More places to rent may soon be available in Squamish.
A six-storey rental building with 40 small apartments and retail space is slated for Government Road.
The building permit for The Northyards, a WestUrban Development at 39666 Government Rd., was approved at a council meeting on March 20.
The six-storey building includes a second floor with office and residential and two additional floors for residential apartments.
The apartments will be composed of one-bedroom units varying from 646 square feet to 700 square feet. Also available will be 430-square-foot studios and 850-square-foot two-bedroom units.
The building’s approval was expedited by council because it will be a purpose-built rental, as opposed to individually owned condos. The building will also have two lower levels of parking.
The format of the building — combining retail with residential — is part of the District’s “Mixed Use District” or MUD zoning, which is meant to encourage employment space combined with residential.
While councillors approved the development permit, they also expressed concerns about the way commercial space was incorporated and suggested changes that could be made to plan for loading bays.
Coun. Karen Elliott said she couldn’t support the development with the current plan for the loading bays and voted against the permit.
“I think this building offers commercial space, but I don’t think it was done in a smart way,” she said. “I think we need to think commercial first and housing second in the MUD zone.”
