The City of Victoria is moving forward with a public hearing for a controversial 14-storey mixed-use development in James Bay.
A public consultation on the proposed official community plan (OCP) amendment revealed that 92.2 per cent of respondents disagreed with proposal.
At a committee of the whole meeting on Thursday, Nov 21, council members deliberated and debated whether or not to send the development, which was denied last summer, to a public hearing.
Situated at what is currently a parking lot on Quebec, Montreal and Kingston streets, the proposal includes 108 new homes in both townhouse and condo units with options of single, two or three-bedroom homes.
The building would also host several amenities, including commercial space, space for a not-for-profit daycare, new bike lanes and a sidewalk, as well as provide a $700,000 contribution to the Housing Reserve Fund.
In August, the city started looking for public consultation from those who would be affected by the development. Most of the respondents disliked the proposal, saying they were opposed due to inconsistencies with the official community plan, the scale of the building, lack of affordable and rental housing, the inconsistent height in the community, shadow and view impacts, lack of parking, increased traffic congestion, traffic safety concerns and increased noise pollution in the area.
"This developer is dangling goodies to distract us from the fact that this is well, well, well beyond what is allowed anticipated by our official community plan," said Coun. Stephen Hammond. "Staff has made this crystal clear, and the community has spoken loud and clear that they don't want something this height and this dense."
The developers of the building are looking for an amendment to the official community plan, asking for an increase to 14 storeys from six, and a floor-space ratio bump from a maximum of 2 to 2.88.
Coun. Marg Gardiner spoke about how she was disappointed with the leniency council has provided housing and new developments. She said that before the current council term she only spoke badly about one development proposal, however, in the past two years there's been a "runaway train" that's not good for the city and further divides residents.
"This council has made a significant change in a direction that frankly was not on the agenda at the election," said Gardiner.
Couns. Matt Dell and Dave Thompson, however, said they would like to see the building go to a public hearing, as zoning and the OCP may be out of date, as the city is currently in the process of reviewing their decade-old OCP.
"We are going for the ultimate form of public feedback, asking for the public to weigh in on this. So moving this forward is not a sign of yes or no, it's saying 'let's let the public decide," said Dell, adding that he thought the development was in a highly desirable and walkable location, and the big hurdle were out-of-date policies.
"How do we add housing in the context of outdated policies?" asked Dell.
The motion to move forward with the public hearing passed, with Hammond, Gardiner and Coun. Chris Coleman opposed.
Though she said it was an "extremely difficult" consideration, Mayor Marianne Alto said she was in favour of moving forward with the public hearing, though she is still skeptical as she feels the building is still too high for the neighbourhood.
"It would seem to me that by the thinnest of hairs, and it is indeed the thinnest of hairs, the logical thing to do here is to send this to public hearing," said Alto. "But I will reiterate, as some of my colleagues have said, that is no indication of what may happen at that hearing."
The hearing will likely happen in the new year after council votes for the initial reading of the motion.
