While a previous proposal to build a four-story building on Oak Bay Avenue didn’t even make it to a public hearing, the Quest proposal is back on the record.
Project pitches go back a decade, but most recently came to council last March as a committee member.
“It’s more appropriate now,” said Kim Colpman, chief executive of Large and Co., which hopes to develop a 14-unit building at 2326 Oak Bay Ave.
It has been clarified and slightly revised based on feedback from issues raised by council last spring, she said.
The site currently includes a single-family home flanked by four-story buildings. Colpman noted that it was zoned as a single-family home, but identified as a multi-family home in the Official Community Plan (OCP), which could be considered three to eight stories high.
While not new, the rezoning application did include updated traffic and geotechnical studies to address traffic and blasting concerns. There are two notable changes. Five units will comply with the British Columbia Building Code to support diversity and aging in place, and photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roof for electric vehicle and bicycle charging to further meet environmental goals.
Proposals submitted on March 7 are in the community information phase before being returned to staff for final review.
Earlier this month, Large and Co. hosted a public information session for neighbors. Kolpman said some were opposed from the start, but she also heard support.
“People were very frustrated about not having a chance to talk about the application,” she said of failing to get to a public hearing last year.
“We’re going to go back and answer their questions and add these amenities,” Kolpman said.
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