Construction will start on a new licensed restaurant, called "Browns Socialhouse Restaurant" at 88 Grace Street, located near the Microtel Inns and Suites.
Construction will start on a new licensed restaurant, called "Browns Socialhouse Restaurant" at 88 Grace Street, located near the Microtel Inns and Suites.
The proposed restaurant received approval by city council during their July 21 meeting, and is the second of three development phases planned for the site.
Parking standards for restaurants under city zoning bylaw requires one off-street parking space provided per five seats, and having 165 seats available including 10 for staff leads to a requirement of providing 33 parking stalls. The site plan shows 80 parking spaces.
One off-street loading space is also required, which is provided on the site plan next to the building on the east side, and is screened from the public street.
A landscaping plan was also submitted showing that any areas now covered by buildings or parking/driving areas will feture hard and soft landscaping, being approximately 25 per cent of the site. All setbacks and zoning requirements are met.
Regarding off-site development levies, a $40,387/acre credit remains on the 2.038 acre parcel from the purchase of the lands. The 3,509 square foot restaurant development would be charged an off-site levy of $42,770 ($12.22/sq ft), leaving a credit of $39,428.70 remaining on the property which can be used for future development.
Also during their July 21 meeting, the northeast section of the Creeks was rezoned from urban holdings to highway commercial to allow for the development of a hotel along Highway 13 and the grid road on the eastern boundary of the city.
Part of the section was also rezoned residential suburban multi-family, to allow for high density residential development oriented towards seniors near Warren Avenue.
Both applications are consistent with the concept plan for the area, and is suitable for construction once new truck mains are extended as a condition of the subdivision.
Burnwey Place is a relatively new residential subdivision, occupied primarily by single family detached residences, with the Creeks being an expansion of the existing development. South of Burnwey Place is the Bronhams Sector industrial area.
North of the Burnwey residential subdivision, east of 16th Street and adjacent to Highway 13, is land for commercial uses.
The eastern highway commercial corridor along Highway 13 is critical to the creation of additional highway commercial properties, as this is one of the few remaining serviceable opportunities for highway commercial development in the city.
Another zoning amendment approved by city council on July 21 was to allow discretionary use of secondary suites in duplexes, and semi-detached dwellings. The application for the zoning change was made by Riverwood Development Corporation.
The secondary suites will help test the market for this form of affordable home ownership. Secondary suites often provide flexibility to the rental market by providing homeowner-invested rental properties.
Primary issues from the city included parking and service intensity issues, but a site-by-site analysis of each proposal would be more appropriate. As a discretionary use bylaw amendment, each proposed secondary suite would have to be first approved by city council. The overall goal is to maximize the use of city infrastructure, provide for range of housing options which meets the needs of citizens and to promote housing development.
