Mayor and council are divided on a plan to build one of the tallest apartment towers on the North Shore.
At a meeting on Monday, District of North Vancouver council narrowly voted to send a proposal for a 37-storey rental building and adjacent 12-storey hotel to a public hearing.
Replacing the Best Western and Econo Lodge sites on Capilano Road near Marine Drive, the new development would house 478 purpose-built rental units – 48 of them at below-market rates – and 171 hotel rooms.
It would also include new commercial space at the ground level, as well as various improvements to the surrounding road infrastructure and public areas.
But, primarily due to the sky-scraping height of the project, which requires an amendment to the official community plan, Mayor Mike Little and Couns. Lisa Muri and Betty Forbes voted against it, nearly sending the decade-long application process back to the drawing board.
The majority of council though touted its benefits including meeting the municipality’s housing needs and attracting out-of-towners to a well-situated hotel.
The plan will go to a public hearing which is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 19.
A staff report summarized several key benefits to the community: a partnership with YWCA valued at $16 million to deliver 18 family-oriented, subsidized rental units; $15 million in improvements to the street frontage including bus stops, protected bike lanes and widened sidewalks; around $9 million to upgrade surrounding infrastructure; up to $1 million for public realm enhancements like street furniture, landscaping and “pocket parks;” and a developer cost charge estimated at $4.9 million.
Based on public feedback gathered so far, concerns expressed to staff include a need for infrastructure improvements before such a large development is built, that too much density is being added to the Lions Gate Village town centre, and the height of the tower being above 30 storeys.
But staff received more positive comments than negative, with members of the public wanting the village centre to be built out with more services. Residents were also enthusiastic that more rental housing would benefit young people and local employees, and that the hotel would bring other economic benefits to the area.
Residents, along with representatives from the business community and housing advocates, attended Monday’s meeting to voice their support for the project.
In response to past feedback from council and the community, applicant Chard Development Ltd. has committed to enhancing the local road network and utility infrastructure.
The company has also altered the design to place the tallest buildings near Capilano Road to reduce shadow impacts to the nearby residential area.
Staff recommended that council move the plan ahead to a public hearing because it advances the OCP and the plan for the Lower Capilano Marine Village Centre. The report noted that the 478 new market units will help achieve the district’s affordable housing strategy, while the hotel rooms will contribute to economic development goals.
Is building's height worth the benefits of new rental and amenities in the community?
While Coun. Jim Hanson said he appreciated the community’s concerns related to congestion and transportation infrastructure in the area, the main appeal of the project is the number of new rental units it will create.
“It’s bringing the district exactly, in my view, the category of housing that we need,” he said. “I also know that it will be projects such as this that will play a role in allowing us to meet the provincially mandated housing targets.”
Coun. Jordan Back acknowledged the developer has been working carefully with the municipality on the proposal for a long time.
“I think the proposal that they’ve landed on is quite close to perfect in terms of the type of housing we need and where we want to see it,” he said.
Currently, the growing Lions Gate Village community doesn’t have the retail, restaurants and activated public spaces to make it feel like a real town centre, Back added.
“I think this development has the opportunity to bring a lot of that,” he said.
But Little said the height of the project was a big challenge for him.
“When we went to the community, did the planning process for this area, we told them, through the Lower Capilano implementation plan, that this site was going to max out at 18 storeys, not 37 storeys,” he said.
Purpose-built rental and the YWCA partnership are both desirable though, Little added.
“But at the same time, doubling the height of the site – is it worth all of the things that are being contemplated or considered here?” he said. “At this point, I’m not supportive of granting first reading on this project.”
Council is faced with the choice of approving more density and height to achieve the rental and hotel space the community wants, said Coun. Lisa Muri. Aside from the building’s height, Muri said generally positive things about the developer and the project, particularly that no existing rental units would be lost in construction. But in the end, she voted against it.
Based on the district’s new housing needs report, the municipality needs to build higher and more densely, said Coun. Catherine Pope.
Tall buildings are already in the neighbourhood, she said, pointing to the 25-storey International Plaza across the street, and a proposed 27-storey tower at the old Travelodge site.
“We need more rentals, and this provides 478 and a total of 48 will be below-market rentals, of which 18 will be at deep subsidy and operated by the YWCA. I wish there could be more,” she said.
