The City of Delta is gathering and reviewing public feedback on a proposed high-density development application for a North Delta site where a previously approved proposal was cancelled.
The proposal for a lot at the corner of Scott Road and 75A Avenue would see 285 condos in a sprawling six-storey complex.
Although the application requires an Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment, 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 by a city council based on density or height.
A public information meeting has yet to be scheduled, and only after that meeting takes place will the application come to council for consideration.
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. However, following the introduction by the province of new housing legislation, that approved application was cancelled by the proponents and a revised proposal submitted.
The planning department notes that the proposal is consistent with the designation of the Scott Road Corridor under the new, draft OCP, intended for mid-to high-rise residential and mixed-use buildings.
Council last week gave preliminary approval of the proposed OCP. Final approval is scheduled to be completed in June.
In 2019, most of council voted to reject another application to build a 35-storey high-rise with 329 units, as well as six townhouses, on the site.
Following the defeat of that high-rise application, Mayor George Harvie announced he would form a special task force to come up with recommendations for future development along the Scott Road corridor.
The task force later submitted its final report with recommendations for a new concept for Scott Road that breaks the corridor into three main districts. Those recommendations were never formerly adopted by council as city policy.
The latest development proposal for the corner of Scott Road and 75A Avenue would fall in line with the task force’s proposed building heights for the area.
Council earlier this year unanimously gave preliminary approval for a major redevelopment application for the Delta Shoppers Mall site further down the road.
The plan for that site, in the 8000-block of Scott Road, includes four buildings ranging from six-to-32 storeys with a total of 876 residential units, as well as 113,554-square-feet of office space, 70,637-square-feet of commercial space and 3,418-square-feet of childcare space.
That application was not consistent with the task force’s recommendations. The rezoning proposal was consistent with the current OCP, however, so a public hearing was not required.
