 parking stalls, which is three less than the city requires.
However, a staff report says the applicant will be making a cash-in-lieu payment of $32,292 to make up for those unprovided stalls. They are providing 96 bicycle parking stalls, which is four more than the city requires.
In addition, the developer is proposing a payment of $63,815 to the city’s Public Amenity and Streetscape Capital Reserve Fund in exchange for more density and height.
Those payments sparked a discussion around the city’s zoning bylaw, which includes certain incentives for density bonusing like what is being seen with this application’s request for a slight increase to height.
This property lands in the Rutland Urban Centre which allows a base building height of four storeys/18 metres with an opportunity of a bonus height of two storeys/eight metres.
The applicant is matching the base height but is looking for a bonus of two storeys or 3.7 metres.
Coun. Luke Stack suggested it might be a time to review the formula that is used to calculate payments to city reserves.
“Seems like a pretty good deal to me. Two extra storeys for $63,000,” coun. Stack said.
“So, the calculation for that financial trade off, is that something that council put together based on a staff recommendation?”
Jocelyn Black, the city’s urban planner, told council that the calculation was put together when council adopted the new zoning bylaw and is based on lot area, adding that it works out to about $20 per square metre for properties in the Rutland Urban Centre.
“We are definitely due back for an update to council in the new year,” Black said.
“It does have a 2% increase, I believe, every calendar year in January. But it is currently on staff’s work plan for 2024 to take a look at that as well as the other bonus, which is the affordable housing bonus.”
This building will include an indoor fitness room and a lounge area on the main level, an indoor amenity space on the top floor with a games area, lounge, kitchen and tables as well as a rooftop amenity area with barbeques, a covered patio and lounge area.
Coun. Charlie Hodge, who was the lone vote of opposition to this proposal, was disappointed to see a lack of greenery on top of the building.
Next steps for this project will see the developer receive their building permit.
