The Vancouver Heritage Commission, which advises the city on heritage matters, rejected the rezoning application for the old Avalon Dairy property at its July 29 meeting.

But the five-member panel indicated it would reconsider its position if the applicant re-works the plan for the 1.26-acre site and presents it to the commission at the development permit stage.

article continues below

The rezoning application still has to go before the urban design panel, which advises the city on development proposals, July 31.

Avalonna Homes bought the Avalon Dairy property at 5805 Wales St. for $6 million in 2011. Since its zoned single-family residential, the owner could subdivide it into 10 or 11 lots, but the city is willing to consider extra density in order to preserve the Craftsman-style farmhouse on the lot, which Avalon founder Jeremiah Crowley built in 1908.

The re-zoning application, submitted by Hywel Jones Architect Ltd., proposes restoring the heritage A-listed farmhouse in its current location and building eight other multi-family buildings up to three-storeys high containing a total of 68 units.

The application also proposes underground parking, completing the greenway along 43rd Avenue and adding community gardens.

Richard Keate, chair of the Vancouver Heritage Commission, said while there is support among commission members for the density and number of units, more work needs to be done on the location and size of infill buildings to allow for greater open space and greater visibility of the farmhouse.

He said the commission is reserving its support for the heritage conservation plan based on whether it sees a re-worked design at the development permit stage, including the floor plates and subdivision plan for the heritage farmhouse plus exterior details and choice of materials for the proposed new buildings.

"We were unanimously concerned that no one would see the farmhouse from Wales Street (from the southeast) and there were plans to divvy up the farmhouse into three suites, which wouldnt leave any heritage fabric or view corridors behind. In short, there was nothing for heritage to justify the density jump from maybe 33 dwelling units under RS-1 to the requested 68," Keate wrote in an email to the Courier.

Hywel Jones, principal at Hywel Jones Architect Ltd., told the Courier Tuesday morning the heritage commissions opinion contrasts with neighbourhood opinion.

"Its actually contrary to what the residents want because where the heritage commission is coming from is that they wanted more open space around the farmhouse and yet they supported the proposed number of units and the square footage. So, they suggested that the buildings got taller up to six storeys in parts of the site to provide that area and thats something we know that the neighbourhood wont support," Jones said. "[The height] is not going to fly. We either upset the heritage panel or we upset the neighbourhood, so I guess its up to the planning department to decide what the priorities are."

Kent Munro, the citys assistant director of planning, told the Courier early Monday, prior to the heritage commissions decision, that the rezoning proposal is an opportunity to save the farmhouse, that it also saves some significant trees neighbours are fond of and that feedback about the project within the community has been generally good. The most recent open house was in late June.

"As we usually get, there were questions about things like parking and access and stuff like that. Theyre proposing more than the bylaw minimum requirements for parking, but people still get concerned about parking in streets. But generally, the idea and the concept of finding a solution that protects and saves the heritage house has got a pretty good level of support in the community," he said. "I think people realize with this being zoned for single family right now that its better than the alternative."

noconnor@vancourier.com

twitter.com/naoibh