A developer got early approval from Coquitlam council this week to build two six-storey apartment blocks on the city’s western side.
On Monday, Oct. 21, council voted 6–2 in favour of Quantum Properties’ applications for a six-storey market rental building — with 175 units — at 619, 623 and 627 Alderson Ave., 626 and 628 Grayson Ave. and 271 Guilby St.
Couns. Teri Towner and Robert Mazzarolo opposed the three bylaw readings for the rezoning; Mayor Richard Stewart was not at the meeting.
According to a report from Chris Jarvie, Coquitlam’s director of development services, Quantum plans to consolidate the six single-family lots to construct the apartment building over an underground parkade with 112 stalls, as well as close the city-owned lane nearby.
The project, if approved, would have 12 studio suites, 52 one-bedroom units, 57 one-bedroom units plus den, 37 two-bedroom homes and 17 three-bedroom units in the Lower Lougheed neighbourhood.
Towner said she’s not pleased that only 65 per cent of the tenants will have a parking spot and she fears residents' vehicles will spill onto side streets.
But Jarvie said under the new provincially mandated housing rules that went into effect last fall, new multi-family buildings close to SkyTrain stations don’t have to provide parking.
“The project is fully compliant” with Victoria’s housing order, added Andrew Merrill, Coquitlam’s general manager of planning and development.
Coun. Brent Asmundson also warned that removing parking from new builds will “greatly impact the livability of our city.”
Mazzarolo nixed the proposal because of the unit makeup and cited the city’s Housing Needs Report, which came before committee-of-council on Monday, that calls for more three-bedroom suites in the city.
The Quantum proposal “doesn’t match. It doesn’t come close” to the Housing Needs Report, he argued. “We have to find a way to get more family-sized units in developments.”
If adopted by council, the bid will bring in for the city an estimated:
- $4 million in development cost charges
- $518,145 in community amenity contributions
- including $96,821 for the Child Care Reserve Fund
- $3,500 for transportation demand management monitoring
Oakdale plans
Meanwhile, Quantum also received three bylaw readings on Monday to rezone six properties in the Oakdale neighbourhood.
The company plans a six-storey strata-titled apartment block with 156 units at 564, 568 and 574 Harrison Ave., 565, 569 and 575 Kemsley Ave. and part of Gardena Drive — mostly for students enrolled at Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain.
As with the Alderson bid, Mazzarolo took aim at Quantum for not supplying larger homes for families and he voted against the plans.
According to the application, one in five suites in the building would be a studio.
“I would say to applicants, if you’re going to do student housing, let’s make it true student housing,” Mazzarolo said. “This is more building units for investors to rent to students at high market rates.”
Coun. Dennis Marsden, who chaired the council meeting, urged post-secondary institutions to construct dorms on campus, which he claimed are more economical to build than condos.
Still, Quantum’s bid “checks the boxes and fits the rules” for the provincial housing legislation to grow faster, Marsden said.
Under the new legislation, development proposals that are compliant with the city’s Official Community Plan don’t require a public hearing.
If adopted by council, the bid will bring in for the city an estimated:
- $3.6 million in development cost charges
- $55,000 in community amenity contributions
- including $102,000 for the Child Care Reserve Fund
