3.121 TC-C - Heritage Valley Town Centre Commercial Zone

To allow for high quality, pedestrian-friendly commercial development with a mix of large, medium and small format retail, office, entertainment, cultural and institutional Uses, that consider the proximity and prominence of the Heritage Valley Town Centre transit node, in accordance with the Objectives and Policies of the Heritage Valley Town Centre Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan.

Commercial Uses
2.1. Bar
2.2. Body Rub Centre
2.3. Cannabis Retail Store
2.4. Food and Drink Service
2.5. Health Service
2.6. Hotel
2.7. Indoor Sales and Service
2.8. Liquor Store
2.9. Major Indoor Entertainment
2.10. Minor Indoor Entertainment
2.11. Office
2.12. Vehicle Support Service
Community Uses
2.13. Child Care Service
2.14. Community Service
2.15. Library 
2.16. Special Event
Agricultural Uses
2.17. Urban Agriculture
Sign Uses
2.18. Fascia Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising
2.19. Freestanding Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising
2.20. Projecting Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising
2.21. Portable Sign, limited to On-premises Advertising

 

Commercial Uses
4.1. The following Uses are not permitted within Area "A", as illustrated on Appendix II, which portrays an area approximately 400 m from the LRT Station:
 
4.1.1. Vehicle Support Services
4.1.2. Uses with Drive-through Services
4.1.3. Hotels
4.2. Body Rub Centres must comply with Section 6.20.
4.3. Cannabis Retail Stores must comply with Section 6.30.
4.4. Liquor Stores must comply with Section 6.70.
4.5. Vehicle Support Services and Uses with Drive-through Services must comply with Section 6.110.
Community Uses
4.6. Child Care Services must comply with Section 6.40.
4.7. Special Events must comply with Section 6.100.
Agricultural Uses
4.8. Urban Agriculture
 
4.8.1. With the exception of outdoor display areas of products for sale, Urban Agriculture Uses must be located within or on a building.
4.8.2. The Development Planner may consider a variance to Subsection 4.8.1 based on the recommendations provided in an environmental site assessment in compliance with Section 7.140.
Sign Uses
4.9. Signs must be designed in an aesthetically pleasing manner and in harmony with the architectural theme of the respective building.
4.10. Directional signage is encouraged to provide information at critical locations relating to primary tenants, parking lots, loading zones and pick up areas, entrances, exits and Public Amenity Areas.
4.11. Sign Uses must comply with Subsections 3 and 6 of Section 6.90.

 

5.1. Development must comply with Table 5.1:
Table 5.1. Building Regulations
Subsection Regulation Value
Floor Area Ratio
5.1.1 Maximum Floor Area Ratio 1.0
Height
5.1.2. Maximum Height 15.0 m
5.2. Setbacks must comply with Table 5.2:
Table 5.2. Setback Regulations
Subsection Regulation Value
5.2.1 Minimum Setback No Minimum
Unless one of the following applies:
5.2.2. Minimum Setback to accommodate a Landscaped Yard along James Mowatt Trail, 26 Avenue SW, 119 Street SW, or 30 Avenue SW 4.5 m
Site Design
6.1. No single Use with a total Floor Area of 3,500 m2 or greater is permitted to be wholly located in Area "A", as illustrated in Appendix II.
6.2. Buildings shall generally be designed to:
 
6.2.1. frame the corners of prominent intersections bordering the Site;
6.2.2. frame major vehicle and pedestrian access points into the Site; and
6.2.3. permit views into the Site along the axis of roadways and Pathways intersecting the Abutting perimeter Streets.
6.3. Private internal roadways must be provided through the Site. These roadways must provide vehicle and pedestrian connections between James Mowatt Trail SW and 119 Street SW, and between 26 Avenue SW and 30 Avenue SW. The alignment of the roadways must be confirmed at the Development Permit stage.
6.4. A Public Amenity Area, intended to create a ”sense of place” and an inviting image of the development, must be provided within the area identified as “Amenity Area” in Appendix II. This Public Amenity Area may include design features including but not limited to: 
 
6.4.1. public art (this may include a water feature);
6.4.2. public seating areas and street furniture; or
6.4.3. ornamental planting beds.
6.5. Buildings adjacent to the Public Amenity Area must be oriented and designed to frame and enhance the Public Amenity Area and provide opportunity for passive surveillance.
6.6. No part of the Site may be developed as a fully enclosed shopping mall. The primary means of pedestrian circulation must be outdoor Pathways and/or sidewalks.
Building Design 
6.7. Buildings must be of high quality and be designed in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Chain architecture should generally be limited to corporate logos and signage, and identifiable building features.
6.8. Building Facades on all sides must include design elements, finishing materials and variations that will reduce any perceived mass and linearity of buildings and add architectural interest. 
6.9. The perceived massing of building walls greater than 20.0 m in length must be reduced through Architectural Elements such as:
 
6.9.1. columns;
6.9.2. ribs;
6.9.3. pilasters or piers;
6.9.4. changes in plane (e.g., recesses and projections);
6.9.5. changes in building finishes;
6.9.6. materials and textures; or
6.9.7. features that create an identifiable pattern and sense of human scale.
Diagram for Subsection 6.8 and 6.9
Diagram for TC-C3.121.6.8
6.10. Buildings located along Public Amenity Areas and major pedestrian Pathways must emphasize Architectural Elements and Facade enhancements, particularly to the first and second Storeys of a development to create a pedestrian-friendly environment. Design elements may include:
 
6.10.1. the placement of windows to allow for viewing into the building by pedestrians;
6.10.2. entrance features;
6.10.3. street furniture;
6.10.4. canopies; or
6.10.5. features that lend visual interest and a human scale.
6.11. Buildings located at the corner of 30 Avenue SW and 119 Street SW must be enhanced architecturally in consideration of this prominent location close to MU LRT 2 and the LRT corridor. These buildings should be oriented to enable a strong pedestrian connection from the intersection into the Site.
6.12. Buildings must incorporate decorative exterior lighting to enhance building architecture, Landscaping elements and the Public Amenity Area.
6.13. Building entries must be readily identifiable and use:
 
6.13.1. recesses;
6.13.2. projections;
6.13.3. columns; or
6.13.4. distinctive materials and colours to distinguish them from other parts of the Facade.
6.14. All mechanical equipment, including roof mechanical units, must be concealed from street level view by screening in a manner compatible with the architectural character of the building or by incorporating it within the building.
Pedestrian Circulation
6.15. A strong landscaped pedestrian connection through the Site, linking James Mowatt Trail and 119 Street, must be provided to facilitate pedestrian movement towards the LRT station, transit stops, and the Main Street Retail area.
6.16. Enhanced parking islands with Pathways must be provided to facilitate safe pedestrian movement from the Parking Areas to the buildings. 
6.17. Design techniques to support pedestrian safety must be provided at pedestrian crossings, such as:
 
6.17.1. raised pedestrian crossings;
6.17.2. decorative Landscaping;
6.17.3. special paving;
6.17.4. lighting; or
6.17.5. bollards.
6.18 Landscaped sidewalks in front of buildings and main entrances must be developed to a minimum 2.0 m width to reduce pedestrian conflict and facilitate pedestrian movement and activities.
Roadways and Parking
6.19. At least one internal private roadway must provide a minimum 1.5 m wide sidewalk with boulevard landscaping on at least one side to help connect parking lots, building entrances, external Pathways, Public Amenity Areas and transit stops. 
6.20. Street parking is permitted along internal private roadways.
6.21. Internal private roadways must provide high-quality urban street furniture at appropriate intervals, which may include:
 
6.21.1 benches;
6.21.2. lighting;
6.21.3. pedestrian-level lighting;
6.21.4. banners;
6.21.5. waste receptacles;
6.21.6. bike racks;
6.21.7. bollards; and
6.21.8. wayfinding signage.
6.22. A maximum of 40 percent of Frontages that Abut the landscaped yard along public Streets may be developed with surface parking, except that a maximum of 25 percent of Frontages that Abut the landscaped yard within Area A and along 119 Street SW may be developed with surface parking.
6.23. Internal private roadways, as shown in Appendix II, will function as access and service corridors within the Town Centre Commercial Zone. Internal roadways are intended to replace common functions of local Streets. Multiple access points will be provided along their lengths to accommodate access to parking drive aisles as well as to provide a variety of options for service delivery, such as garbage collection, delivery vehicles, and loading zones.
6.24. A Public Access Easement must be registered on the Site to ensure public access.
Open Space and Landscaping 
6.25. In addition to the regulations in Section 5.60, a high quality landscape plan prepared by a registered landscape architect must be submitted prior to the approval of any Development Permit. This plan must illustrate:
 
6.25.1. Landscaping internal to the Site;
6.25.2. Public Amenity Areas;
6.25.3. pedestrian linkages;
6.25.4. fencing;
6.25.5. exterior lighting;
6.25.6. street furniture elements;
6.25.7. pedestrian seating areas; and
6.25.8. the varied sizes and species of new plantings.
6.26. Outdoor Public Amenity Areas must be landscaped for the purpose of achieving pedestrian connectivity, opportunities for play and social interaction. In addition to Landscaping, this must be achieved through the use of:
 
6.26.1. park benches;
6.26.2. pedestrian level lighting;
6.26.3. waste receptacles; and 
6.26.4. other means integrated with the landscaping and placed along public walking routes through the Site.
6.27. Site entrances and landscaped edges along James Mowatt Trail SW and 28 Avenue SW must receive special design attention to ensure that the development presents an attractive and inviting face to surrounding areas, while allowing views of buildings/building signs within the Site.
6.28. Coordinated and complementary streetscape enhancements must be developed through the Site, including:
 
6.28.1. street trees;
6.28.2. Fencing;
6.28.3. pedestrian-scale lighting;
6.28.4. street furniture; and
6.28.5. other elements.
6.29. Landscaping must be used to highlight major circulation patterns, pedestrian linkages, and the overall development.
6.30. The required Public Amenity Areas must be developed as one or more of the following:
 
6.30.1. courtyard;
6.30.2. interior landscaped open space;
6.30.3. arcade;
6.30.4. plaza;
6.30.5. parkette;
6.30.6 square; and
6.30.7. outdoor seating area. 
6.31. The Public Amenity Areas may be developed with Landscaping, planting beds, public art, street furniture, water features, or other enhancing features. Amenity Areas must be located in more accessible areas of the Site.

 

Parking, Loading, Storage and Access
7.1. No parking, loading, storage, trash collection, outdoor service or display area is permitted within a required yard. 
7.2. Loading, storage and trash collection areas must be located to the rear or sides of the principal building and must be screened from view from any adjacent Sites, public or internal roadways, and mass transit lines, in compliance with the provisions of Section 5.60.
7.3. Loading areas must not encroach onto public right-of-ways.
7.4. If the rear or sides of a Site are used for parking, an outdoor service or display area, or both, and Abut a residential Zone or an Alley serving a residential Zone, such areas must be screened in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.60.
Other Regulations
7.5. A minimum of 1.0 m2 of Landscaped islands per 10 surface parking spaces must be provided.
7.6. An additional Public Amenity Area of 1.0 m2 must be provided for every 100 m2 of commercial floor space.
7.7. Barrier-free design principles must be used to guide the design of all buildings and public facilities, ensuring a high degree of accessibility to persons with disabilities.
7.8. CPTED principles must be used to guide the design of all public and private spaces and facilities, focusing on natural surveillance and access control.
7.9. At the Development Permit stage, a generalized, non-binding concept plan must be submitted for all new building development or substantial redevelopment for the purpose of illustrating how the proposed development will integrate with existing and future surrounding and on-Site development. The concept plan must show the location of existing and future buildings, Parking Areas, vehicle and pedestrian routes and Public Amenity Areas.
7.10. At the Development Permit stage, coloured elevation plans and a detailed materials list must be submitted consistent with the purpose of this Zone and the Heritage Valley Town Centre NASP.