Plans are moving ahead to redevelop the existing Eagle Run Shopping Centre to include a 22-unit apartment building and commercial space.
Council gave third reading at a council meeting Tuesday (Feb. 3) to a rezoning bylaw that would split-zone the property located at 41312 - 41340 Government Road. The decision came one week after a public hearing on the bylaw.
While most of council voted in favour of the rezoning, Coun. Corinne Lonsdale voted against the decision. Lonsdale said the rezoning represents a shift she is not comfortable with.
"There are no other commercial lands to the north of Garibaldi Estates and I am uncomfortable with the rezoning considering the parking issues," Lonsdale said. "Commercial land represents jobs."
The parking issue is expected to be resolved in the subdivision phase of the project. Cameron Chalmers, director of planning for the District of Squamish, said the parking issue will be fixed exist even if it means reducing the size of the 22-unit apartment building.
Coun. Doug Race called the project a chance to enhance an existing commercial development while creating housing alternatives.
"The building will be serviced by an elevator, which makes it accessible to a wide variety of potential occupants. I also support apartment style housing adjacent to a bus line," Race said.
At the public hearing, residents expressed concerns over parking. The shopping centre serves as an unofficial "park and ride" lot for carpoolers and the possibility of 22 residential units compounds the problem.
"I think park and ride is a bigger community issue that we need to address. We need to create designated park and ride lots so commercial areas don't get overburdened," Coun. Patricia Heinztman said.
Under the existing zoning, the land can only be used for a restaurant, garden nursery or building supply store with second storey apartments. The developer is proposing to remove the existing land use contract and subdivide the property to allow for existing uses of the Eagle Run Shopping Centre and a three-story apartment building.
In return, the proponent is paying $400,00 in off-site services, $70,000 in development cost charges and $72,000 to the affordable housing fund.
In regards to the parking issues, Race said it is in the interest of the landlord to ensure parking spots remain open for commercial tenants rather than residential park and ride users. Which means parking enforcement might have to happen regardless of redevelopment.
