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An application for a Development Variance Permit is making it’s way through the approval process at Victoria City Hall for a residential condominium development at the corner of Douglas and Simcoe Streets (200 Douglas Street). The application is for a 7 story, 38 suite development with 53 parking spaces.

It’s interesting for a number of reasons.

Image Credit 200 Douglas Street Development Variance Permit Application

First, it appears that initial thoughts for this property by its current owner were to develop a building in excess of ten floors. I suspect (without knowing) that the developer informally ran the proposal up the flag pole over at Victoria City Hall, and decided to pursue a path of lesser resistance - and fewer floors.

Second, this project was registered last year (September 2007) under the LEED program, which signals the intention of the developer to incorporate green building design and construction practices to qualify for some level of LEED certification. While virtually all new residential projects in Victoria talk the talk about green measures, very few actually register under the LEED program. Of course the big exception is Dockside Green which in Victoria continues to provide leadership in the area, and to date is the only example of the highest local level of LEED recognition - Platinum. So, it’s good to see an intent, at least, for this project to pursue LEED certification at some level.

Third, if the project goes ahead, it will require the demolition of the Emily Carr Apartments, which provide 24 rental units. Their destruction is problematic in a City with a very serious shortage of affordable housing units. And that leads to the next point - which is that nothing much seems to be happening at the moment.

The Committee of the Whole considered this application in June, 2008. Only three relatively minor variances are required, and the Committee didn’t seem to have much difficulty with any of them. But they were concerned about the loss of rental accommodation. A Housing Agreement, the effect of which would be to guarantee these condo units could remain rentable (as was done in the case of The Hudson), was discussed, along with the concept of affordable housing units for the main floor of the building.

In the end, a motion passed to postpone further consideration of the matter “…pending further discussions regarding amenity units and [the totally separate subject of ] the re-use of the materials from the deconstruction of the apartment building”.

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