The public will have a chance to weigh in on a new rental apartment building in west Abbotsford with fewer parking spots than normally required.
The four-storey building would be constructed as part of a large development on Livingstone Road, just south of Maclure Road and north of Highway 1.
Although the building would typically require 121 parking spaces, the developer wants to supply just 99.
Staff recommended granting the variance because the building will be located near Abbotsford’s planned “frequent transit network” that will extend from Highstreet, through the city’s commercial centre, to the UDistrict.
The city hopes to develop a network that will see buses run up and down the corridor every 10 minutes.
Staff said that a similar building along the city’s current transit spine would already qualify for such an increase and that their evaluation of the request anticipates a similar level of service near the development.
It was also noted that rental buildings generally require significantly less parking than strata developments.
Coun. Patricia Ross said she wasn’t sold on the scale of parking reductions, but that she would allow it to proceed to public comment.
Coun. Ross Siemens said he also isn’t generally a fan of such decreases, but said the transit improvements will help and said that it will be in the interest of the building’s owners to provide sufficient parking for all rental tenants.
The apartment will return to council for public comment at a future meeting.
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