Plans for the construction of a 16-unit multi-family development at 580 Mark street are moving forward. Neighbours of the development will be notified this week that the City requires a variance to reduce the number of required parking spaces at the proposed townhouse complex.
At a regular Council meeting on Monday, May 14, 2018, Council discussed the plans, while also approving the notice to neighbours.
Tyee Homes has proposed building a four-unit townhouse complex, operating under four individual strata properties, providing 16 residential units in the downtown core. The complexes will equally face both Mark Street and Knighton Road.
Manager of Planning Services Troy Pollock explained that the units along Mark Street will be larger units, at approximately 1650 square feet, while the units along Knighton Road will be sightly smaller, at approximately 1350 square feet.
“This development works and fits within the residential development permit guidelines that were recently approved in the Official Community Plan,” said Pollock. “The unit types and sizes are mixed to try to diversify the housing supply in Kimberley. This is the first multi-family development permit since 2010, so that’s good to see. There was six units that year, and before that it was from 2006 to 2008 when we had the resort expansion taking place.”
He added that each unit will have independent exit and entryways, as well as their own parking spaces.
City Planner Christopher Jones explained in a report to Council that parking regulations state that 32 off-street spaces (two spaces per unit) would be required for a development of this size, whereas 24 in total are planned. Staff have requested that driveways be paired along Mark Street to allow for more on-street parking, however a Variance to parking requirements would still be required. The proposed off-street parking is inline with that presently available on surrounding properties in the downtown area.
Jones wrote that the proposed development will be located on one of the last remaining parcels that once provided access to the BC Southern Railway into the Downtown area. Remediation of the property was completed over the past year and the Land Remediation Section of the Ministry of Environment has permitted the Development Permit Application without further investigation being required.
“Operations is satisfied that existing area services will accommodate this development and notes that revision of the Snow Management Plan for the area would be required,” wrote Jones. “The Fire Department has required that two new hydrants would have to be installed in order to provide adequate fire protection to the new development.”
Councillor Albert Hoglund addressed some potential concerns with snow removal in that area.
“It’s nice to hear the people on Mark Street, off Rotary Drive are going to have ample parking off Rotary drive,” said Hoglund. “My only concern is in the winter time because all of the snow that used to be plowed on that side of the street; now it won’t be. If you get people parked there, it will be a nightmare for those guys who are trying to plow snow.”
Councillor Darryl Oakley says it is good to be addressing parking concerns now, in anticipation of any potential future problems. He says that the speed limit change at the intersection of Mark Street and Ross Street could pose some challenges.
“That’s a fairly high speed limit of 50 km/hr at the exit off Rotary,” said Oakley. “When theres a major event at McKim, and people park all the way up Ross Street to the stop sign, that becomes a very dangerous situation because of sight lines. In my opinion, you should be looking at where parking should definitely not be allowed.”
Mayor Don McCormick says that although parking is a concern, the real challenge lies in finding space for these types of units in the downtown core.
“The demographic is changing, so many things are changing, and we are just crying right now for multi-unit residential housing,” said McCormick. “I didn’t realize we hadn’t had one since 2010. That’s almost unbelievable. Yet today, with townhouses in particular and really any other type of multi-residential unit, this is what people coming to town are looking for. Wether it be to buy or to rent; the fact is that it’s downtown and it’s walkable. Anywhere in the downtown area is going to present a challenge for parking. If we want these kinds of developments to go downtown here, we’re going to have to figure out how to solve it.”
A notice to neighbours will be sent out and come back to the next meeting for Council to make a decision on the variance.
