With extensive input from the community, the City has developed new design guidelines and zoning categories for the Moodyville Area.
The rezoning of this area provides a variety of new housing options along with new zoning regulations, guidelines for form and character, utility upgrades, amenity contributions and high standards for energy efficiency. Active and safe lanes and streets will further encourage pedestrian use.
Redevelopment of the area will include approximately 1,500 new homes, a park, improved greenways and transit networks. As well, Lonsdale Energy Corp. (LEC) will extend its district energy system to the Moodyville neighbourhood, providing even more City residents with sustainable, thermal energy.
The area-wide rezoning of Moodyville is intended to increase certainty for owners, neighbours, developers, Council and the general public as compared with processing individual rezoning applications on a case-by-case basis. The following is an overview of the new regulations:
The bylaw amendments:
- establish new zoning designations for a variety of housing types;
- bring into effect Development Permit Design Guideline controls for the area; and,
- rezone properties in the area to these new zoning designations.
The zoning changes include:
- criteria which must be met in order to develop at the OCP densities;
- limitations on the size, height and siting of new development, with an emphasis on ensuring appropriate interfaces with existing buildings;
- incentives to encourage housing diversity;
- measures to discourage a car-dominant community; and
- changes to streamline and reduce redundancy in the Zoning Bylaw.
The development guidelines:
- focus on how buildings contribute to a strong streetscape;
- address privacy and liveability of new units;
- create neighbourly streetscapes by reducing shadowing and encouraging social interaction on safe, active streets and lanes;
- encourage strong and varied contemporary architecture to contribute to a unique identity for the area; and
- suggest forward sustainability elements and landscaping criteria.
The creation and refinement of development controls has been shaped by feedback received at open houses and workshops, by email and letter, and in person. The guidelines include input from key stakeholders a design consultant retained by the City and concepts drawn from adopted City policies, including the Garden Apartment Guidelines.
More Information
The following documents provide background and information on the Moodyville area.
The City of North Vancouver has been a forerunner in developing unique tools to incentivize sustainable and energy efficient buildings. A unique sustainability approach is in place for the Moodyville Area in support of the City’s sustainability objectives. This strategy includes requiring, as a condition of receiving a density bonus, that new developments be designed to achieve one of the following:
- Passive House certification;
- LEED-Gold standard with enhanced energy efficiency (i.e. 15% better than ASHRAE 90.1 2010, 10% better than NECB 2011, or EnerGuide 86) and a commitment to a noise mitigation strategy; or
- LEED-Gold standard with the highest tier (similar to Passive House) of the Stretch Code that the Province is currently developing and a commitment to a noise mitigation strategy.
These requirements are described in greater detail in Section 419 of the Bylaw and the higher standards are structured as a condition for achieving the full potential density of the site. Energy efficiency will also be addressed on a systemic basis with the expansion of the Lonsdale Energy Corporation (LEC) in some or all of the Moodyville area.
Density Bonus and Community Benefits Policy
The City’s Density Bonus and Community Benefits Policy identifies an Amenity Fund contribution of $20 per net buildable square foot that applies to floor area above the existing zoning and up to the OCP maximum density. This contribution will be secured through density bonusing: to build above 0.5 FSR in applicable zones the contribution is required. Refer to the policy for additional details.
An interdepartmental working group including City staff representing planning, parks, transportation planning, heritage, Lonsdale Energy Corporation (LEC), Facilities & Real Estate Division, and Engineering, Parks & Environment Department provided ongoing input to the process. Input was also provided by City Advisory bodies such as the Advisory Design Panel and Advisory Planning Commission. The process concluded in May following a Public Hearing.
Opportunities for Input
Opportunities for input were provided throughout the process, including the following:
- Moodyville Public Hearing - May 9, 2016
A Public Hearing was held to consider the proposed Bylaw Amendments to bring new development controls into effect in the area. Members of the community were welcome to attend and provide input at the hearing.
- Release of Draft Development Controls Materials - early 2016
The Technical Transportation Study and draft Development Controls were released for public input in early 2016. Additional releases of the draft Development Controls continued through to March 2016.
- Design Guidelines Workshop - October 22, 2015
An interactive workshop was held to review the draft design guidelines and development controls and how they would apply to different land use categories in the area. An Information Display was also held for the week following the workshop.
- Guiding Principles Open House - June 29, 2015
Feedback gathered through this process contributed to the development of draft guidelines and considerations moving forward.
More Information
The following documents provide additional background information.
Process Moving Forward
With the new zoning in place, those seeking redevelopment are required to submit Development Permit applications for their projects, which will be reviewed by an inter-departmental staff group as well as by the City’s Advisory Design Panel. Development Permit approval is granted by the Director of Community Development and Development Permit applications could be referred to Council when appropriate. Though not legally required, neighbour notifications and Developer Information Sessions would be required as part of any new Development Permit in this area.
Visit the Development Applications page for information on the development application process.