1. What do some of the terms mean?
a) “Zoning” is a term used in land-use regulation. The zoning for a certain parcel of land designates the permitted uses for that land under the municipality’s by-laws. The zoning may also regulate building height, lot coverage and other characteristics.
b) A “rezoning” is required when a proposed development does not meet the requirements of the existing ‘zone’. An application is made to the municipality for a zoning designation appropriate for the proposed development and to accommodate future planned development on a large site. The elected council of the municipality is the body that determines whether a parcel of land is granted a change in zoning.
2. Why are sites zoned?
Zoning provides the basis for developing a parcel of land and cannot proceed unless it is in conformity with the approved municipal Official Community Plan.
A rezoning application proceeds through a complex process – usually a staff review, referral to agencies such as the fire department, consideration by one or more committees and the neighbourhood association culminating in a public hearing at City Council. Rezoning applications are translated into bylaws that require four readings. The fourth reading is after the public hearing and usually deals with detailed agreements which are conditions of the rezoning.
3. Why do you need to rezone the property?
The property was transferred to the Royal BC Museum Corporation in 2006 and twenty nine (29) R2 (single family/duplex) lots were consolidated into one that retained the R2 zoning designation. Not only did the RBCM commit to the City of Victoria that the property would be zoned to reflect all current and future uses, but rezoning is the first step in realizing our Vision.
4. Right now, RBCM property is zoned R2 (up to two family dwelling). What does that mean?
Originally, this site was 29 single family lots. Helmcken House is still on its original site and is the only building on the site which meets the definition for the current zoning. The current zoning for the RBCM is for single family and duplex housing; completely unrelated to its current use.
5. Why can't we just continue moving forward without zoning the property? The RBCM is already paying commercial level taxes to the City, so what's the difference?
a) The City of Victoria wants the property zoned appropriately. With the current single family zoning, we could build a new house or duplex on the property if we felt like it, but we couldn't build a new collections building, which is what we need!
b) Inappropriate zoning limits everything else we can do here. It means we have to apply for a new zone for anything we want to do on this site.
c) Financial implications of inappropriate zoning.
d) Long-term restrictions – right now, we could build houses, but we cannot realize our vision for the next 100 years with this zoning.
6. What are the advantages for the RBCM to rezone its site?
a) The zoning process is a fantastic opportunity for the RBCM to share its vision of the future. There are substantial benefits to the City and the community if the site were developed.
b) It establishes a “development entitlement” which allows the RBCM to move forward, over time, confidently to plan for what will inevitably be incremental redevelopment of the site.
c) It creates a value for the land based on the development potential and uses approved under the rezoning
d) It allows the City of Victoria, its agencies and the community to understand the implications of the future development in terms of site servicing, traffic etc.
7. What does the RBCM want in the comprehensive development zone?
a) A comprehensive development zone that allows for every use currently on the site, and every use that may one day be required on the site – educational, retail, restaurant, bus/taxi drop off/pick up, etc.
b) Zoning that is specific to all the uses on the site. Zoning includes all kinds of existing and potential uses which leaves all doors open.
8. So tell me more about this comprehensive development zone.
a) The RBCM will be seeking a Comprehensive Development Zone (CD). A CD provides for the development or redevelopment of a larger site and allows for a variety of land uses and development approaches as part of a comprehensive development plan.
b) A new zone is created for the site, tailor made for the site. A CD zone will provide both the RBCM and the municipality with greater flexibility to obtain a development plan that best suits the property and its neighbourhood.
c) CD's are great for sites that may be developed in phases over a long period of time and where the details are not necessarily known at the time of zoning approval, where a site should receive innovative treatment and/or are in strategic locations.
d) As part of a CD zone, usually, “Design Guidelines” are also prepared and approved. These Guidelines provide a framework to assist the municipality in consideration of later phases of a project when details are known and the project(s) or phased parts of a redevelopment come forward.
e) Design Guidelines created as part of a CD zone outline what the RBCM will be allowed to do, and where we'll be allowed to do it. All this work is done through a detailed consultation process.
f) At that time an application for a “Development Permit” is made. A CD zone for the RBCM site will allow for fulfilling the long term Vision for the site without having to apply for further zoning. This reduces risks, uncertainty and cost.
9. Tell me how much building you're planning on the site.
We are seeking approximately 890,000 square feet a total on the site. A functional review completed approximately 3 years ago estimated our growth at a steady rate which results in a requirement for 650,000 square feet of space for collections based on growth projections for the next 100 years, plus the existing exhibition hall (and other buildings).
a) While it is too soon to speculate on how many buildings or how large they will be, we do know we need a new collections building. The current collections are housed in two buildings, one which is 14 stories tall; and the other which is 6 stories; and encompasses approximately 175,000 square feet currently.
b) Our current footprint for these two buildings is approximately 1 square foot for every square foot of land it sits on
c) As we work through the zoning process, the City will approve a certain floor space ratio (FSR) for the site, which will determine the size of buildings allowable on the site.
d) The current FSR is 1.37 to 1.
e) A higher ratio means more square feet of useable space on a smaller footprint
10. Why ask for all these uses on the site right now? Why not wait until they’re needed?
It’s a huge undertaking to rezone. It is better to do it all at once – to include current uses and any other uses our successors may need decades down the road. The City of Victoria has approved several comprehensive development zones; this is not out of the ordinary. (Dockside Green property is an example of a comprehensive development zone, as is Selkirk Waterfront).
11. How much square footage do we have on the site right now?
• Fannin Building is 73,900 net SF
• Archives Building is 28,400 net SF
• Exhibits Building is 106,300 net SF
• Plus the square footage associated with Helmcken House, Mungo Martin House and the IMAX building.
12. What is the current floor space ratio (floor space relative to the size of the building footprint?)
• The current FSR is 1.37:1
• Site area is 229,300 SF
• Gross Floor Area: 314,000 SF
13. What size could footprint be?
The size of the footprint is entirely dependent on the zoning approved by the City.
14. What about the green space?
By building up instead of out, we plan to protect the existing green spaces such as Thunderbird Park and Elliott Square. The plants in the Native Plant Garden will be relocated to Thunderbird Park.