Coquitlam council cool on five-tower Maillardville development proposal

It would revitalize a neighbourhood, bring a public plaza to Maillardville, and add affordable housing to Coquitlam – but it may also be too big, too dense, and cast shadows that are too long.

On Monday afternoon Coquitlam council got their first look at a five-tower project earmarked for the area west of Mackin Park. The meeting gave council a chance to offer their initial thoughts on the projects before a formal vote.

With a total of 1,412 units, the Century Group development would stretch from just below Brunette Avenue toward Lougheed Highway. The project would replace a three-storey building built in 1979 and owned by Metro Vancouver’s housing division, allowing Metro Vancouver to swap the 30 non-market units with 100 new affordable units.

“It means we’re able to move the individuals from the current site into brand new turnkey units,” explained the agency’s director of housing planning and development Michael Epp.

That element of the project appealed to Mayor Richard Stewart.

“I absolutely want 100 units of affordable housing,” he said. However, the mayor noted the city would be “giving an awful lot” to support the application.

City staff took the somewhat unusual step of recommending the proposal be rejected.

During Monday’s meeting, Coquitlam’s director of development services Chris Jarvie explained the site wasn’t envisioned for towers, that the project didn’t conform to the city’s plans for density or its rules around setbacks and parking.

“The applicant has not incorporated this feedback into the current proposal,” according to a Coquitlam staff report.

As the area is currently zoned for three-storey apartments, the project would require an amendment to Coquitlam’s official community plan.

The project’s floor area ratio – which measures a development’s total floor space against its lot size – is 5.5. The city generally limits density in the zone to a 4.0 floor area ratio.

“For me, I don’t have a problem with that,” said Coun. Trish Mandewo, explaining the area is near a major route and will likely develop in the years to come.

Of the 1,412 units, 10 percent are set to be three-bedroom units. That percentage “doesn’t cut it,” Mandewo said.

While three-bedroom units tend not to sell as well initially, the resale demand is quite high, Mandewo said, adding that the opposite tends to happen with one-bedroom units.

Most of the unit mix – 62 percent – consists of studios and one-bedroom units.

With tower heights ranging from 25 to 31 storeys, several councillors voiced concerns about long shadows falling on Mackin Park.

“Mackin Park is probably the jewel of that area,” said Coun. Brent Asmundson. “I don’t want us to have to be coming up . . . to fund huge lighting to make it work.”

Several councillors suggested they’d like to see some development in the area, but added the project would likely need some substantial changes before they would support it.

“We need to shave a chunk of this down to make this work,” said Coun. Matt Djonlic.