An already-approved but not-yet-built development in Lower Lonsdale will be getting a lot more renters and a lot less parking.
Council voted unanimously Monday on Anthem Sunshine Development’s request to convert their five-storey project at 149 West Third St. from 50 strata units to 80 rentals, while keeping the building’s height and gross floor area the same.
Because the city’s zoning bylaw requires only 0.6 stalls per unit for rentals compared to 1.05 for stratas, the change would allow the developer to eliminate one level of underground parking, making the all-rental project financially viable.
Today, the property is a demolition site but it was once home to a produce store, restaurants and North Shore Bowl.
City planning staff acknowledged that it was “a bit of an unusual type of report” coming before council but, because the change would add to the city’s rental stock, staff recommended council approve the request.
The developer will still have to meet the same requirements for commercial and disability parking, proportion of three-bedroom units and adaptable units included in the proposal at the time of its original rezoning, which council supported unanimously in 2022.
Council’s support to add rentals and lose parking was unanimous.
“I support this shift. I think, given the economy right now, if this means pencils are up and we’re moving a project forward, I’m happy to see that, as opposed to not [going ahead] because the economics aren’t working for it,” said Mayor Linda Buchanan, adding that the project will nicely complement Anthem’s very similar looking strata project immediately to the west.
District of North Vancouver council debated and ultimately approved a similar request from the developer of a project in Maplewood in 2022.
