The city will provide notice of its intent to consider issuance of a development variance permit to facilitate a four storey mixed commercial-residential building in downtown Parksville.
If granted, the variance will allow the proposed building at 187 and 193 Bagshaw Street to be constructed as tall as 19.8 m.
The development will include 39 residential units, commercial space on the ground floor and an underground parkade with 63 spaces — a further 39 street level parking spaces are also planned, according to a report by Blaine Russell, the city’s director of community planning and building. A portion of the proposed building height is attributable to the inclusion of rooftop accesses.
The requested height variance is within the scope of height envisioned within the Official Community Plan for the downtown core, Russell’s report said. The downtown core policies support consideration of building heights up to five storeys.
The form and character of the proposal was reviewed by the city’s advisory design panel (ADP) on June 24.
“I really like the idea that they’ve included green roofs,” said Coun. Marilyn Wilson. “But I think that there’s a missed opportunity that the developer could have been a little more proactive and implement the ADP panel recommendation for rainwater capture for at least the irrigation, especially given the drought conditions this summer.”
Landowners and tenants within 50 m of the property will be afforded an opportunity to provide comments on the development variance permit, according to Russell.
Council deferred consideration of the development permit until landowners and tenants within 50 m have had a chance to provide comment on the development variance permit. Nigel Gray of MacDonald Gray Consultants applied for the permit on behalf of the owner, Three Dog Ventures Ltd.
