Add To Bookmarks
Printable Version
Seylynn Village: Revised Proposal (Update - February 2013)
The Seylynn Village project is a large, comprehensive development proposal in the vicinity of Fern Street and Mountain Highway, south of Highway One:
In 2009 District Council approved the rezoning of most of this property to accommodate a high-density, mixed-use development with a total of 690 dwelling units and approximately 43,000 square feet of commercial space. The existing zoning on the property (CD60 and CD61) reflects these existing development rights. No development permits were issued for the project as previously approved, and in late 2011 the property was sold to a new owner: Seylynn (North Shore) Properties. During the early part of 2012 the new owner met with District staff to review options for amending the existing development approvals and one of the options considered was the addition of a new road connection along the north side of the property, connecting the Keith Road Bridge to the Fern Street Interchange. Providing the land for this roadway has some implications for the way in which development might take place on the site, but presents some opportunities for assisting traffic flow in the area.
The site area for the revised proposal is shown in the plan below:
Development Permit for Phase 1 at Seylynn Village
Rezoning for the updated proposal for Seylynn Village was completed in December of 2012 and the site is now zoned CD67.
No development permits were granted for the project as part of the zoning change and the first Development Permit at the site is now to be considered by District Council. This proposal is for “phase 1” of the project, called “Building C”, a 24 storey building at the south-east corner of the site (closest to the Fern Street interchange). The image below is the south (Fern Street) elevation of the proposed building.
The development permit is scheduled to be considered at the upcoming Regular Council Meeting of Monday, February 4 and the Council Agenda for the meeting is available here.
The Development Permit Report to Council dated January 23, 2013, is available as agenda item 8.3 (pages 39 to 75) by clicking here.
Rezoning Approval Update
At the meeting of Oct 15, 2012, Council referred the project to a Public Hearing held on November 6, 2012. The Public Hearing notice is available for viewing and download here.
At the end of the Public Hearing Council passed a motion to “close” the hearing and to consider the bylaws at a future meeting of Council.
Minutes of the public hearing are available at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Public_Hearings/121106PH_MIN.htm
Council Consideration of Bylaws following the Public Hearing:
On December 3, 2012 Council granted second reading to the bylaws, including an amendment to the rezoning bylaw to reduce the height of the tallest tower from 32 storeys to 28 storeys.
On December 10, 2012 Council considered third reading of the bylaws, and resolved to reverse the amendment to the rezoning bylaw to re-instate the initial maximum height of the tallest tower at 32 storeys. Third reading was then granted to each of the bylaws.
Minutes of the meeting of December 10th will be available at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/article.asp?a=5596&c=83&v=1
On December 12, 2012 Council adopted the package of bylaws for the Seylynn Village development.
Minutes of the meeting of December 12th will be available at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/article.asp?a=5596&c=83&v=1
The rezoning review process is now complete.
Aspects of the Revised Development Proposal:
- Creation of a new “Keith Road Extension” across the north side of the site
- Addition of the Lynnmour Grocery Store (630 Mountain Hwy.) to the development site
- A reduction in commercial space of approximately 30,000 square feet to recognize a commercial focus further south in the heart of Lower Lynn
- A development density generally consistent with the previous proposal
- Changes in the unit count and unit mix to reflect a reconfigured residential floor area: the previous proposal included 620 strata units, and the potential for 70 affordable rental units. The current proposal includes 720 strata units and the construction of 70 affordable rental units
- Changes in the building forms to replace numerous low and mid-rise buildings with a third high-rise building
- Changes in the high-rise components of the project from two towers of 25 storeys each, to three towers of 24, 28, and 32 storeys.
- Fulfilment of housing and community amenity targets generally consistent with previous development
- Conversion of Fern Street to a local street and improved linkages to the Lower Lynn neighbourhood with a reduction of traffic on Fern Street
Project Images:
The site plan for the revised proposal showing the road connection along the north side of the property is shown below:
An image of the project, looking south-west, and showing the new road at the bottom of the image is shown here:
Project Plans:
The project plans for the revised rezoning proposal are available here:
Project Benefits and Amenities:
The project includes a mix of benefits and amenities similar to the original rezoning:
• $2.5 million toward neighbourhood improvements
• Connector Trails to the north and south
• Construction of a 70 Unit Affordable Rental Building
• Child-care space of 2,500 sq. ft.
• Public Art
• Adaptable Housing Features
• 5 Car Share Vehicles
• District Energy Connectivity
• Offsite Servicing Upgrades
Council Consideration of Bylaw Introduction:
On October 15, 2012, Council considered introduction of the bylaws for the revised Seylynn Village Development.
The agenda package for October 15th meeting can be accessed at the following link: click here
The Seylynn Village project is Item 8.8 in the agenda package.
The report and attachments can be downloaded at the following links:
Report to Council accompanying Bylaw Introduction
Attachment A – Bylaw 7955 to create new CD67 Zone
Attachment B – Bylaw 7956 to authorize a Housing Agreement to permit strata units to be used as rentals
Attachment C – Bylaw 7957 to authorize a Phased Development Agreement to confirm amenities
Attachment D – Bylaw 7958 to waive Development Cost Charges for proposed affordable rental housing
Attachment E – Proposed Development Guidelines
Attachment F – Applicant’s Development Proposal
Referral to Public Hearing
At the meeting of October 15, 2012 Council referred the project to a Public Hearing which is currently scheduled for November 6, 2012.
Proposal for Keith Road Extension:
The proposed revisions to the development at Seylynn Village present some opportunities to begin to address existing concerns regarding east/west connectivity. The current proposal includes reformatting of the development proposal with the addition of a new road link connecting the Fern Street interchange to the existing intersection of Mountain Highway and E. Keith Road (at the east end of the Keith Road Bridge).
The general concept for the proposed road design is shown in the sketch below:
Some explanatory points that may help in understanding how the new road system is intended to work are noted below and keyed by number to the drawing above:
1. Fern Street would become a cul-de-sac near the existing Fern Street interchange. Traffic that would have previously used Fern Street to access Mountain Hwy. or to travel west across Lynn Creek would use the new Keith Road extension.
2. There would be a new traffic signal at the “north end” of Mountain Highway.
3. Revisions would be made to the existing traffic signal at the Fern Street interchange, with a new “westbound” turn lane from the highway off-ramp to allow traffic to travel west on the new Keith Road extension.
4. The two existing eastbound turn lanes (toward “Superstore” and the Seymour area) would remain.
5. The preliminary design for the Keith Road extension has been formatted to allow for two travel lanes in each direction in future to reflect the possibility that the existing Keith Road bridge over Lynn Creek could be replaced and expanded at some point, and the new bridge and the Keith Road extension to have two travel lanes in each direction.
6. A multi-purpose (cycling and pedestrian) path would be located on the south side of the Keith Road extension, adjacent to the new development.
Further information regarding Seylynn Village will be posted here as it is available.
Seylynn Village Background
Impacts from nearby big box retail development (Seymour Creek) and the Ministry of Transportation‘s proposed changes to the highway network in the Fern Street area have resulted in a decline in the quality of life in this area, and the need for reconsideration of the future of the neighbourhood. Past work by the District Planning Department (2003 – 2005) involved consultation with local residents and the drafting and review of re-development options. Community input on these options showed that residents strongly supported proposals that allowed for a neighbourhood re‑development as a way to address liveability issues, rather than proposals that attempted to protect the existing single family neighbourhood from future traffic impacts.
District Council reviewed the planning objectives for the area and the re-development options at a workshop in September of 2005.
A Council Report regarding these issues as well as the minutes of this workshop meetings can be reviewed here:
Development Proposal:
Following Council’s consideration of these options in the Fall of 2005, a private developer - Hynes Developments - initiated discussions with the District Planning Department regarding options for re‑development in this area. During the Summer and Fall of 2006, District Staff worked to establish a set of objectives for the re-development of the area. Council was provided an update on the planning work at a workshop in December of 2006 - minutes of that meeting are located here:
December 2006 Council Workshop
The set of objectives prepared by the District (referred to as the "Design Brief" for the project) can be reviewed here:
In February of 2007, District Council considered whether to proceed with the required amendments to the District and Lower Lynn OCP’s to accommodate the proposed re-development for Seylynn Village. These amendments would allow the District to coordinate proposals for neighbourhood re-development with changes underway in the broader community, such as transportation improvements being undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation, and to achieve development that meets current District objectives for housing diversity and sustainability.
The Report to Council that was considered at that time, providing some history on the area, previous planning work, and the current proposal, is available here:
February 2007 Report to Council
Minutes of the February 19th, 2007 Council meeting can be found here:
At that time, Council resolved to proceed with a review of the Fern Street area and directed Staff to prepare amendments to the District and Lower Lynn Official Community Plans (OCP) to accommodate a mixed-use redevelopment of the Fern Street area (Seylynn Village).
Work has been proceeding during the Spring, including consultation with the community through a Public Information Meeting held on April 25 at the Holiday Inn. An information report outlining the status of the plan amendment work was prepared for Council and that report can be reviewed here:
June 2007 Update Council Report
This report outlines the status of various components of the plan amendment work to date, as well as indicating additional questions that still remain to be answered. It is important to note that the process currently under consideration is a proposal to amend the Lower Lynn Community plan to accommodate mixed use development - future stages of the process would include rezonings and development permits, where more details of the types of buildings proposed would be available. Available drawings have been attached to the Council Reports for the project, and can be accessed from the above links.
Transportation options for the area are being reviewed by the District in conjunction with a traffic consultant retained by the developer, and staff from the Ministry of Transportation and Highways. No conclusions have been reached to date, but options include changes to the Mountain Highway and Fern Street interchanges, as well as upgrades to local roads and improvements to traffic signals at Fern Street and Mountain Highway.
The applicant is proposing contributions to recreation facilities in the area, such as trails and playing fields at Seylynn Park, improvements in pedestrian connections north to Lynnmour School and south to the Phibbs Transit Exchange, and community space within the development project. Details of these park and community improvements have not yet been finalized, but the District is undertaking a benefits analysis to establish a reasonable package of contributions on the part of the proponent.
A Council Workshop was held on Tuesday, September 18th. The workshop provided Council with an update on the plan review and amendment process for the Fern Street area, and allowed for questions of District Staff and the Seylynn Village proponent (Hynes Developments).
The agenda for the workshop is located here:
September Council Workshop.htm
Submissions from the public were not received at the workshop, but interested members of the public, as well as representatives of affected Community Associations, were invited to observe the proceedings.
District Staff provided a summary of the planning context and issues related to the Fern Street area, including a review of background planning work completed since 2004, the land use changes currently under consideration, and the implications for broader land use considerations within the Lower Lynn Plan area. Questions raised by Council at the workshop were addressed at the workshop, or will be reviewed in the Report to Council accompanying first reading of the plan amendment bylaw.
A copy of the staff presentation on the issues related to the plan amendment for the Fern Street area is included below:
On December 17, 2007, District Council gave first reading to the plan amendment bylaws necessary to accommodate the Seylynn Village proposal. Information on the proposed plan amendments is available in this Report to Council below:
A Public Hearing notice can be reviewed at this link below:
Public Hearing Notice January 2008
An Information Report specific to transportation issues related to Seylynn Village can be reviewed at this link below:
January 2008 Information Report on Transportation Issues
On November 3rd, 2008, Council endorsed the staff report recommending the “Cross Roads” conceptual land use plan, concluding the concept planning stage for this project. Further information on the Lower Lynn Concept Plan is available at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/article.asp?c=771&a=4062
In July of 2008, Hynes Developments submitted a formal rezoning application for the lands north of Fern Street and east of Mountain Highway.
Since that time, District Staff have been working to review this application and the proposal is now ready to be presented to District Council for bylaw introduction.
The project as submitted involves the following:
Approximately 5.5 acre development site, including some existing municipal road and Ministry of Transportation lands
A total of 690 dwelling units in a mix of low-rise, mid-rise, and tower development
Approximately 50,000 square feet of space for commercial and other uses
Transfer to the District of a site for development of 70 affordable rental units
Amenity contributions including improvements to Seylynn Hall and Seylynn Park, upgraded pedestrian corridors to the north and south, child-care, public art, and adaptable design features in dwelling units
A Housing Agreement to allow for rental tenure in the condominium units
A Phased Development Agreement to set out requirements for amenity contributions
Innovative land use types such as live/work units and apartments with “lock-off” rooms
A “green building” target of LEED Silver with additional advanced energy management techniques
A legal framework has been established to allow District Council to consider changes to the zoning of the property, while still retaining control over the details of the development. A “Development Covenant” is proposed to be registered on the property which will include a number of requirements to be resolved prior to issuance of the necessary Development Permits and Building Permits to allow development to proceed on the property.
The May 22, 2009 Report to Council and attachments can be reviewed at the following links:
Joint Report: Section Manager Development Planning & Community Planner,
May 22, 2009
Attachment A
Attachment B
Attachment C
Attachment D
Attachment E
Attachment F
Attachment G
Attachment H
Attachment I
Attachment J
The project was considered by District Council at the meeting of June 1, and District Council granted First Reading of the bylaws. The Public Hearing was held on Tuesday June 16, 2009 and minutes of the Public Hearing are posted at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Council_PH/phm090616.htm
(Note that the Public Hearing is now “closed” and Council cannot receive additional public submissions or new information on the bylaws.)
Council granted second and third readings of the bylaws at the Council meeting of July 6th 2009. A Report to Council considered at this meeting is available at the following link:
http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Council_Reports/1216312.pdf
UPDATE - November 2011
The applicant has fulfilled the legal and financial requirements to accommodate adoption of the bylaws and the bylaws were forwarded to Council at the meeting of October 19, 2009. The Council Report regarding adoption of the bylaws can be reviewed here:
http://www.dnv.org/upload/documents/Council_Reports/1220413.pdf
The rezoning bylaws were adopted, and since October of 2009 the applicant has been exploring options for proceeding with the development permit process. As of the Summer of 2011, the District has been advised that the original developer is marketing the project for sale. Should a purchaser wish to proceed with development under the previously-adopted zoning and development scenario, they could do so by making a development permit application. Should a purchaser wish to make changes to the development that would affect density, land use, or the dwelling unit count on the site, they would need to go through a process to amend the zoning. These types of changes to the zoning would involve consultation with the public and a new public hearing.
Further updates will be provided on this website, as new information is available.