The District of Squamish council will vote on issuing development permit for two mixed-use building on Cleveland Avenue in Downtown Squamish.
The proponents are proposing a mixed-use development located at 37870 Cleveland Ave, consisting of two buildings.
The southern eight-storey building contains over 977 square metre of commercial floor area with 107 residential apartment units in the six storeys below.
The northern six-storey building contains 1,202 square metre of commercial area and 94 residential apartment units with a four-storey office building. As many as 40 of these units will be purpose-built rental.
The developer is seeking variances on height, parking, and amenity spaces. The applicant is requesting a 36% reduction in indoor amenity space.
Since the applicant is providing a significant amount of outdoor space, staff is supportive of this variance. A height variance is also being asked as a companion variance to allow for the enclosed glass sunrooms on the rooftops of each building.
For the commercial and office floor area, the district’s zoning bylaw requires that 75 commercial parking spaces be provided on site. It allows for 38 spaces to be provided through the commercial parking cash-in-lieu provisions.
The applicant is proposing to provide 34 spaces on site and is requesting to pay cash in lieu for an additional 4 commercial parking spaces for a total of 42 cash-in-lieu spaces, which will net the district $630,000.
Staff is recommending this money go towards transportation projects such as protected bike lanes on Third Avenue, and Main Street, and bike path on Loggers Lane.
The developer is providing 28 affordable rental units and 12 market rental units and three public plaza spaces.
A small corner plaza space is being provided at the Cleveland and Vancouver intersection, a medium mid-block plaza space between the two buildings, and a large plaza space within the Main Street road right-ofway, adjacent to Junction Park and the O’Siyam Pavilion.
On-site public art installation valued at $107,200, two public car-share parking spaces, and a $500,000 cash contribution are also being proposed.
Beverley Hansen says
Pretty soon only those who can afford the top floors will be the ones who can see the views of Squamish!
So sad! Just very poor planning! And GREED!!!!!!
Jaspera Hunt says
So true. This Council and staff are doing a fine job in “uglifying” Squamish and taking away its natural attributes. No vision, no consciousness, no connection with Squamish’s unique environment. Only dollar signs dominating their outlook. The buildings planned or going up are uniformly mean and ugly looking with no or very few redeeming features, and nature in any form is obliterated. The occasional spindly tree is inserted here and there in a little pile of dirt or in a strand of earth between two concrete slabs. And that is supposed to represent our environment. We are in the midst of a climate crisis, and this is what our elected representatives and paid staff offer?
Dianne Hathaway says
I agree with this plan… Cleveland needs revitalization… not everyone can afford houses…
Francine says
We should have a referendum. The changes to our zoning bylaws of our downtown community should be made with the opinion of the tax payers, that can restrict the counsel to make such important community changing decision on total levels allowed in our downtown area.
This should be put to a vote by the people of Squamish.
I believe this should not be decided by just by a few elected official who will be trading variences for collected fees to put in bike lanes that our taxes dollars should by now have already paid for!
This is a major waterfront issue that concerns all of us and the land owner cannot take it all away and install some plaza here and there.
Design should have a good setback from the water edge with flood surge protection and allow for a waterfront stroll park the length of the property.
My vision is that eventually the community could gather on all of the boardwalks and enjoy the view and fireworks over the water during local festivities.
Thats what we need to unite all of our local residents.
A downtown we showcase and we will be proud of .