3.21 HDR - High Density Residential Zone

To allow for high density housing with minor local Commercial Uses in a predominantly residential environment and to support the concept of a livable urban village with a strong sense of identity and place, where community activities and amenities are focused on a neighbourhood main street.

Residential Uses
  
3.1. Residential, limited to:  
 
3.1.1. Backyard Housing
3.1.2. Duplex Housing
3.1.3. Secondary Suites
3.1.4. Semi-detached Housing
3.1.5. Single Detached Housing
 
Commercial Uses
  
3.2. Body Rub Centre  
3.3. Indoor Sales and Service a
3.4. Office a
Community Uses
  
3.4. Community Service  
Agricultural Uses
  
3.5. Urban Agriculture  
Sign Uses
  
3.6. Freestanding Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising  
3.7. Minor Digital Sign  
3.8. Portable Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising  

 

Residential Uses 
4.1. Home Based Businesses must comply with Section 6.60
Commercial Uses 
4.2. Body Rub Centres, Markets, and Offices must not be developed as the only Use in a building or above the second Storey, except in the case of conversion of Dwellings to non-Residential Uses adjacent to 99 Avenue NW and 104 Street NW.
4.3. Body Rub Centres must comply with Section 6.20.
Community Uses
4.4. Child Care Services must comply with Section 6.40.
4.5. Special Events must comply with Section 6.100.
Agricultural Uses
4.6. Urban Agriculture
 
4.6.1. With the exception of outdoor display areas of products for sale, Urban Agriculture Uses must be located within or on a building.
4.6.2. The Development Planner may consider a variance to Subsection 4.6.1 based on the recommendations provided in an Environmental Site Assessment in compliance with Section 7.140.
Sign Uses
4.7. Signs must comply with Subsections 3 and 5 of Section 6.90.

 

5.1. Site area must comply with Table 5.1.
Table 5.1. Site Area
Subsection Regulation Value
5.1.1. Minimum Site area for buildings less than or equal to 26.0 m in Height 600 m2
5.1.2. Minimum Site area for buildings greater than 26.0 m in Height 800 m2
5.2. Despite Subsection 5.1, smaller Sites may be developed under a variance by the Development Planner, provided the general intent of the Zone and area are met in terms of land use, building design, and amenity provisions.  
5.3. Floor Area Ratios must comply with Table 5.3:
Table 5.3. Floor Area Ratios
Subsection Regulation Value
5.3.1. Maximum total Floor Area Ratio for all combined Uses 4.5
5.3.2. Maximum Floor Area Ratio for Residential Uses 4.0
5.3.3. Maximum Floor Area Ratio for non-Residential Uses 0.5
5.4. Residential Density must comply with Table 5.4.
Table 5.4. Density
Subsection Regulation Value
5.4.1. Maximum Density for Sites greater than or equal to 1,350 m2 500 Dwellings/ha
5.4.2. Maximum Density for Sites less than 1,350 m2 370 Dwellings/ha
5.5. Building Heights must comply with Table 5.5:
Table 5.5. Height Regulations
Subsection Regulation Value
Height
5.5.1. Maximum Height 50.0 m
Street Wall Height
5.5.2. Maximum Street Wall Height 20.0 m
5.6. Despite Subsection 6 of Section 7.100, a Development Planner may grant a variance to the Maximum Height, up to an additional 10.0 m in Height, for development on Sites with a total area greater than 3,716 m2 where development is compatible with the urban context of the area and adverse environmental impacts, such as sun shadow and wind are minimized.
5.7. Setbacks must comply with Table 5.7:
Table 5.7. Setbacks
Subsection Regulation Value
Front Setback
5.7.1. Minimum Front Setback 3.0 m
5.7.2. Maximum Front Setback 4.0 m
Unless the following applies:
5.7.3. Minimum Front Setback for development fronting onto 99 Avenue NW and 104 Street NW 0 m
Rear Setback
5.7.4. Minimum Rear Setback 3.0 m
Side Setback
5.7.5. Minimum Interior Side Setback 2.0 m
5.7.6. Minimum Flanking Side Setback  4.5 m
5.7.7. Additional minimum Interior Side Setback or Flanking Side Setback distance for each Storey or partial Storey above 2 Storeys 1.0 m, up to a maximum total of 6.0 m
5.8. Despite Subsection 5.7:
 
5.8.1. the minimum Setback Abutting 105 Street NW is 4.0 m.
5.8.2. the Development Planner may consider a variance to the Setback regulations in consideration of the existing block face Setback and the Urban Design Framework for Downtown Streets within the Capital City Downtown Plan.

 

Street Interface Regulations
6.1. Development must be designed in a manner consistent with the Urban Design Framework for Downtown Streets within the Capital City Downtown Plan, emphasizing the residential character of the neighbourhood.
6.2. Along 99 Avenue NW and 104 Street NW, developments must:
 
6.2.1. provide a minimum Ground Floor Height of 3.5 m;
6.2.2. accommodate the potential conversion of smaller scale developments to pedestrian oriented retail businesses such as: 
 
6.2.2.1. small restaurants; 
6.2.2.2. cafes;
6.2.2.3. specialty retail; and 
6.2.2.4. design oriented establishments; and
6.2.3. have a Ground Floor elevation within 0.3 m of ground level. 
6.3. Streetscapes adjacent to 105 Street NW and 97 Avenue NW must reduce the environmental impacts of higher levels of vehicle traffic on pedestrians.
6.4. Yards Abutting a public sidewalk, including useable outdoor spaces, must continue the public sidewalk paving materials, finish, and pattern.
6.5. The Street Wall may be composed of Row Housing, Multi-unit Housing, non-Residential Uses, or Parkades.
Entrances Regulations
6.6. In mixed use buildings, residential entrances must be designed separately from commercial or institutional entrances and must address the street in a prominent manner.
6.7. Ground Floor residential Dwellings must provide separate, individual access at ground level and feature:
 
6.7.1. identifiable doorways; 
6.7.2. Landscaped terraces; 
6.7.3. pedestrian lighting; 
6.7.4. patios; and
6.7.5. screening to indicate separate individual access to each unit to ensure adequate privacy.
Tower Regulations
6.8. Towers, whether in the form of freestanding independent structures, or a number of associated structures within a complex, must be designed, oriented, and constructed to: 
 
6.8.1. support the residential character of the neighbourhood;
6.8.2. articulate the Downtown skyline; and 
6.8.3. maximize views as well as sunlight penetration in public spaces, plazas, Parks, and Amenity Areas.
6.9. The mid-level of Towers must provide Setbacks and articulation to minimize the impact of massing.
6.10. Development must comply with Table 6.10:
Table 6.10. Tower Regulations
Subsection Regulation Value
6.10.1 Maximum Tower Floor Plate for the portion of the Tower that is greater than 20.0 m in Height 900 m2 or 80% of the Podium Floor Plate, whichever is lesser
6.10.2 Minimum Tower Stepback from the Street Wall 3.0 m
6.10.3 Minimum separation between Towers 25.0 m
6.11. The Development Planner may consider a variance to Subsection 6.10.3, taking into consideration factors such as:
 
6.11.1. the orientation and placement of the Tower and associated visual, sun, shadow, and microclimatic impacts on Amenity Areas, Pathways, and Abutting residential or mixed use developments; 
6.11.2. the context of the Site in relation to the location and Height of buildings on Abutting Sites; and
6.11.3. recommendations and mitigation measures specified in any required technical studies or applicable urban design guidelines. 
Facade Regulations
6.12. The lower portion of the Facades of buildings, including bases and Podiums must be articulated at regular increments to add variety, rhythm, and a human scaled dimension along the street. This may include:
 
6.12.1. the provision of awnings, canopies, window openings, reveals, offsets, multiple entrances arcades, columns, pilasters, materials, and colour or other architectural features; and
6.12.2. the provision of quality materials, interesting design, fenestrations, inviting entrances, and Landscaping.
6.13. All exposed building Tower faces must have consistent and harmonious exterior finishing materials.
6.14. Building materials must be sustainable, timeless, durable, high quality, and appropriate for the development within the context of the urban area. The contextual fit, design, proportion, quality, texture, and application of various finishing materials must be to the satisfaction of the Development Planner.
6.15. Building materials on the lower Storeys of mid and high rise developments and along secondary commercial Streets must be used so as to improve visual quality and permeability of the building.
6.16. Residential and mixed use infill developments must transition to and be compatible with the design character, scale, Facade, and materials of adjacent buildings within the block.
Rooftop Regulations
6.17. The roof design may include a combination of Green Roofs, Solar Collectors, patios, or private or public open spaces.

 

Amenity Areas
7.1. Despite Section 5.20, Amenity Areas must comply with the following:
 
7.1.1. a minimum Amenity Area of 3% of total Floor Area of Residential Uses is required for buildings over 2,000 m2 to the satisfaction of the Development Planner, but in no case can the Amenity Area be less than 6.0 m2 per Dwelling. Amenity Areas may include meeting rooms, fitness facilities, and outdoor space; 
7.1.2. a minimum Private Outdoor Amenity Area of 15.0 m2 per Dwelling must be provided where any part of the Dwelling unit is contained at ground level; and
7.1.3. developments less than or equal to 26.0 m in Height on sites less than or equal to 700 m2 in area must be designed to provide common outdoor open space at ground level, Podium level, or roof level and must have a minimum Amenity Area of 45.0 m2.
7.2. Development must provide 5% of the Site area as open space in the form of Parks, plazas, atriums, or publicly accessible spaces at ground level for the benefit of residents or tenants, which must provide seating, furnishings, art, and other amenities that are complementary to the adjacent streetscape and visually and physically accessible to the public.
Landscaping
7.3. Despite Section 5.60, only deciduous species are allowed in any Setback area Abutting a Street.