a- Wednesday, November 22, 1995 - North Shore News “COMMERCIAL FLOOR SPACE RATI IS NORTH © Vancouver *.. District’s planning department ~ prepared. to change its bylaws . to accommodate developers and designers? ' The question was asked more than once at a recent public hearing on proposed amendments to various size “and siting regulations as they apply to » single- family housing regulations. ’.. But unadvertised and buried in the text of the rezon- ing bylaw was a subsection extending some changes to buildings other than residential. Stinging: criticism was -levelled at the - planning department for failing to advertise the true scope of the bylaw and the’ possibility that proposed relaxations would specifically benefit a proposed development in . Edgemont Village. “I have.spoken picvionsly on the deceptive adver- tisement of bylaws. “Although i in the past the preamble of the relewint report always indicated the true scope'of ‘e the bylaws, this was not the case here,” charged Corrie - Kost. f ao . Glen's “Deering- -Robb, a respected community * activist ‘and the recent chair of the Waterfront Task’ - Force, told council she was “appalled and dismayed” to _ see relaxation of floor space ratio (FSR) calculations extended to retail, commercial and mixed-use build- ings... The FSR ofa building i is the ratio of its floor area to “its lotareas: : The: proposed: amendments would allow covered, : exterior pedestrian ‘walkways, canopies and arcades, as well .as’-small balconies and covered decks. to be excluded from FSR calculations. '/ i - &“The: first question that springs to mind is which . current development permit applications may be affect- -‘ed by-either (clause)?" said Deering-Robb. - :.“You sure. do not: have, to be‘a rocket scientist’ io . “know it’s ‘for, 3089 Fagemont Blvd., _ what we call the- ‘Esso. site.” .GE SIDE-BY-SIDE... REFRIGERATORS’ " top-mounts also available © with-a540 cash back NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL _By Martin Millerchip AT ISSUE “The mix-use building proposed trian. walkway along the shop fronts, plus balconies attached to the two floors of residential units above. Golly!" Deering-Robb showed council a Sept. 14 planning departrnent chart outlining required variances for the proposed development. At that time the developer was proposing: site coverage of 96.4% (regulations allow 85%); Gi building coverage of 78% (regulations allow 50%); Mi an FSR of 1.96 (regulations dictate an FSR of 1.75). If the building's covered walkway was not included in these calculations the site coverage would be permit- : ted and the other two variances greatly reduced. “By removing balconies and pedestrian " arcades/walkways without the corresponding reduction of the overall FSR you deliberately allow the size of buildings 10 be built bigger than is currently allowed in the zoning,” said Deering-Robb. “The message — you do not have to change your building to fit our bylaws, we will change the bylaws to: fit your building.” Coun. Pam Goldsmith-Jones told the News that she was responsible for many of the proposed amendments applying to single-family homes but said she had no knowledge of the commercial FSR relaxations, Coun. Ernie Crist said he agreed 100 per cent with the allegations that the rezoning bylaw was designed: to facilitate a particular development. “It’s.so obvious it’s not even funny,” said Crist, He also pointed to another section of the bylaw that will allow developers to add fill to.“localized depres- sions” on a site. ‘Two or three of those and the devel- ‘ ‘oper can manipulate grade.” Crist told the News: ; District director of development Richard Plunkett categorically denied that the FSR amendments were designed to facilitate the Edgemont development. “We : worked on this (the bylaw) a long time before the appli- cation on the Esso site, " said Plunkett, Le GE WALL OVEN Self clean convection oven, flush fitting. “THE Y.. FRANKS _ ADVANTAGE: ” 60-day price guarantee . Member of 3,000-store,- buying group! Huge Selection * -’ Credit available New management guarantees’ Satisfaction for the Esso site includes a pedes-. GE SELF-CLEAN RANGES, Convection oven, smooth top sl halogen element.’ "COLLISION CENTRE. 1.C.B.C. - B. C.A.A. - A.R.A. APPROVED CENTRE - COLLISION SPECIALISTS FREE COURTESY CARS FOR COLLISION TALKING LIFETIME GUARANTEE gue *CONSUITATION Fjzze-c000 J 174 PEMBERTON AVE. N.VAN. Yeap 5-7455 (zisisis AVLORMOTIVE The new monthly option from ICBC’ ' Are you buying short-term policies?. Let Autoplan 12 save you money. | Bay City insurance Services Ltd. | ’ West Van North Van 1445 Marine Drive (beside McDonald's) #10- 1199 Lynn Valley Ad., Lynn Valley. Centro 925-3533. 986-1" 1 5S | ft LE Pet MONTESSORI ACADEMY PRESCHOO / 198 East Windsor Road . 980-7973 © “fs 7S: HB Blaze cttes “OVER: TH E-RANGE CROWAVE, OVEN * 803 wtih Street, West Vaneauver. A ‘short block north of Marine Drive, 926-012 5:30.