SUPPORTS ITEM 1
P&E COMMITTEE AGENDA
APRIL 10, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: February 26, 1997
C.C. File No.: 113
TO: Standing Committee of Planning and Environment
FROM: Director of Land Use and Development
SUBJECT: Proposed Amendment to Subdivision By-law No. 5208 -
Site Reclassification at 3791 West 26th Avenue
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve the application to reclassify the property at
3791 West 26th Avenue from Category C to Category A of Schedule
A, Table 1, of Subdivision By-law No. 5208
GENERAL MANAGER S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of
the foregoing.
COUNCIL POLICY
Council Policy regarding amendments to the subdivision categories in the
RS-1, RS-1S, RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5 and RS-6 zoning districts is reflected in
the Manager s Report as approved by Council on October 28, 1987. As
well as establishing seven parcel size categories for subdivision in the
RS-1 District, the report provided for possible future changes in the
categories in cases where property owners seek to classify their parcel
category either up or down, to facilitate or prevent subdivision.
PURPOSE
This report addresses a proposal to reclassify the property at 3791 West
26th Avenue (Lot H of 3 of A, Block 82, D.L. 2027, Plan 10727) from
Category C to Category A for the purpose of subdivision in
accordance with the minimum parcel size requirements of Schedule A,
Table 1, of Subdivision By-law No. 5208.
BACKGROUND
On January 19, 1988, Council enacted an amended Schedule A to the
Subdivision By-law by introducing seven categories of minimum parcel
width and area to govern the subdivision of lands zoned RS-1.
Subsequently, lands zoned RS-1S, RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5 and RS-6 have been
included as well. All lands in these six zoning districts are
classified on a block-by-block basis, as shown on 279 sectional maps,
which are on file with the City Clerk and which form part of Schedule A.
As shown in Appendix A, the subject parcel is contained within a block
which is classified as Category C . This category prescribes a minimum
width of 15.240 m (50.00 ft.) and a minimum area of 464.515 m2 (5,000.00
sq. ft.) for each parcel created by subdivision. The blocks immediately
to the north, west, and south of the subject parcel are classified as
Category A , which prescribes a minimum width of 9.144 m (30.00 ft.)
and a minimum area of 278.709 m2 (3,000.00 sq. ft.) for each parcel
created.
The subject parcel (Lot H) maintains a width of approximately 21.640 m
(71.00 ft.) and an area of approximately 854.700 m2 (9,200.00 sq. ft.).
Under Category C , Lot H cannot be subdivided, either individually or
in conjunction with the adjoining parcel, in accordance with the minimum
parcel width and area requirements.
The property owner has submitted this reclassification proposal because
Lot H is the largest remaining parcel in the blockface, and because
there are no opportunities to combine with an adjacent parcel and
resubdivide, in accordance with the Category C minimum requirements.
If this application is approved, the owner of Lot H could apply to
subdivide into two parcels, each having a width of approximately 10.820
m (35.50 ft.) and an area of approximately 427.350 m2 (4,600.00 sq.
ft.).
RESULTS OF NEIGHBOURHOOD NOTIFICATION
Twenty-two property owners, excluding the applicant, were notified in
writing of this reclassification request. Five owners responded, with
the following results:
Oppose reclassification: 3
Support reclassification: 2
No response: 17
22
The owners in opposition to the reclassification felt that the resulting
subdivision would increase density and detrimentally affect the area s
character. The owners in support of the reclassification did not offer
comments. The location of the respondents is illustrated in Appendix A.
HISTORY OF SUBDIVISION IN THE BLOCK
As shown in Appendix B, the subdivision pattern established by Plan 5284
in 1924, created mostly 15.240 m (50.00 ft.)-wide parcels on the west
half of Block 82, with the exception of the two corner parcels at the
west end of the block (Lot D on West King Edward Avenue, and Lot F on
West 26th Avenue). Subsequent subdivisions on the north side of West
26th Avenue have continued the pattern of 15.240 m (50.00 ft.)-wide
parcels, with the exception of two C-2 zoned parcels at Dunbar Street,
which have been subsequently consolidated into one large parcel (shown
as Lot 1, Plan LMP1883, on Appendix A). In 1960, Lot H was created
through a consolidation and resubdivision involving Lot F and the site
directly to the east, now shown as Lot G.
With regard to the north half of Block 82, which fronts onto West King
Edward Avenue, subsequent subdivisions, all occurring prior to the
categories being established in 1988, have resulted in a somewhat
inconsistent subdivision pattern, with several parcels that maintain a
width, but not an area, that is less than the Category C standard.
PAST RECLASSIFICATION APPROVALS
In June, 1989, Council approved an application for reclassification of
two properties in the nearby vicinity of the subject site. As shown in
Appendix C.1, the approval resulted in the two larger parcels on West
23rd Avenue and West 24th Avenue, respectively, being reclassified from
Category C to Category A . Both parcels have subsequently been
subdivided. The Director of Planning did not support this
reclassification in view of opposition from neighbours, and the concern
that this reclassification would set a precedent for future
reclassification requests in this area.
As shown in Appendix C.2, Council approved a reclassification
application for a parcel at the northeast corner of Macdonald Street and
West 34th Avenue, in July 1994. Despite objections from some
neighbouring owners, this parcel was reclassified from Category D to
Category B , with the support of the Director of Planning. The
rationale used to support this reclassification was that the ensuing
subdivision of that parcel would be consistent with the area s existing
subdivision pattern of smaller parcels created by previously subdividing
large corner parcels in the surrounding blocks.
STAFF ASSESSMENT
This reclassification application proposes to allow for the
consideration of parcels no less than 9.144 m (30.00 ft.) in width and
278.709 m2 (3,000.00 sq. ft.) in area.
As reflected in the table attached as Appendix D, the average parcel
area in Block 82 is approximately 599.270 m2 (6,450.00 sq. ft.). Lot H
currently has an area of approximately 854.850 m2 (9,200.00 sq. ft.)
which is almost 30% larger than the average parcel area in the
blockface; and a width of 21.629 m (70.96 ft.) which is almost 30%
larger than the average width. If the owners are successful in their
application to reclassify their property and are subsequently allowed to
subdivide Lot H into two parcels, those parcels would be approximately
29% smaller than the average parcel size, in terms of both width and
area.
CONCLUSION
Category C was selected for this block to reflect the existing pattern
of predominately larger parcels and because there are several blocks to
the east and southeast which have similar subdivision patterns. This
block, however, does not maintain a pristine, uniform subdivision
pattern. Subdivision of Lot H into two parcels would be somewhat
inconsistent with the parcel sizes in this block, however, several of
the existing parcels also do not conform to the minimum parcel size
requirements for Category C . Further, the block is surrounded on three
sides by blocks classified as Category A , which permits considerably
smaller parcel sizes. As well, a precedent was established in 1989 and
again in 1994 in this area with the approval of similar reclassification
applications, as previously noted.
Therefore, despite the objections of some of the neighbouring property
owners, the Director of Land Use and Development supports the
reclassification of Lot H from Category C to Category A .
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