The “walkable village,” of Lower Gibsons advances as town council gave second reading to the Billys Walk development during its Oct. 8 Regular Meeting.
The Frits de Vries Architects’ application for “Billy’s Walk Residences” is proposed for Lots 19, 20, 21 and 24 Gibsons Way, which would be consolidated into one parcel.
The development includes 49 housing units across four buildings: two fourplexes, a 12-unit apartment building, and a building with 12 strata units and 17 rental units.
Of the 17 rental units, three will be rented at affordable rates through a housing agreement and an East-West public pedestrian path through the centre of the development from North Fletcher to Gibsons Way.
Since receiving its first reading in July, the application has been amended with four key changes in light of comments from the committee of the whole, Advisory Design Panel, the town’s infrastructure services department and Gibson's Landing Heritage Society.
- A three-metre road will be dedicated along the east side of North Fletcher Road to widen the road to 11 from eight metres and provide pedestrian and cycling facilities.
- Buildings B and C are being consolidated into one building to preserve a nearby arbutus tree.
- An addition of a public elevator.
- Another pedestrian connection has been added to connect South Fletcher to Seaview Road through the site.
A staff report highlighted the connection would provide a route for both pedestrians and cyclists to move from the Marine Drive side to the Gower Point Road side of lower Gibsons without needing to pass through the 5-Corners intersection.
There have also been some changes to the setbacks and density proposed in the application, the zoning amendment bylaw has been amended to reflect the changes.
Coun. Christi Thompson said it was nice to see the extra three metres on North Fletcher and asked if the proposed building heights remained the same at this phase, which architect Frits de Vries confirmed.
Noting how much of the site is covered by non-permeable surfaces and that the developers have “gone to great lengths” to put in parks and preserve trees, Coun. David Croal asked if there was any intention to have a form of water capture to use run off as irrigation as opposed to using potable water.
de Vries answered that two of the buildings are intended to have green roofs (a building roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation), for aesthetics as well as water management.
Staff included an option for council to direct them to decrease the speed limit on Gibsons Way to 30 km/h from 50 km/h south of Seaview Road – which council turned down as they are planning to have a public conversation about speed limits separately.
Council unanimously passed second reading on the development and granted a development permit for Lots 19, 20 and 21 Gibsons Way and 666 School Road.
They also moved for the developer to hold a public information meeting, with feedback to be collected and reported back to council before the zoning amendment is presented for final reading.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
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