The DRA Land Use Committee met on site with the applicant’s representatives to discuss this project and reviewed the drawings submitted to the City for the proposed building. Based on the information shared by the applicant and contained in the drawings, we understand that the Development Permit proposal includes nine legal lots zoned Old Town District‐1 and seeks to create a 274‐unit market rental building with ground floor commercial space fronting Chatham, Government and Herald Streets. The drawings indicate the applicant is requesting a variance for height to allow for the construction of a fifth floor of residential accommodation in order to achieve the maximum permitted FSR for this site.
The DRA LUC encourages Council to fully support the City of Victoria’s Old Town Design Guidelines and requests this proposal be reconfigured so that it is not at odds with the historic architectural rhythm that makes Chinatown a National Historic Site. In our opinion, it is not compliant with existing policy nor would it be in the public interest for this application to be approved in its current form.