The public will get a chance to weigh in on the plan to reimagine the Harris Green neighbourhood in downtown Victoria after the city’s committee of the whole voted to send the rezoning application for the six plots of land included in the project to a public hearing.
It was neither smooth nor easy, and despite plenty of misgivings about the size and density of the project, as well as fears council could be saddled with a bad deal, the proposal made its way to the next hurdle.
In a statement, Josh Kaufman, vice-president of development and construction at Starlight Developments, said they are pleased to have an opportunity to bring their vision for Harris Green Village to a public hearing.
“The need for rental housing remains high in Victoria and we hope to be able to provide new homes, a vibrant retail hub, a park and daycare to make up a complete community,” he said.
Starlight has proposed a complete transformation of the Harris Green neighbourhood along the 1000 and 900 blocks of Yates and View streets between Cook and Quadra streets.
The intention is, over a number of phases, to tear down all of the existing commercial buildings to make way for a project that will include residential towers with an estimated 1,500 rental suites, more than 100,000 square feet of commercial buildings and green space.
In the first phase, at 1045 Yates St., which houses a car dealership, there are plans for a mixed-use project including purpose-built rental residential towers of 21 and 20 storeys.
The 900-block of Yates includes plans for three towers with heights between 28 and 32 storeys.
Ahead of Thursday’s committee meeting and in response to city council’s recommendations, Toronto-based developer Starlight made changes to an earlier version of its proposal, which may have tipped the scales in its favour.
Included in the changes were an increase in the number of affordable housing units to 80 from 23, a 10,000 square foot community space to be used by the city, childcare space in the first phase of development, a more park-like open area, rather than a plaza, on the proposed half acre between buildings in a later phase of the build-out and a stronger mix of family-sized rental units.
While councillors liked the fact they were getting amenities the city wants, some were disappointed the number of affordable units fell short of a desired 15 per cent. Starlight is proposing five per cent affordable, and offering 40 affordable units in the first phase.
Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe noted the height proposed in later phases of the project is beyond her comfort zone, and Coun. Geoff Young said that while there had been relatively little pushback from the public against the height and density so far, that may still come and he certainly has misgivings with the sheer size of the buildings.
Coun. Ben Isitt said there were things to like about the proposal but felt the city should be encouraging developers to build within the existing Official Community Plan.
In response to council’s concerns, the project will now include five per cent accessible units and a large increase in the number of two- and three-bedroom rental units.
Starlight has committed to ensuring 33 per cent of all units will be two-bedroom or larger and in the second and third phases there will be no fewer than 300 family-sized units.
