Even if Delta council didn't like the plan, it would be difficult to reject a revised housing development application along a busy corridor.
That's what city staff are saying in an updated report coming to council on Monday, July 8 regarding a proposal for a lot at the corner of Scott Road and 75A Avenue that would see 285 market condos in a sprawling six-storey complex.
The city notes that the property is located within 400 metres of the Scottsdale Transit Exchange. Under new provincial legislation, developments at a location near a transit exchange, and under a certain floor space ratio and height of eight storeys, cannot be denied based on density or height.
A previous application to build a project at the location, which would have included 155 condo units in two, six-storey buildings as well as 10 townhouse units in two, three-storey buildings, was approved by council two years ago. The property since changed ownership.
Following the introduction by the province of new housing legislation, that previously approved application was cancelled by the owner and the revised proposal submitted to the city.
The planning department says the proposal is consistent with the designation of the Scott Road Corridor under the new Delta Official Community Pan, intended for mid-to high-rise residential and mixed-use buildings.
To be in line with new provincial requirements, council will also consider final approval to introduce Temporary Use Permit (TUP) and Transit-Oriented Area (TOA) parking regulations into Delta's zoning bylaw.
The B.C. government's amendments to the Local Government Act through Bill 47, the Housing Statutes (Transit-Oriented Areas) Amendment Act, established that local governments are required to permit a minimum level of density and height, as well as restricted from requiring residential parking, around a certain radius from transit stations.
The Scottsdale Exchange TOA radius measurement includes portions of North Delta.
The City of Delta was required to amend its parking requirements in the zoning bylaw because a local government is prohibited from requiring a specific number of parking spaces for residents or visitors within the TOAs
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how many new future housing units in the vicinity of the transit exchange and the Scott Road corridor will be geared towards high-density housing, but also affordable rental housing.
A recent Metro Vancouver report said that Metro 2050, the region’s long-term growth plan, sets out expectations for Metro Vancouver and its member jurisdictions when it comes to increasing regional affordable rental housing in transit areas.
According to the regional district’s implementation guidelines, those are expected to be achieved through policies including a regional target that at least 15 per cent of newly completed housing units are affordable rental housing within all Urban Centres, Frequent Transit Development Areas and Major Transit Growth Corridors combined.
Member jurisdictions should adopt Regional Context Statements that indicates how they will, within their local context, contribute toward the regional target of having at least 15 per cent of newly completed housing units built in those areas be affordable rental housing.
The secondary rental market rental housing that is not purpose-built as rental housing, such as basement suites or rented condos, is not captured in the target.
