A six storey mixed-use building proposed for downtown is set to go before District of Squamish Council on April 21. Staff are recommending the development approval for 38140 Third Avenue with a few variances surrounding the parkade.
The project, located at the southeast corner of Pemberton Avenue and Third Avenue, would bring 45 new residential units and 530 square metres of ground-floor commercial space to the Downtown Commercial Centre. The building carries a floor area ratio of 3.33 and includes a mix of unit types, with five adaptable units and nine three-bedroom or junior three-bedroom suites.
The development has been in the works for nearly a year. Council gave the rezoning application three readings in June 2025, and the bylaw was adopted in early April 2026. The permit now before Council represents the next formal step toward construction.
Amenities planned for the building include a third-floor courtyard, indoor amenity space, a rooftop terrace with seating and community garden beds, and a partial green roof treatment around the building perimeter. The exterior features natural wood tones and several murals, and the developer has committed to a public art contribution to be delivered before occupancy.
The project includes two variances to parking design regulations, both related to the site’s irregular shape and its angled alignment along Pemberton Avenue. Staff suggest that Council approves a reduced drive aisle for the parkade width from 6.5 metres to 3.65 metres. This means the parkade entrance/exit would operate as a one-way lane managed by flashing light signals, instead of a two way lane.
The second variance seeks to reduce the minimum stall length for five parkade spaces from 5.3 metres to 4.6 metres. To offset this, the developer is adding five longer stalls at 5.8 metres along the laneway. An engineering memo confirmed the shorter stalls should still accommodate common compact vehicles like a Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson and Ford Escape.
The developer will pay $210,000 to the District, in place of building seven commercial parking stalls, with those funds being proposed to go towards the District’s Alternative Forms of Transportation Reserve Fund.
The rezoning secured land dedications along both Third Avenue and Pemberton Avenue frontages to support planned separated bike lanes. The development also provides 94 indoor and 12 outdoor bicycle parking spaces, along with a car share membership for each residential unit.
No public comments were received during the community notification process.
