Sooke planning officials are asking district councillors to deny a variance to a proposed rental housing complex, citing that the application does not comply with the zoning bylaw or development permit guidelines.

WestUrban Developments wants to build two six-storey buildings with 161 residential rental units and about 9,500 square feet of commercial space fronting Brownsey Boulevard.

B次元官网网址淭he main issue is that the development does not establish a pedestrian-oriented streetscape because of the following: significant retaining walls, blank walls, lack of a consistent line of building fronts that clearly define the space of a street, surface parking on a highly visible, prominent corner, and limited at-grade access to each of the building sites,B次元官网网址� staff said in a report to council.

B次元官网网址淭he proposed retaining walls discourage interaction between the public realm, the ground floor commercial and the proposed plaza space by creating physical and visual barriers. Improvement is needed to create a more engaging and vibrant pedestrian-oriented streetscape, as supported by (development plan) objectives.B次元官网网址�

Brownsey Boulevard B次元官网网址搑eferred to as B次元官网网址渨aterview streetB次元官网网址� in the official community plan B次元官网网址� is a road cited as a shop-lined main street.

The report stated staff would work with WestUrban Developments on how the site and building design will need to be altered if council rejects the variance.

Council will discuss the proposal at MondayB次元官网网址檚 (June 13) council meeting.

Other items on councilB次元官网网址檚 agenda tonight:

B次元官网网址� The Sooke LionB次元官网网址檚 John Phillips Memorial Park proposal to build a community facility returns to council, with plans to host a town hall event in September.

B次元官网网址� The finance department delivers its first-quarter operating report.

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