Parksville council approved a development permit to facilitate a four-storey, 38-unit rental apartment building, parking and landscaping at 240 Island Highway West.
The property is the former site of the Oceanside Terrace Apartments that was destroyed by fire in June 2017.
RELATED: Emergency Support Services helping displaced residents after Parksville apartment fire
Council also approved issuance of a development variance permit to the property owner, Bruce McLay, to vary height, lot line setbacks and parking requirements.
In order to construct the apartment complex, a number of variances have been proposed by the owner, said city director of community planning and building, Blaine Russell.
“Primarily to the setbacks, a reduction in some cases,” Russell said at a May 6 regular meeting. “As well as a reduction in the usable open space from 928 square metres to 411 square metres and reduction in the number of parking from 1.5 parking spaces to 1.2 parking spaces per dwelling.”
Russell added that a relaxation to the maximum height requirement was also proposed from 11 metres to 13.3 metres.
A neighbouring resident, who lives behind the proposed apartment, said if the new building is any higher she will lose some of her views of the water.
“It’s not a lot but my view of the water is really important to me,” she said. “In addition, the parking variance, I don’t agree with that. Morison (Avenue) is absolutely jam-packed at night, there’s already parking problems in Parksville and I think allowing them a variance on that is a mistake.”
Another neighbour who lives at 220 Island Highway agreed that parking in the area has always caused issues.
Russell said that 47 parking stalls are proposed for the 38 units, which is 10 fewer than what is typically required.
