A developer is planning to turn a house into a triplex as part of an infill proposal for an Austin Heights property in Coquitlam.
But the bid is raising concerns as the multi-family units would be new for the neighbourhood and because of the site’s proximity to the Como Creek ravine.
Tonight (Monday), city council will consider first reading of the rezoning application by Lamme Zarei who wants to keep the existing single-family home at 1334 Charland Ave. and add a duplex on the site, which is located at the end of a cul-de-sac.
Should council grant first reading, the public will have a chance to comment at a hearing later this month.
According to a city staff report, the property is an irregular size and is close to the east side of the Como Creek ravine; the lot also slopes down from east to west, with a significant drop at the crest of the slope.
City staff are now reviewing a watercourse protection development permit bid as well as a geotechnical report that permits a minimum setback of 28.5 feet from the crest of the slope; however, Zarei plans a larger setback of up to 40 feet, the staff report reads.
If OK’d following the public hearing, the current Streamside Protection and Enhancement Areas — or SPEA — would be replaced with new covenants while a certified arborist would need to be onsite to watch for construction near or within the tree protection zones.
City hall has already received some feedback since the rezoning sign went up, with opponents saying the development won’t fit in with the rest of the single-family home neighbourhood; they also cite concerns with the ravine impact and slope stability.
If accepted, the development is expected to bring in about $75,000 in development cost charges for the city.
The infill proposal is in line with the city’s Housing Choices program and comes as the city conducts its Southwest Housing Review to look at infill housing options in single-family areas of southwest Coquitlam. The adoption for that review is set to go before council in the spring of 2022.
