Recent changes to the housing rules in B.C. have prompted a company to build bigger in Port Coquitlam.
Today, Jan. 14, the city’s committee of council will consider a renewed rezoning bid for Mosaic Homes to add four storeys to one of its towers on Westwood Street, close to the Coquitlam border.
The proposal, if approved by council at a later date, will see four more levels to the 28-floor tower at 3638 Westwood St., north of Anson Avenue; however, the 30-storey high-rise — at 3630 Westwood St., south of Anson — that’s now under construction will stay the same height.
In a report, Bruce Irvine, PoCo’s director of development services, said Mosaic’s re-application will mean 42 more residential units in the two towers in the Westwood/Woodland Triangle, thereby increasing the total number of homes on site from 556 to 598.
And of the 42 extra homes, eight will be designated for rental: five non-market and three market units.
The move also results in more indoor and outdoor amenities for residents, as well as $1.2 million more for the municipality through its density bonus program.
But there won’t be any more parking at the high-rise, as per the provincial government’s new rules for building in Transit-Oriented Areas (the Lincoln SkyTrain station is about 400 m from the assembled site). Mosaic plans to have 287 stalls for residents plus eight spots for visitors, Irvine said.
As well, Mosaic is offering $124,824 more to the city in development cost charges to pay for the extra infrastructure, of which the company is already providing $1.4 million to accommodate the growth.
Irvine said the 42 additional homes will help the city meet its housing targets set by the province. Last June, the government ordered PoCo to build 2,279 new homes by July 31, 2029.
The rental units proposed will also help in “closing the gaps” identified in PoCo’s Housing Needs Assessment, he said.
“Staff do not anticipate the additional building height or density will have any significant impact to surrounding property,” Irvine wrote.
The committee meeting starts at 1 p.m. at Port Coquitlam City Hall (2580 Shaughnessy St.). The meeting is open to the public.
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