New owners of a White Rock lot that was once eyed for a parkade have asked the city for permission to build a single-family home with a secondary suite on the property.
Director of development services Paul Stanton told the city’s land-use committee last week that the 15031 Victoria Ave. site has changed hands since the May 2012 parkade suggestion.
The new owner has asked for a change in the lot’s Official Community Plan designation to “attached or detached residential” from “multi-unit residential,” and for rezoning to RS-3 one-unit (small lot, hillside) from RT-1 two-unit (duplex), Stanton said.
The change would bring it in line with zoning on land east of the lot in question, he said. He confirmed it would also permit a second basement, which would facilitate safer driveway access from Victoria Avenue.
Stanton said a single-family home with a suite is the best the applicants could ask for on the site.
Coun. Al Campbell expressed concern with a pattern of people buying lots and applying to change zoning.
“Why aren’t people just building what they’ve bought?” he said. “I’m finding it strange… once it’s changed hands, now it doesn’t work anymore?”
The committee voted 5-1 in favour of recommending council give it first and second reading. Coun. Helen Fathers was opposed; Coun. Louise Hutchinson was absent.