New West council supports development of Columbia Square plan – but it’s not a done deal

A major redevelopment proposal for the Columbia Square Plaza site in downtown New West has cleared a hurdle – but it’s not a done deal.

The City of New Westminster has received an application that proposes a mixed-use development that includes commercial space and 3,800 residential units (homes for about 7,250 residents). About 25 per cent of the site at 88 10th St. would be part of a greenway network through the site.

A week after deferring a decision on the project, council considered a proposal for the site at a special meeting on Oct. 28. At the conclusion of the 75-minute special meeting, council voted 5-2 in favour of several recommendations related to this project:

That council receive the additional information provided by the applicant and staff in response to the council comments raised at the Oct. 21 meeting
That council consider three readings of the zoning amendment bylaw for the Columbia Square site.
That council endorse the Columbia Square policy statement as a basis for developing a master plan for 88 10th St. This will need to be completed before council considers adoption of the zoning amendment bylaw.
That a minimum of 80 per cent of density bonus funds obtained from this project be directed to the city’s affordable housing reserve and earmarked for affordable housing.
That a covenant be registered on title to secure 20 per cent of rental floor space as below market rental at HILS Rates, secured through a housing agreement for 60 years or the life of the building, whichever is longer, with no impact to the density bonus amount; the units will be owned by the applicant and managed by a third-party non-profit manager.
That council receive the additional information provided by the applicant and staff in response to council comments raised at the Oct. 21 meeting.
That council direct staff to actively work with the applicant and School District 40 to secure a site for a new school.

At the meeting, council also gave three readings to the zoning amendment bylaw for Columbia Square.

A staff report said the zoning amendment bylaw creates a high-level comprehensive development district for the subject property. The zoning district regulations would permit podiums of up to six storeys and towers of up to 53 storeys in height, but staff say the heights and building massing would be further refined and reduced through the master plan process and design guidelines.

Mayor Patrick Johnstone and councillors Ruby Campbell, Tasha Henderson, Jaimie McEvoy and Nadine Nakagawa supported the recommendations and bylaw readings, while councillors Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas were opposed.

Fontaine and Minhas voiced a number the density being proposed and cited concerns about the need for more amenities and schools to meet the needs of an increased population.

Fontaine said the proposed development is the equivalent of adding the density of four World Trade Centres to the downtown site.

“Just think about that for a moment: Four World Trade Centres, the town of Revelstoke, onto this property,” he said.

Fontaine said there’s a need for infrastructure to address the needs of a growing population, including ice arenas, parks, and a community centre in the downtown.

Council members who supported moving forward on development of a master planning process for the site noted the site would preserve and enhance retail opportunities, would provide 25 per cent greenspace throughout the site, would include space for the school district/province to build a school on the site, and would earmark millions of dollars into the affordable housing reserve fund to be put towards affordable housing in New Westminster. They noted that the proposal that came forward at the last meeting included an offer to provide below-market rental in 20 per cent of floor space proposed for rental residential.

Henderson stressed that support of the recommendations does not mean the rezoning application is receiving council’s approval. She said that will come with final adoption of the development permits and rezoning application – and is not a done-deal from her perspective.

“There are a lot of good things in this … but I will reserve final judgment for when that plan comes to us,” she said. “

Before she’s willing to support the application, Henderson said she will need to see that this will be a livable development, not just one that just checks some boxes.

“That final plan will be very important for me moving forward,” she said.

More to come about the discussion at today’s special meeting.

What’s proposed?

The proposal for the triangular-shaped lot bounded by Royal Avenue and Columbia and 10th streets includes:

Up to 279,000 square metres (three million square feet) of residential density. Twenty per cent of this would be secured market rental.
Replacement space for all of the existing 11,350 square metres (122,000 square feet) of retail floor area. (This includes a grocery store.)
The site is expected to be developed in three phases over a number of years.
It is expected the site could accommodate eight additional towers (nine in total including an existing residential tower on the site).
The development is expected to house about 530 school-aged children (as per staff at the Oct. 21 meeting).
A minimum of 3,900 square metres (41,979 square feet) of commercial office space would be provided in the first phase of development.
A minimum of 885 square metres (9,500 square feet) of not-for profit childcare space
An option will be available to the school district to purchase or lease property from the applicant for an “urban format” public school or other facility. (If this option is not pursued, a minimum additional 557 to 1,114 metres (6,000 to 12,000 square feet) of market or not-for-profit childcare space would be provided.
The next steps in the process are to create a master plan for the site (which includes public and stakeholder engagement and to complete requirements for adoption (including legal agreements). At that point, council would consider adoption of the bylaws.
The policy statement requires the creation of a public open space network of about 25 per cent of the site, including a primary central open space.