24 Jul 2023 Council meeting Housing

Development Variance Permit No. DVP454 - 505 Eighth Street

Motion

That Council issue Development Variance Permit No. DVP454 at 505 Eighth Street to vary the Works and Services and construction standards for a subdivision as outlined in the “Proposed Variance” section of the Staff Report titled "Development Variance Permit Application No. DVP454 - 505 Eighth Street", dated 2023-JUL-24.

Minutes, page 8

Sources

Agenda itemCity agenda

Staff reportPage 2

Purpose

To present for Council’s consideration, a development variance permit application to vary the Works and Services and construction standards required in conjunction with a proposed subdivision.

Staff report, page 2

Staff recommendation

That Council issue Development Variance Permit No. DVP454 at 505 Eighth Street to vary the Works and Services and construction standards for a subdivision as outlined in the “Proposed Variance” section of the Staff Report dated 2023-July-24

Staff report, page 2

DocumentsStaff report about Transportation & Mobility

Ian Thorpe Yes

I find myself slightly torn on this issue, as I did on the last one. Certainly I want to support belinas and the Salvation Army for their efforts and I think they're very think. And I want to thank Mr. Moss for his straightforward presentation where he acknowledged the concerns that Council might have and they are very legitimate concerns and I certainly feel those, so I appreciated his ideas around subject tos, and I'm interested further in our staff reaction to that. I'm concerned about precedent and I have to say I have never been a fan of support in principle, because I don't think that means anything. Either Councillor supports something or we don't. If you say you support it in principle, well, does that mean we're sort of waffling, depending on what further details come out? I suppose so, I'm not really comfortable with that, but I certainly feel strongly the concerns that are expressed around this. On the whole, I can probably be persuaded to see the benefit of supporting it.

Paul Manly Yes

One thing that I'm always concerned about is this idea of affordable being deemed as the bottom of the market. Where is the bottom of the market? The market keeps on going up and up and up and the bottom of the market is unaffordable. It's not affordable housing. So affordable housing to me is tied to income and that's the way it's defined. Anything above 30% of what you're earning is not deemed to be affordable. And so those are concerns that I have, I've seen other buildings go up in this community that were deemed to be affordable that I would not consider affordable. So I'm always concerned about how that word is used in relation to housing and tied to a market that is really out of control.

Janice Perrino Yes

This is about homes for people in need and Bellinus and Salvation Army are committed to doing this and we will be all over them if they're not. We know this is exactly what is needed in our community. So I'm so supportive of what they're trying to do and they just need a helping hand, they don't need to have us do it all, they just want to have a little bit of help. So I really appreciate that. I will absolutely be voting in favor of this, but I will be requesting a second motion for a support.

Leonard Krog Yes

I'm a great believer in process and fairness and law and rules, no surprise there. And what was being asked for tonight I much appreciate, but I will support the recommendation of staff, which is the motion on the floor and what council wishes to do thereafter, so be it. But Councillor Brown has raised some real issues. I mean, how does one come to an open mind when they're supporting in principle something like this? And I appreciate belinas faces some challenges and has concerns and I'll certainly support this, like Councillor Thorpe, I'm going to have to be persuaded that it's appropriate to consider a motion to support in principle because I think it has some consequences. And I'm not entirely satisfied that those questions and concerns that I have can be answered here tonight, no offense by staff, but may require legal opinion or whatever the case may be.

Questions and answers

Councillor Tyler Brown
Yes

asked

One last question through to staff here. Just so I'm clear, in my understanding that if this variance is granted, it essentially applies at the subdivision or the requirements through subdivision, not necessarily the requirements through building permit

City staff answered

Through your worship, that's correct. Okay, so this applies strictly to the subdivision, the works and services required through subdivision.

followed up

Thank you. So yeah, at this time I'm going to support this variance request. I worry that some of this conversation in general is straying away from sort of the use and the intended use to the user. And that I think is highly concerning at this stage because we're not actually talking about the construction of affordable housing, things like that, we're talking about some subdivision that essentially has no security if there's a change in ownership. And despite best intentions, change in ownerships do happen all the time. With that said, I'm going to support the variance and optimistic that this will advance to a stage where council can make the appropriate decisions to weigh the use and the much needed affordable housing in our community. And also any role that Councillor, the city as a corporation may play in helping facilitate that. Thank you.