Increasing density to create more housing continues across Nanaimo.
At a meeting Monday, June 17, city council approved a rezoning application from Lovick Scott Architects on behalf of a numbered B.C. company and Glen Neufeld for two properties at 330 and 338 Ninth Street in Harewood to allow for 34 townhouses.
Jeremy Holm, city planning and development director, said conceptual plans call for the 34 units to be configured across seven residential buildings and said Nanaimo’s city plan for the location supports development of ground-oriented townhouses up to three storeys in height.
The property is on the north side of Ninth Street between Douglas Avenue and Buffer Road. The report noted the applicant had conducted geotechnical, water, sanitary, stormwater management and tree management technical studies and a water model analysis to confirm adequate fire flows for the development to support the re-zoning application.
The applicant also committed to a community amenity contribution of $129,200, with 40 per cent be applied to the city’s housing legacy reserve fund and 60 per cent to local park and trail improvements.
A public information meeting was held this past spring, Holm said, with residents raising concerns related to traffic impacts, density, parking, tree removal and fire truck access to the site. Two neighbours spoke at the meeting, opposing the project for a variety of reasons including building heights and traffic and parking concerns.
Coun. Sheryl Armstrong asked if there was potential for shadowing impacts on neighbouring properties due to the height of the structures, and Holm replied that the townhouse concepts wouldn't be as tall as what would be allowed, for example, on any single-family lot under the province's new small-scale, multi-unit housing legislation.
Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, Coun. Paul Manly and Coun. Erin Hemmens were among council members who talked about the need for more housing and support for the re-zoning.
"These sorts of developments are always tricky. You’re introducing density into a single-family neighbourhood,” Hemmens said. “My rationale for voting in support of the re-zoning is that it is a very walkable neighbourhood. Park Avenue school is right there, Five Acre Farm is right there, access to Tenth Avenue and transit is right there. So, acknowledging change is difficult in neighbourhoods, this feels like a good project to me and, further, I like the townhome form because I think what we see in condos is this ability to go to micro units, which really drives up the profit and I think townhomes are more amenable to two- and three-bedrooms, which are more family-focused.”
Council voted unanimously to approve the re-zoning application.
