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REGINA PLANNING COMMISSION – FEBRUARY 1, 2018
William Neher, representing Neher & Associates, addressed the Commission.
The Commission adopted a resolution to concur in the recommendation contained in the report.
Recommendation #3 does not require City Council approval.
Councillors: Mike O’Donnell (Chairperson), Bob Hawkins and Barbara Young; Commissioners: David Bale, Frank Bojkovsky, Andre Kroeger, Adrienne Hagen Lyster, Robert Porter and Steve Tunison were present during consideration of this report by the Regina Planning Commission.
The Regina Planning Commission, at its meeting held on February 1, 2018, considered the following report from the Administration:
RECOMMENDATION
1. That the application to rezone Parcel N, Plan No. 92R14384 located at 665 University Park Drive from C – Contract Zone to MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone, be approved.
2. That the City Solicitor be directed to prepare the necessary bylaw to authorize the respective Regina Zoning Bylaw No. 9250 amendment, void the current contract and discharge it from title.
3. That this report be forwarded to the February 26, 2018 meeting of City Council for approval, which will allow sufficient time for advertising of the required public notices for the respective bylaws.
CONCLUSION
The applicant proposes to rezone the subject property from C – Contract Zone to MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone. The proposed zoning amendment will not result in a change in the existing development on site and will enable a zoning designation for the site which is consistent with the predominant type of commercial zoning along the East Victoria Avenue Corridor. The applicant has advised that the purpose of the proposal is to facilitate preparation of the site for sale and that there are no immediate plans for redevelopment at this time. Should a development proposal be submitted in the future by a new owner, it would be required to be compliant with the land use and development standard requirements for the MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone.
The Contract Zone was applied to the subject property to specifically accommodate a Costco store. The Contract Zone is no longer required for the subject property as Costco is relocating this store to the Aurora Subdivision in the East Victoria Avenue Concept Plan area.
The proposal complies with the development standards and regulations contained in Regina Zoning Bylaw No. 9250 (Zoning Bylaw) and is consistent with the policies in Design Regina: The Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2013-48 (OCP). Accordingly, the Administration recommends approval.
BACKGROUND
A Zoning Bylaw amendment application has been submitted concerning the subject property at 665 University Park Drive.
The current site contains a retail store (Costco), which will be relocating to a new location in the Aurora Subdivision portion of the East Victoria Avenue Concept Plan area.
The Costco store has operated on the subject property since 1992 when it was approved under a Contract Zone agreement. Costco was the first large format retail store approved along the East Victoria Avenue Corridor since the Victoria Square Shopping Centre opened in 1983. At the time, given the uniqueness and form of the development, contract zoning was applied to the site as a means to control development on site in advance of further land use and technical analysis for the East Victoria Avenue Corridor. Since then, there has been extensive commercial expansion in the area and East Victoria Avenue has evolved into a major commercial and service district. Overtime, appropriate commercial zoning has been applied to new development sites along the Corridor and many similar sites such as Walmart, Home Depot, RONA and Superstore have been zoned MAC – Major Arterial Commercial. Given that Costco is relocating to a new site, the Contract Zone is no longer required and the applicant is proposing a rezoning to MAC - Major Arterial Commercial.
This application is being considered pursuant to the Zoning Bylaw, the OCP and The Planning and Development Act, 2007 (the Act).
DISCUSSION
The applicant is proposing to rezone the property from the C – Contract Zone to the MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone. The site currently contains a retail store (Costco) which will be moving to their new location in the Aurora Subdivision in the near future. The Contract Zone applied to the subject property is proposed to be removed and the subject property rezoned to MAC – Major Arterial Commercial. There are no immediate plans for redevelopment or new development on site at this time.
If the Contract were to be only discharged with no rezoning the property would revert back to its original zoning pursuant to Section 69 (7) of the Act. Prior to 1992, the property was zoned in part HC – Highway Commercial and in part UH – Urban Holding. These zones are no longer appropriate for the property as the surrounding land uses have since been developed to accommodate an array of commercial service land uses. The existing development on the site is compliant with the land use and development standards for the MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone.
The land use and zoning related details are summarized in the following table:
Land Use Details | Existing | Proposed |
Zoning | C - Contract | MAC – Major Arterial Commercial |
Land Use | Retail | Unknown |
Zoning Analysis | Required | Actual |
Minimum Lot Area (m2) | 250 m2 | 43,265 m2 |
Minimum Lot Frontage (m) | 6 m | ~ 160 m |
The applicant has advised that the current gas bar will be decommissioned in accordance with environmental regulations and requirements of the Saskatchewan Ministry of the Environment after Costco moves to their new location.
Surrounding land uses include permitted and discretionary uses in the MAC – Major Arterial Commercial Zone and DSC – Designate Shopping Centre Zone such as a shopping centre, retail, liquor store, restaurants, service station, repair shop, gas bar and financial institute.
RECOMMENDATION IMPLICATIONS
Financial Implications
The subject area currently receives a full range of municipal services, including water, sewer and storm drainage. Any future developer will be responsible for the cost of any additional or changes to existing infrastructure that may be required to directly or indirectly support re-development of the site, in accordance with City standards and applicable legal requirements.
Environmental Implications
None with respect to this report.
Policy/Strategic Implications
The proposal is consistent with the policies contained within Part A of the OCP with respect to:
Section D5: Land Use and Built Environment
Goal 3 – Urban Centres and Corridors
Support urban centres and corridors as locations for pedestrian and transit-oriented mixed-use development and as hubs for community interaction and identity.
7.11 Ensure land use, scale and density of development within an Urban Centre or Urban Corridor is compatible with servicing capacity and provides appropriate transition to surrounding areas.
Goal 4 – Employment Areas
Provide appropriate locations and development opportunities for a full range of industrial, commercial and institutional activities.
7.17 Require new large-format retail to be located on Urban Corridors or within identified Urban Centre and designed:
7.17.2 To allow for change and intensification over time.
7.17.4 To be accessible and integrated with surrounding neighbourhoods.
The proposed rezoning will apply an appropriate zoning designation to the site which is consistent with most of the commercial zoning that has been applied along the East Victoria Avenue Commercial Corridor since Costco was developed in 1992. Although the future use of the property is unknown, the MAC – Major Arterial Commercial zone is the most appropriate zone to allow the site to integrate with the surrounding land uses and to allow for change and intensification over time.
Other Implications
None with respect to this report.
Accessibility Implications
None with respect to this report.
COMMUNICATIONS
Communication with the public is summarized below:
Public notification signage posted on: | November 15, 2017 |
Will be published in the Leader Post on: | February 10, 2018 & February 17, 2018 |
Letter sent to immediate property owners | November 8, 2017 |
Public Open House Held | N/A |
Number of Public Comments Sheets Received | 1 |
There was one public comment received on this application. A more detailed accounting of the respondent’s comments and the Administration’s response is provided in Appendix B.
The application was circulated to the Arcola East Community Association (AECA). Following circulation, the Administration attempted follow up contact with the AECA but did not receive a response prior to the deadline for submission of this report.
The applicant and other interested parties will receive a copy of the report and notification of the meeting to appear as a delegation in addition to receiving a written notification of City Council’s decision.
DELEGATED AUTHORITY
City Council’s approval is required, pursuant to Part V of The Planning and Development Act, 2007.
Respectfully submitted,
REGINA PLANNING COMMISSION
Elaine Gohlke, Secretary