Columbia Student Residence | 2 x 85.85m | 2 x 25 fl | Proposed

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925 Main Street West by Urban Solutions, on Twitter



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The project is mentioned in this article:

thespec.com: Moratorium on development approved along LRT route

By Matthew Van Dongen | October 28, 2015

The city will temporarily ban new development and demolition along parts of the proposed LRT route while planners map out more transit-friendly zoning rules.

The one-year moratorium would pause development along most of the Main-King light rail route — but excluding the downtown — as well as a stretch of the James Street spur.

The interim control bylaw was passed despite the objections of some councillors leery about the lack of public notification.

"We're basically freezing development along one of the main city thoroughfares without advising many property owners that we're even going through the process," said Coun. Chad Collins, who originally opposed the $1-billion light rail project partly based on how it would affect King Street businesses.

Judi Partridge and Brenda Johnson also opposed the moratorium.

A majority of councillors spoke strongly in favour of the move, however, citing the ultimate goal of kick-starting new economic and residential development along the light rail route.

"Do we really want a (fast-food) drive-thru setting up on the site of what could be an eight-storey mixed-use development?" asked Coun. Jason Farr.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger also urged support for the bylaw and added he hoped opposition was not meant to "put a spoke in the wheel" of LRT planning.

The "development pause" is needed to give planners time to update zoning along the route to reflect "transit supportive" building, said planning director Steve Robichaud.

For example, the city wants to dissuade new parking lots, gas stations and drive-thrus along the east-west LRT route as well as the James Street spur.

Robichaud said any projects already underway are exempt from the interim control bylaw and it won't stop property owners from making minor upgrades or applying to change the use of buildings.

The moratorium isn't needed through the downtown, he said, because area zoning already supports transit-friendly development.

Council did approve two exemptions to the bylaw, however, after appeals from developers of a seniors' home expansion in the east city and a possible project near Columbia International College.