DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

REPORT TO: Council FOR: Regular

PRESENTED: September 5th, 2006 FILE: 2006-26 DVP No. 40

FROM: Planning Department

SUBJECT: Development Variance Permit No. 40 – Howe Sound Inn 37801 Cleveland Avenue

Recommendation:

That the District of Squamish Council grant the issuance of Development Variance Permit No. 40 for the property located at 37801 Cleveland Ave and legally described as Lot F Block 21 District Lot 486 Plan LMP 15728, as written below;

1. The District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No.1342, 1995, Comprehensive Development Zone 10 (CD-10) is varied as follows:

From: 14J.4 The required number of off-street parking spaces shall be 40. To: 14J.4 The required number of on-site parking stalls is 27.

1. Purpose:To vary the parking requirement from 40 stalls to 27 stalls, in the ComprehensiveDevelopment 10 Zone (CD-10) to allow for subdivision of the property.

2. Background:The CD-10 zone is the zone that was created to allow the Howe Sound Inn to be developed at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Vancouver Street. Adopted in 1993, the CD-10 zone determined a specific parking requirement of 40 stalls. These 40 stalls are provided on-site and are located underneath the building as well as on a surface parking lot to the north of the building.

The CD-10 Zone specifies that 40 on-site stalls are required, however, in terms of on-site parking usage, the general traffic pattern has been for patrons of the Howe Sound Inn and Brew Pub to park in the angle parking on Cleveland Avenue. According to the property owner, and the results of a traffic study carried out by Bunt Traffic Engineers, the surface parking lot is largely unused at most times of the day, and most days of the year.

The applicant would like to subdivide the surface parking lot from the Howe Sound Inn, with the purpose of allowing further development of a residential apartment building.Before the surface parking area can be subdivided from the Howe Sound Inn, a 13-

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parking stall variance is required.

Without Council approval of proposed DVP No. 40, no subdivision or redevelopment of the surface parking area is possible.

3. Project Information:If they are successful in their application, future plans for the property include a 33-unit apartment building where the surface parking is now. The apartment will meet its parking requirement by adding some additional stalls to the proposed new lot. As per the Comprehensive Development 10 (CD-10) zone, the Howe Sound Inn parking requirement remains at 40-stalls, however, the site will be 13 parking stalls short.

Site Required stalls Proposed parking supply ShortcomingHowe Sound Inn

40 27 stalls 13 stalls

ProposedApartment Lot

33 33 stalls 0 stalls

(Note: At present, the proposed apartment development will meet the required number of parking stalls.)

A. Traffic Study: Parking patterns and uses:In order to support the proposed variance, the applicants retained the services of Bunt & Associates Transportation Planners and Engineers to assess the feasibility of the 13-stall variance. The Bunt study is attached to this report (Attachment A). The Bunt study assessed the site based on peak-parking periods for the Howe Sound Inn, parking-use patterns, street-parking (public parking), and projected new development on Cleveland Avenue.

The Bunt Traffic Study assessment of the current Howe Sound Inn parking supply and use on and through Cleveland Avenue is as follows:

Patrons prefer street parking: on average only 40% (16 stalls) of on site parking is used at the Howe Sound Inn; Peak period usage: at the peak period (December through January) on average there were 16-17 stalls occupied, with the highest on-site parking at a maximum of 35 stalls; Parking demand: Different uses will generate peak parking demands at different times. The peak demand for the Howe Sound Inn is generated by the Brew Pub at 8pm in the evening. Total existing parking supply: There are 40 existing on-site parking stalls, and approximately 23 street parking stalls on the perimeter of the property, for a total of 63 parking stalls (The Bunt report includes street parking fronting on other property on Cleveland avenue for a total of 77 stalls, but this was amended through discussion with Staff.) The revised total available parking would be 45 parking stalls (27 on-site stalls + 18 street stalls) available for Howe Sound Inn patron use.

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Summary: The combined on-site parking and street parking is estimated by Bunt to be sufficient to meet the needs of the Howe Sound Inn, and the proposed apartment building. The Bunt report concludes that even if more off-street parking were to be provided (as in additional underground parking), it would not be used, as patrons prefer parking on the street.

B. Future connectivity of Cleveland Avenue, and on-street parking:At the June 29th Technical Planning Committee meeting, Staff raised the issue of future connectivity to the SODC lands and traffic patterns. The following items were outlined in response to future connectivity, as well as adjacent development:

Peak street parking demand for the Howe Sound Inn will be at a different times than other existing and proposed uses; Peak travel times on Cleveland Ave will be different from peak street-parking times

Questions regarding existing and proposed angle parking, and whether it could be retained if Cleveland Ave became the main connection to the SODC lands were also raised. Bunt provided the following:

Typical angle parking is at 45 degrees, but in downtown Squamish angle parking is at 30 degrees. This means it takes up less road width, and is more comparable to parallel parking; Parallel parking results in stop-and-go traffic when cars park, as well as when they drive away. Angle parking results in less stop-and-go because cars can pull into stalls without stopping traffic flow; Angle parking is more effective at traffic calming than parallel parking; If parallel parking replaced angle parking there would be a loss of between four to six stalls.

As a general summary, Bunt & Associates support a 13-car variance based on parking use patterns, supply, demand, and peak use periods.

Smartgrowth on the Ground:Section 4.2 of the SGOG concept plan addresses movement in Downtown Squamish for cars, pedestrians, and non-motorized transportation. Section 4.2.2 addresses the Downtown Road network and states the following:

“The Concept Plan anticipates a significant increase in residential population and employment in downtown Squamish.Conventional parking strategies to serve this activity would require acres of parking. Fortunately, the Concept Plan also calls for a compact community with a variety of uses, designed to support a range of transportation choices. With shops, services, and transit in close proximity, residents, downtown workers and tourists will have less need for cars (and the

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associated parking spots).”

The Concept Plan provides the following guiding points for the downtown road network: Allow shared parking spaces, especially between uses with differing peak times; Provide street parking wherever possible. Street parking also narrows the street making it more comfortable for pedestrians

Page 39 of the Concept Plan specifically addresses Cleveland Ave. Although the Urban Street cross section calls for angle parking on one side, and parallel parking on the other, Staff recognize that variations on the cross section are acceptable along different sections of Cleveland Ave. Given the existing 30-degree angle parking, Staff have identified the Block between Main Street and Vancouver Street as an acceptable location for slight variation from the Concept Plan, especially if there is a 4-way intersection at Cleveland Ave and Vancouver Street.

Bylaw No. 1103, 1990:District of Squamish Bylaw No. 1103, 1990, is the Bylaw that allows a cash-in-lieu contribution of $6000 per parking stall in Downtown Squamish, up to a maximum of four cash-in-lieu stalls. The proposed development is outside of the cash-in-lieu area delineated on the schedule of Bylaw No. 1103, 1990. With Council direction, this Bylaw could be amended to include the subject property.

4. Department Comments: Staff recommend Council consider the following two items in making their decision on

Development Variance Permit No. 40.

1. The importance of maximum parking vs. other uses and development: Staff support the concept of additional development over surface parking areas, infill opportunities to create higher density, and provision of parking to the average use as opposed to the peak use. Staff believe that there are other considerations in downtown development that play an equal or greater role than parking.

2. Future growth and development in downtown Squamish: Staff recognize that this part of downtown Squamish will continue to grow, and that all of the peak traffic and parking requirements cannot be perfectly anticipated. While the 13-stall variance may result in a functional parking system over a short to moderate time-span, Staff recognize that as more development occurs around the Howe Sound Inn, more parking challenges may arise. A 13-stall variance may not be an option for future adjacent developments that propose similar uses and densities.

5. Alternatives to Staff Recommendation: Staff Recommendation:

That the District of Squamish Council grant the issuance of Development Variance

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Permit No. 40 for the property located at 37801 Cleveland Ave and legally described as Lot F Block 21 District Lot 486 Plan LMP 15728, as written below;

1. The District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No.1342, 1995, Comprehensive Development Zone 10 (CD-10) is varied as follows:

From: 14J.4 The required number of off-street parking spaces shall be 40. To: 14J.4 The required number of on-site parking stalls is 27.

Alternative 1:

That the District of Squamish Council not grant the issuance of Development Variance Permit No. 40.

Alternative 2: That the District of Squamish Council grant the issuance of Development Variance Permit No. 40 for the property located at 37801 Cleveland Ave and legally described as Lot F Block 21 District Lot 486 Plan LMP 15728, as written below;

1. The District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No.1342, 1995, Comprehensive Development Zone 10 (CD-10) is varied as follows:

From: 14J.4 The required number of off-street parking spaces shall be 40. To: 14J.4 The required number of on-site parking stalls is 27.

And That Staff amend Bylaw No. 1103, 1990, to allow the applicant to contribute a cash-in-lieu contribution for four of the 13-stalls proposed in the variance.

Alternative 3: Another direction / course of action as specified by Council.

__________________________________________ Sabina FooFat Planner

Attachment A: Traffic Study dated June 28, 2006 by Bunt & Associates Attachment B: Site Plan Attachment C: Development Variance Permit No. 40

DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH

DEVELOPMENT VARIANCE PERMIT NO. 40

1. This Development Variance Permit is issued pursuant to Section 922 of the Local Government Act to Dave Fenn (420509 British Columbia Ltd.) as the owner of:

Lot F, Block 21, District Lot 486, Plan LMP 15728 (P.I.D. 018-702-074).

2. The District of Squamish Zoning Bylaw No.1342, 1995, Comprehensive Development Zone 10 (CD-10) is varied as follows:

From: 14J.4 The required number of off-street parking spaces shall be 40. To: 14J.4 The required number of on-site parking stalls is 27.

3. No works shall be performed upon the lands that are the subject of this Development Variance Permit, the lands shall not be subdivided, no building or structure shall be erected, constructed, repaired, renovated or sited and no use shall be conducted, except in accordance with this Development Variance Permit and the Comprehensive Development 10 (CD-10) zone, the terms of which shall remain in full force except to the extent that they are specifically amended by this Development Variance Permit.

4. This permit is not a building permit or a development permit. While development on the lands described in paragraph 1 of this permit is subject to the conditions and requirements set out in this permit, this permit does not authorize development or any construction.

_____________________________________________Ian Sutherland, Mayor

_____________________________________________Robin Arthurs, Director of Administrative Services

I, Dave Fenn, having read and understood the terms and conditions of this Development Variance Permit, hereby agree to abide by such terms and conditions.

____________________________________________________Dave Fenn – 420509 British Columbia C. Ltd.