Port Coquitlam’s biggest development may get a little bigger

Fifteen months after the project got its final approval, Port Coquitlam council was asked to re-evaluate one of the two highrises set to be built at Westwood Street and Anson Avenue on Tuesday.

In a unanimous vote, council voted to allow one of those towers to get four storeys taller, growing to a total of 32 storeys.

Standing on the ground, the difference is negligible, according to Coun. Darrell Penner.

“When this came back to us [with] the additional four storeys, it just made sense,” he said. “Why wasn’t it another five or 10?”

The proposal initially came forward during an election year, Penner said, noting that council supported the proposal and voters supported council.

Those extra storeys also mean an extra 42 units, including five non-market and three market rentals. In total, the towers are set to provide 358 units including 54 non-market rentals and 24 market rental units.

Coun. Nancy McCurrach applauded Mosaic for the project.

“There are many seniors out there in our city that don’t have pensions, that are on fixed incomes,” she said. “We actually definitely need more non-market housing.”

Council’s decision followed new provincial housing legislation which designated the area – approximately 400 metres from Lincoln SkyTrain station – a Transit-Oriented Area earmarked for increased density.

“It’s the density where it should be right close to SkyTrain,” said Coun. Glenn Pollock.

In exchange for the extra floors, Mosaic development company has offered to pay the city an extra $1.26 million, bringing the project total to approximately $16 million.

Council would also have to vote in favour of new zoning and housing agreement bylaws before the extra is officially approved.

The 30-storey tower is currently under construction.

A park, parking and traffic

A 1,485 square foot park is set to be built near Woodland Drive and the Anson Avenue extension.

The project includes a plan to extend Anson Avenue east toward Westwood Drive and to put two new left-turn lanes on Westwood.

A previous traffic assessment based on the addition of 282 new units and 480 residents estimated the project would put another 102 cars on the road during afternoon rush hour, according to draft by Binnie and Associates.