Victoria's new planning and land use committee is recommending against a plan to bulldoze a 1800s-vintage Rockland rental apartment building to make way for new condos.
"I will not be supporting it when it comes to council," said Coun. Pam Madoff, who chairs the city's new planning committee.
"We've fought so hard to find mechanisms to preserve rental housing and discovered that the tools are just not available to us. So all I can do in terms of living with myself is not enable developments that take away rental housing," she said.
Although the proposal meets existing zoning requirements, Abstract Developments Inc. needs a development permit in order to demolish the five-suite Richmond Court Apartments at 1082 Richmond Ave. to make way for a 12-unit condo project. The company is seeking some minor variances in setbacks and site coverage.
City planning staff are recommending the development permit be issued. They note the variances are supportable as they are in keeping with nearby
properties, and while the building has heritage character, without designated status, the application should be considered on its merits.
The existing building, constructed in the late 1800s as the original St. Michaels University school, was converted into rental apartments in 1972. It is not on the city's list of heritage registry or heritage designated buildings.
"I think it's going to be a really sad day for Victoria when the only buildings with heritage value that are going to be preserved and recognized are ones that are on the registry or have heritage designation. This is an extremely rare building in this part of town. There are very few buildings from the 1800s," Madoff said.
"Although I cannot tell a property owner to keep it I would hope that our community values would recognize the landmark quality of that building on that corner."
Abstract president Mike Miller told the committee he did his due diligence when he bought the property 18 months ago and could find nothing regarding the building's history and legal impediment to the redevelopment plans. He said the economics do not justify remediating the existing building. The property could be redeveloped without the siting variances but would not be as well aligned with the neighbouring properties.
He said he understands the city's desire to save rental.
"I myself would be willing to forego the application as it is and walk away from the property, at the cost, if the city could figure out some way of saving that building and the apartment units for rental," Miller said.
In October last year, city council gave third reading to but did not adopt a housing emergency bylaw. The bylaw -- which would have a six month life -- would prevent the demolition of rental housing unless certain conditions were met such as the provision of non-profit rental housing.
Earlier this year the council directed staff to amend the city's official community plan to encourage the protection of rental housing. The development permit process, however, does not allow council to mandate rental housing.
