Developers will have to dig deeper if they want to build taller in White Rock’s town centre, if a policy amendment set to be presented to council is approved.
White Rock Mayor Wayne Baldwin announced Thursday at his State of the City address that council will be considering changes to the city's amenity contribution policy to require developers make a “significant financial contribution” to the community in exchange for increases in height and density.
Baldwin confirmed Monday that an increase from $20 per square metre for bonus space to as much as $452 per square metre is what's on the table. The jump is recommended in a report that was commissioned by the city to gain input on policy revisions. A staff report on the suggestion is expected by the end of the year.
Thursday, Baldwin described the change as a “very bold move” that would involve pre-zoning potential building sites in White Rock’s town centre.
“Through the amenity contribution policy, developers would only be able to increase height above three storeys and a density above a floor area ratio of 1.75 if they made a significant financial contribution for the benefit of our community,” Baldwin said at the address to members of the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce, held at the White Rock Community Centre.
“We’re building a more positive reputation with developers and investors, which is a good thing for all of us. The changes that council is considering, if approved, will create an outstanding investment plan for the city – not by making it cheaper to build, but by moving a lot of the uncertainty and speculation that surrounds development.”
"There won't be any back-room games or anything like that," he said Monday.
The first-term mayor – and former city manager – also laid out plans for possible improvements being mulled for the city’s waterfront following a public forum held earlier this year.
Council will be considering – among other suggestions – expansion of the promenade one kilometre westward, construction of a children’s playground on East Beach, an overhaul of restrictions to allow more activity on the waterfront – such as kayak and paddle board rentals – and moving power lines along Marine Drive underground.
“We tried that once before, didn’t work, we’re going to try again,” he said of the power lines.
Baldwin also touched on the contentious issue of pay parking on the waterfront, noting the final draft of the report from the Mayor’s Parking Task Force will be presented to council shortly and will include suggestions for an off-season non-resident decal, aimed at South Surrey residents, as well as construction of a tiered parking structure, most likely at Victoria Drive and Vidal Street.
Baldwin also announced a plan to make arts a driving economic force, with possible plans for a weeklong festival in October centering around International Artist Day.
Other options being mulled for the arts community include extending Painter’s Square from the museum eastward to allow more artists to participate and to remove time restrictions, much like Stanley Park in Vancouver, and to establish a school of arts comprising White Rock Elementary, Semiahmoo First Nations and Kwantlen University.
While praising the work of Coast Capital Playhouse, citing it a remarkable asset to the city, Baldwin reiterated the importance of developers, noting the building would not have been built had it not been for contributions from Bosa Properties, developer of the Miramar Village high-rises in the town centre.
“Were it not in fact for the donation made to that project by Bosa of $275,000 – for which they get very little credit, in fact it was more than what Coast Capital gave to get the building named after them – that building would not have been built.
“That shows you the kind of thing that can happen when you bring investment and development into the city – developers become a part of the community and contribute to it.”
“That was a meaningful contribution.”