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A rendering of a 26-storey condominium tower and an eight-storey rental block approved for Esquimalt Road at Head Street in the Township of Esquimalt. The project will replace two aged buildings with 272 residences and approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space.

https://victoria.citified.ca/news/landmark-26-storey-272-unit-development-approved-for-esquimalt-s-carlton-club-lands/

The vote was 5-2 in favour of the development permit and the variances requested by the developer, with Boardman and Cavens opposed.

After the vote, Boardman proposed that township staff look into the possibility of limiting any new developments in the C-2 commercial zoning to 12 storeys until the municipality undergoes its Official Community Plan review, a move that was unanimously supported by the rest of council.

Desjardins said the province is requiring Esquimalt to undergo an OCP review by next June after it instituted a number of housing changes last year.

During that process, the whole community will get to weigh in on what the height for future development will look like in Esquimalt, she said.

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/esquimalt-agrees-to-26-storey-tower-tallest-building-in-municipality-8577220

Maror Barb Desjardins editorial:

In May 2023, Esquimalt staff received the development application for 900 Carlton Place/900 Esquimalt Road, a key corner in Esquimalt. The application included 272 units of housing, commercial space, rental housing and a condominium tower at a height of 26 storeys.

These properties are within the Commercial/Commercial Mixed Use Proposed Land Use Designation within Esquimalt’s Official Community Plan (OCP) and this proposal met the use and density requirements within the C-2 zone, and as such it did not require a rezoning. The C-2 zone does not contain a maximum density.

In May 2022, a full year before submitting their application, GMC Projects (the project developer) initiated community engagement. As part of the information provided to council March 4th, 2024, they provided an outline of 38 community engagement actions between May 2022 and March 4th, 2024.

Council also heard from the public through these engagements and ongoing social media. Clearly this project would be a deviation from what the community had seen to date and coupling that with the fact that it was not going to come to council as a rezoning it created significant angst in some of our Esquimalt community as they struggled to see how a project could come forward as a development variance with such height.

At the March 4th council meeting there was significant public input with speakers and emails received from all levels of the business community, including the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce, and many businesses local to the project in strong favour of the project.

https://www.cheknews.ca/the-ultimate-challenge-for-esquimalt-council-a-few-thoughts-from-mayor-barb-desjardins-after-approving-a-26-storey-residential-tower-1199157/

On April 8th council heard again from a wide-range of community members, including the Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre, local businesses, local area residents, students from UVic, Esquimalt First Nation, and some from outside Esquimalt. Council members spoke frankly about their challenges. All members of council spoke of areas of support for the project citing significant positives for revitalising this corner. They also referenced the community challenge of the project’s significant height. Council members listened to each other, building on, delving further into each other’s comments to finally come to a position of being able to call the question on the motion to approve.

Council approved the proposal in a majority of five-two. Land use decisions are challenging, this one was the ultimate challenge for Esquimalt council. It was done through significant listening to an engaged community, and respectful, thorough questioning to staff and the proponent to ensure councillors had the information required to make a decision.

A provincial representative for land and property developers says he hopes to see experienced developers with good track records propose bolder housing projects amid uncertainty in the real estate market.

On Monday, April 8, the Township of Esquimalt voted to approve a building permit for an amenity-packed, 26-storey residential building – double the height of the current tallest building in the municipality.

https://www.vicnews.com/local-news/esquimalt-developer-hopes-to-see-bigger-bolder-projects-amid-housing-crisis-7344126?utm_source=second-street&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=VNE-MorningAlert&emailmd5=621D1A435CFF3491233A25A503C230E6&emailsha1=62167166190847215723516722524213322019510612211215721042&emailsha256=65cd875b2732fe50eb8797e7d6f624a268c992e85223828c78ca11b97212fd9a