The fate of the Beach Towers rezoning application wont be known until Feb. 26. After three days of hearings, which ended Wednesday night, council agreed to refer the discussion, debate and decision to the next regular council meeting. Thirty-six people spoke during the hearing, according to city staff, with 31 speaking against the project.
Beach Towers is a complex of four highrises overlooking English Bay. The applicant, Beach Towers Properties, wants to construct 113 rental units spread over three new buildings on the same site.
A studio would rent for $1,195 a month, a one-bedroom would go for $1,495 and a two-bedroom for $2,155, according to the proposal.
Christine Ackermann, president of the West End Residents Association [WERA], spoke on the second night of the hearing. She told the Courier this week the organization doesnt take positions on developments but critiques them on affordability, liveability and sustainability.
Ackermann said affordability appears to the key issue with this particular development.
We support the development of market rentals. We dont support the development of condos in the West End, she said. So the fact this is market rentals we believe we need more market rentals so we support that part of the proposal. Our huge concern and our primary issue with this proposal is the affordability of it.
Ackermann said she told council that rezoning applications should be viewed as an opportunity to encourage affordability by using the third-third-third model: one third affordable housing, one third market rentals and one third luxury rentals.
She suggested starting rents of $950 a month, which is 30 per cent of the median income in the community, for one third of the units.
Were just saying give us a third of the units at a lower price and then take another third and increase it to however much you think you can get for it whatever the market will bear and those will be your luxury apartments. That way the developer doesnt make any less money and we get what we need, she said.
Ackermann also told the Courier shes getting calls from people living in Beach Towers who are concerned their rents will be raised. While they agree with me that we need more market rentals, their prime concern is that theyre going to be asked to increase their rent exponentially after the new units are built and thats a valid fear, she said. Because under the current rental laws in the province, a landlord can go and say theres a comparable unit here that Im renting out for $500 more and therefore I should get $500 more out of the older unit and [landlords] can get it. Theyve gotten it before.
The Courier could not reach IBI/HB Architects, the firm that spoke for the project, Thursday morning by press deadline. In closing comments at the hearing, Martin Bruckner, whos from the company, thanked the mayor and council. It has been a long time, but I do believe that these public hearings have a value that I respect, he told them. We have heard a lot of opinions and weve taken them in and we are prepared to consider working with you and with the community to hopefully bring this project to realization and to be successful.
twitter.com/naoibh
