The owners of a former Travellers Inn are again seeking rezoning for an affordable housing complex, bringing it in line with its current use.
The proposal for 3025 Douglas St., to be heard by Victoria city council’s committee of the whole tomorrow (Nov. 2) is to convert the land use for the property into a residential zone for 48 units of “affordable market rental units.” The owners have been operating the former motel as a de facto long-term rental building for some time, which contravenes the existing zoning. The units are all currently occupied by long-term tenants who pay between $600 to $700 per month, but they have not signed leases.
Previous owners attempted to evict tenants in 2013 to build units for foreign language students. In 2016, it was purchased by F. C. Douglas Properties for $6 million.
Fabrizio Coltellaro, one of the current owners, said they want to keep the current tenants and keep the building as part of the area’s rental housing stock.
“The tenants I have there now are awesome,” he said. “All I really want to do is just have multi-family zoning and have that comfort of them being able to stay, and [us] not have to worry about … this expensive building not having income, because then I’d be screwed.
“We just want to keep the building going, but under the proper bylaws.”
On top of the rezoning, the city must also grant an amendment to the Official Community Plan, because the area is not intended for long-term residential use. However, single room occupancy is allowed east of Cecilia Ravine.
The proposal includes 48 bicycle parking spaces in an underground enclosure, lighting, alarm systems and security, and common laundry on the main floor. The site was renovated three years ago and the application doesn’t include further development on the site.
