Esquimalt council has voted to send a rezoning application for an 119-unit apartment to public hearing, despite misgivings about the project’s size and the fact the developer is proposing that it remain a rental building for only 10 years.
Victoria-based developer Lida Homes wants to build a six-storey apartment complex at 884 Lampson St. on five existing single-family and duplex residential lots at Tillicum Road and Lampson Street.
The complex, with vehicle access through Lampson Street, would provide 65 one-bedroom units, 49 two-bedroom units, and five three-bedroom units between Gorge Vale Golf Club and Lampson Park.
Lida Homes has proposed that the project, currently named 88Four, would be a rental for only 10 years in order to make it more financially viable. After that, the building could potentially become a strata complex.
In September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government will waive the goods and service tax on new rental construction, hoping to boost rental construction across the country. It’s not clear if it would apply to a building with a limited rental period.
Pointing to the need for more rental housing in Esquimalt, council expressed misgivings about the developer’s proposal to limit the rental period to 10 years.
“It really concerns me, given all the turnover that’s occurring, that it would only be a guarantee for [residents] for 10 years,” Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins said at Monday’s council meeting.
Desjardins said she liked the project’s proposed amenities such as a rooftop patio and fitness room, and its alternative transportation elements — such as e-bike and cargo-bike parking and a Modo car share on site — but she was struggling with the size of the proposed building. “When you are on Lampson Street, it is one massive wall.”
During the meeting, Coun. Ken Armour raised the possibility of delaying the public hearing so the developer could have more time to respond to council’s concerns, but he ultimately joined in the unanimous vote.
The proposed site has been marked for densification in Esquimalt’s Official Community Plan. It would be one of the largest developments in an area currently dominated by single-family homes and duplexes.
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