It took a while, but a proposed new residential development fronting the Cascades Casino Delta has inched another step closer to final approval.
Council on Nov. 4 gave third reading for a rezoning and Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment for an application by Ron Toigo’s Shato Holdings for a development at 6115 Highway 17A.
The project originally included 138 condos in two buildings and 15 townhouse units.
Located near the interchange of Highways 99 and 17A, the residential buildings would have been connected by an under-building parkade for residents and visitors, accessed via a new private road.
The application, which includes buyers for several units being able to secure an affordable home ownership program, required Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure approval due to its proximity to the highways, which was finally obtained.
The applicant, however, also received an extension for third reading as the proposal was revised.
The proposal previously had two apartment buildings that were five storeys of living area on top of a one-storey above-ground parking structure, and the townhouses were three storeys.
A report to council notes that prior to completion of the rezoning bylaw conditions, the owner obtained an updated construction cost estimate for the proposed development.
The owner subsequently advised staff that the construction costs had risen substantially and it was necessary to make substantial changes to the proposal to make it financially viable.
The revised application still involves two apartment buildings, but with a total of 157 units, with each building having five storeys of living area on top of a one-storey above-ground parking structure, and surface parking between the buildings.
The previously proposed townhouses have been eliminated, while there are also adjustments to the amount of parking and other aspects to reflect a new form and design.
The council report states, following the adoption of the new OCP, the land use designation for the site is now Neighbourhood Centres and Corridors (NC), which allows multi-unit residential and mixed-uses up to six storeys in height.
The proposed development is consistent with the NC designation, so an OCP amendment is no longer required. As a result, council agreed that the previous bylaw amendment should be abandoned.
Once the applicant has completed all the third reading conditions, the bylaws will be presented to council for final consideration and adoption.
