A bid to rotate a historic Oak Bay house and subdivide the adjacent land is going back for more discussion after a presentation to council in December.
In an application for a Heritage Revitalization Agreement, Mark Holland of Westplan Consulting, on behalf of the applicant, outlined the proposal for the house known as Annandale, and other buildings on the site of 1587 to 1595 York Pl.
Built in 1898 and one of two homes that were identical with the second, Garrison house, was destroyed by fire in the 1930s.
It lies within the Prospect Heritage Conservation Area that aims to preserve the character of the neighbourhood built in the early 1900s. There are about 50 homes in total, and the bylaw applies to the exterior of homes and structures over 10 square metres, and to a series of landscape and yard features such as non-permeable pavement and rock walls.
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Annandale faces significant challenges due to age and inconsistent maintenance, Holland told council Dec. 12.
“We have a home that is quite degraded,” he said.
Heavily altered over the years to provide suites, the interior conditions are varied with some in good shape, but the home overall is in dire condition. The plan is to provide significant code and lifesaving upgrades in order to preserve the building, Holland said.
The proposal would see a section of the house re-positioned – rotating it 180 degrees – and a portion removed. It would also include subdivision and reorganization of the land including the adjacent parcel and adjusting their shared lot lines.
The subdivision would create four lots – one with construction of a single-family home already underway – each with a single-family home.
That would require the subdivision of a lot from the adjacent 1561 York Pl. into a separate parcel and the approval for a future conversion of the existing garage into a home.
The addition of two new driveways off York Place would service the new lot configuration for off-street parking. The fourth would be an infill home on a new lot south of the heritage house.
Noting the site’s location “at the heart of the whole HCA,” Coun. Andrew Appleton questioned the shift back to single-family home. He specifically noted Oak Bay’s infill strategy supports heritage conversions, Annandale’s recent history as multi-family housing and the large property.
Holland said that during consultation, the proponent heard from neighbours that they see York Place as a street of grand single-family homes.
READ ALSO: Oak Bay council split over forcing heritage designation on Island Road home
Coun. Hazel Braithwaite asked for the plan for the heritage rock wall at the edge of the Annandale property. Protected under the HCA, the current project does seek two new openings for driveways.
Coun. Carrie Smart suggested flipping Annandale to create a more impressive perspective seems fine, as is developing it as a single-family home.
But “there’s so much more opportunity on this site,” she said, asking for more density – either in the Annandale house or elsewhere on the property
Council opted to send the project back for more work – looking for something that more clearly aligns with the Prospect Heritage Conservation Area guidelines around siting, scale, massing and design as well as the work proposed for Annandale.
Holland, who earlier expressed a need for clarity on interpretations of the official community plan and heritage conservation area guidelines, said the proposal team is “roll up our sleeves” and be more creative.
Visit annandalevictoria.com for more details on the proposal.
Find all council agendas and meeting streams online at oakbay.civicweb.net.