The Oceanfront Squamish developer, Matthews West, is seeking a parking variance, providing 90 fewer parking spaces than district bylaws require for a proposed 308-unit development at Sp’ak’wus Landing.
The application came before the District of Squamish’s Advisory Design Panel on March 19 for two mass timber buildings containing 308 homes and four commercial spaces.
The applicant is proposing 466 parking spaces, short of the 556 stalls required by the zoning bylaw. The Oceanfront is subject to a higher parking ratio than Downtown Squamish, with the developer proposing a ratio like that of Waterfront Landing.
The two buildings — referred to as the north and south buildings — would sit across Areas A and D of the Oceanfront Sub Area Plan, covering the Village Centre and Mamquam Waterfront, respectively. Both structures would be built using mass timber and share enclosed parkades with open space constructed above.
The south building includes four ground-floor commercial units and a series of townhouses fronting the Mamquam Blind Channel, while the north building wraps a continuous apartment block around its south, west and north faces, with townhouses also facing the channel.
Parking is not the only variance the project needs.
The applicant is also seeking several height exceptions. In the Village Centre area, a six-storey element at the southwest corner of the south building would rise to 20.75 metres, more than double the 10-metre limit currently permitted. A row of three-storey mixed-use buildings along the southern frontage would reach 10.75 metres, also above the two-storey maximum allowed in that zone. In the Mamquam Waterfront area, the buildings would reach 25 metres rather than the permitted 20 metres, primarily to accommodate roofline design.
The project sits on a brownfield site zoned CD-69 and is subject to the Squamish Oceanfront Sub Area Plan. District staff support the site plan.
According to the ADP report, each building would have its own private outdoor amenity space featuring community garden plots and seating areas. The north building includes an outdoor kitchen. No playground equipment is proposed. Wildfire interface guidelines also apply to the site, limiting which tree species can be planted.
The project includes foreshore development along the Mamquam Blind Channel, which requires a separate permit. No application for that permit has been filed yet.
