This article has been updated to reflect that a public hearing for the planned 115 East Keith Rd. development has been set for Monday, May 16 at 6 p.m.
A proposed Lonsdale highrise would bring a slew of new housing density to North Van’s busiest community.
On Monday, city council passed first and second readings for a planned 22-storey apartment on 15th Street near Lonsdale Avenue.
The proposal will now move to a public hearing, which is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, May 9 at City Hall.
If the project ends up getting full approval, it will be one of the highest-density residential buildings in the area. It will be so dense that, to conform with the official community plan, the development involves a significant transfer of excess density from Centennial Theatre and Norseman Park.
The transferred density from the Harry Jerome Neighbourhood Lands “will allow for the delivery of new employment-generating uses and residential strata units, which would contribute to economic growth along the Lonsdale corridor and provide new housing stock in the city,” reads a report from city staff.
Mayor Linda Buchanan noted the density was similar to the Centreview building at 1308 Lonsdale Ave.
The new apartment, located at 114-132 West 15th St., would house 136 residential strata units: 38 one-bedroom units (28 per cent), 77 two-bed units (57 per cent) and 21 three-bed units (15 per cent).
A total of 198 parking spaces would be provided on the property, as well as 204 bike spaces. At a Jan. 5 meeting, North Van city’s Integrated Transportation Committee received a presentation recommending larger bike-parking facilities and car-share parking.
The first two levels of the proposed building would be filled with commercial business and rental units. Currently, the property is home to a two-storey business plaza.
Also at Monday’s meeting, council approved a first and amended second reading of a rezoning application for a six-storey rental apartment at 115 East Keith Rd. The amendment involved capping small-car parking spaces on the property at 39 per cent.
That development is now set for a public hearing as well, on Monday, May 16 at 6 p.m.
The Keith Road proposal, first presented to council last October, is part of a pilot project for a streamlined approval process that involves early community consultation and earlier council consideration.
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a public hearing for the proposed 114-132 West 15th St. building would be held at noon on May 9. The correct time is 6 p.m.
